Le Colonne

The story

Le Colonne, Santa Maria Maggiore: Country Cooking with Michelin Recognition in the Italian Alps

Le Colonne in Santa Maria Maggiore

In the Alpine village of Santa Maria Maggiore, Ristorante Le Colonne offers a dining experience that is both rooted in tradition and driven by a modern sensibility. Since 1998, chef Gianni Bona has been the heart of the kitchen, crafting a delicate interpretation of mountain cuisine.

Bona’s philosophy is clear: sustainability and territoriality are the guiding principles. His is not a nostalgic take on country cooking, but a studied, technically precise evolution of it. A winter menu, for example, might feature homemade chestnut tagliolini with local cheese and cabbage, or a cappuccino of pumpkin with gorgonzola cream—the sort of deeply satisfying dishes that build a restaurant’s reputation.

Game, a staple of the region, appears in various forms: as a carpaccio with mushrooms and mascarpa, or as diced meat seared with juniper and served with a red wine sauce. The tasting menu, available for the whole table, offers a progression of three, four, or five surprise courses that let the kitchen show its full range. The attention to detail extends to the homemade bread and the wine list, curated to complement the seasonal cooking.

This quiet, confident approach has earned Le Colonne a place in the Michelin guide, where it is listed as a Recommended restaurant. For anyone seeking authentic, ingredient-driven country cooking in the heart of the Val Vigezzo, it is a destination worth seeking out.