Mogano

The story

Mogano, Formello – Contemporary Italian Dining with Michelin Recognition

Mogano: Contemporary Cuisine in the Heart of Formello

In the small town of Formello, just north of Rome, Mogano opened its doors in September 2021 with a clear vision: to create an intimate space where tradition and innovation meet. The restaurant sits beside the Ritual Lab craft brewery, and that proximity is no coincidence—beer is woven into the dining experience as thoughtfully as wine.

The interior is deliberately small, with just five tables and a chef’s counter. This setup allows for a direct, personal connection between the kitchen and each guest. The atmosphere is calm and unhurried, designed for focus on the food and the conversation around it.

Chef Matteo Faenza, born in 1994, trained at the Basque Culinary Center and worked in kitchens from Lima to Santiago de Chile before returning to Italy. His cooking draws on local ingredients but is shaped by those international experiences. The result is a contemporary cuisine that doesn’t mimic foreign styles but absorbs them into a distinctly Italian framework. The kitchen also produces its own kombucha and infused beverages, offering non-alcoholic pairings alongside the beer and wine selections.

The restaurant has been selected by the Michelin Guide every year since 2022, including the 2026 edition—a recognition that speaks to the consistency and clarity of the project.

On Sundays, Mogano offers a special "Mogano Experience": a fully personalized culinary journey for groups of four or more. It begins with a visit to the Ritual Lab brewery, followed by a tasting of barrel-aged beers, and continues in the dining room where guests can take part in some of the preparation. The idea is to turn a meal into something more participatory—a conversation rather than a service.

Mogano’s contemporary cooking is not about spectacle. It’s about precision, ingredient intelligence, and a willingness to let technique serve flavor. The small size of the room means every detail matters, and the team—from sous chef Riccardo Rossini to sommelier Denise Ranalletta—works with a quiet, focused rhythm.