Colline Ciociare

The story

Colline Ciociare by Salvatore Tassa – Michelin-Starred Italian Restaurant in Fiuggi

Colline Ciociare: A Family Legacy in Acuto

Just outside Fiuggi, in the small hilltop village of Acuto, Colline Ciociare represents the meeting point of deep family roots and exacting culinary ambition. The restaurant is the Michelin-starred expression of Casa di Cucina, the project of chef Salvatore Tassa.

The story begins in 1960, when chef Tassa’s mother, Signora Ester, opened a simple trattoria built on love for honest, family-style Italian food. That trattoria still exists today as Nu Trattoria, a more casual sibling where the chef offers a surprise menu that follows the seasons and his daily inspiration.

Colline Ciociare, the fine-dining arm, has held a Michelin star for more than 30 years. Chef Tassa himself arrived in the kitchen almost by accident. After studying architecture and finding himself without work at age 30, he entered a cooking competition on a bet: if he placed in the top four, he would continue the family business. He came fourth. From that moment, his career grew steadily, leading to the coveted star in 1995. Tassa, who prefers to call himself a cuciniere (cook), has since traveled the world—the United States, Mexico, France, China, Japan, Germany—bringing Italian cuisine to kitchens everywhere.

At Colline Ciociare, the menus are built on careful selection of raw ingredients and studied techniques. Guests choose between a five-course tasting menu (€100) and a seven-course option (€125). The atmosphere balances the warmth of the original trattoria spirit with the precision of a kitchen that has earned its place among Italy’s most respected.