Locanda de Banchieri

The story

Locanda de Banchieri | Michelin-Starred Seasonal Country Cooking in Sarzana, Italy

At Locanda de Banchieri, Chef Patron Giacomo Devoto translates the landscape of the Lunigiana into plates of quiet precision. The restaurant, housed in a restored 17th-century farmhouse near Fosdinovo, earned a Michelin star for its refined, ingredient-driven cooking — a recognition that feels less like an endpoint and more like a natural expression of the chef’s daily work.

Devoto, a native of the Val di Magra, trained under Angelo Paracucchi before spending years in the Aosta Valley. When he returned to Sarzana, he founded Officine del Cibo, a gourmet pizzeria that became one of Italy’s most acclaimed. But Locanda de Banchieri is his most personal project. The estate includes three and a half hectares of organic gardens and olive groves, and an on-site farm that supplies much of the kitchen’s produce, eggs, and herbs. The result is a kitchen that operates with genuine farm-to-table discipline — not as a slogan, but as a daily practice.

The seasonal country cooking here draws from two worlds: the hearty traditions of the Lunigiana and the lighter, herb-flecked cuisine of neighbouring Liguria. Devoto calls it a “language of the border,” and the menu shifts with the harvest. Dishes are built around what the land provides — wild herbs, garden vegetables, eggs from the farm’s hens — with an eye toward sustainability. Induction cooking and careful oven use reflect a broader commitment to energy conservation.

The atmosphere inside the stone-walled dining room is warm and unhurried, with service that matches the cooking’s understated confidence. A carefully curated wine list, stored in the property’s cellar, leans into small producers and local bottles.

For those seeking a deeper immersion, the Locanda also offers rooms, making it possible to stay overnight and experience the full rhythm of the estate — from breakfast through an evening tasting menu that tells the story of this corner of Tuscany, one plate at a time.