The story
It began in 1977, when Anna D’Andrea returned to Civitella Casanova and turned a tobacconist’s shop into a trattoria. Over the decades, her son Marcello Spadone and his wife Bruna Sablone, together with their sons Alessio and Mattia, have transformed La Bandiera into a destination for contemporary Italian cuisine in the heart of Abruzzo.
Marcello trained at the legendary Albereta under Gualtiero Marchesi. Bruna, the chef and true soul of the restaurant, brings her training as an agronomist to every dish. Mattia honed his skills with the multi-starred Roca brothers in Spain, while Alessio began his career at Enoteca Pinchiorri. Together with a close-knit team—including sommelier Pierguido Tanini and longtime kitchen crew member Lorenzo Mezzanotte—they create an experience that is both personal and polished.
The kitchen looks out over the rolling hills of the Pescara countryside, near the Riserva Regionale del Voltigno, with the Maiella massif on the horizon. This landscape is Bruna’s larder: she cultivates a synergistic garden using organic and biodynamic methods, growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers that travel just a few steps to the table. The restaurant’s cuisine follows a manifesto of simple, essential rules, and the menu changes daily in dialogue with nature.
A plant-based menu has been a fixture since 2011, and the tasting menu explores the territory from the surrounding countryside to the Adriatic coast. The wine list, curated by Pierguido, complements the cooking with thoughtful selections.
La Bandiera has held a Michelin star since 2012, a mark of its consistent high quality. But the warmth of the welcome and the sincerity of the food remain the true draw—a family restaurant that has grown into an elite address for Italian cuisine without losing its roots.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
