Italiano, francese, o inglese?” My server at Casa Buono in Ventimiglia, an Italian Riviera town, asked me this question. Casa Buono is about four miles from the French border, and this was my first brush with the area’s standard select-your-language tableside greeting.
“Italiano!“I proclaimed triumphantly, that I could show something for my 11-years in Italy. The server pointed to the menu and explained that each of its thirteen dishes celebrates this multi-cultural region. When Naples-born owner and chef Antonio Buono first opened Casa Buono He was not a stranger to the area when he moved there in 2020 with his Ventimigliese partner, Valentina. He spent seven years as a chef at the world renowned Mirazur in Menton. France.
From Left: Chiara Schiarat/Balzi Rossi; Valentina Florio/Ristorante Casa Buono
Ventimiglia, the first town to be reached after the A8 highway from France crosses the border into Italy, straddles Roya River at its mouth as it flows into the Mediterranean. This part of Italy has a Ligurian feel: narrow cobblestone streets, Roman remains, and a picturesque coastline. Due to its proximity to the sea, it is a popular destination for tourists. Côte d’AzurIt’s surprising Ventimiglia hasn’t become more well-known. Most travelers just drive across the border for “lunch in Italy.” It was time to take a closer inspection, especially since two restaurants in particular, Casa Buono and La Terrazza, had received Michelin starred awards within the last few decades.
From Left: Andrei Antipov / Alamy Stock Photo; Jacopo Salvi/Marco Polo
The French influence was evident throughout my dinner at Casa Buono. Most notably, a saffron based preparation of nasello fish, similar in flavor to a bouillabaisse, and in scallop gnocchi with stewed cuttlefish in a buttery broccoli purée. The next day, my lunch was at Marco Polo 1960, A 65-year old mainstay of Ventimiglia’s waterfront, this building is equal parts seaside shack as well as mountain chalet. Diego Pani has returned to his hometown after stints with famous chefs Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy and Monaco. The multi-dish, “satellite”, courses that are based on one single ingredient include the “satellite”, which is a series of dishes with a similar theme. A langoustine for example can be prepared in three ways – roasted and mixed with greens or chopped into small cubes to make tartare and au gratin.
On the morning of the following day, I went to the Mercato CopertoSince 1922, the covered market has been at the center of Ventimiglia. It was the smell of fresh bread that drew me in before I went inside. Christian La Fata, A bakery where I tasted sardenaira, a focaccia slathered with tomato sauce and topped with roasted garlic, capers, and anchovies. As locals bought sea asparagus, broccoli rabe, and spiny artichokes I heard French and Italian sound bites. The scene was lively: a woman at work, a man in the background. U Sicilianu, A salumeria, Then, he slipped into a thick curtain of salami garlands and grated the Parmigiano. As a fishmonger removed live langoustines from ice, they trembled. A tray of blistered Farinata I was intrigued by the savory chickpea pancakes. Pizza al Taglio di Michelle & Piero. I enjoyed a hot portion that was finished off with a generous dusting of fragrant black pepper.
Cala del Forte, the new marina that will open in 2020, is the beginning of Ventimiglia’s transformation. Looking out along the coast, I could see Monaco’s modern high-rises peeking out from leafy Cape Martin, just a 15-minute catamaran ride away. The port was surrounded by many coming soon signs. It had restaurants, boutiques and yacht berths. Borgo del Forte is a five-star luxury hotel that is set to open here in 2027. (Currently, most accommodations in Ventimiglia are fairly no-frills—travelers wanting to stay somewhere with a bit of polish usually base themselves 15 minutes’ drive west in Menton or in Bordighera, 20 minutes southeast.)
Ventimiglia’s revival isn’t limited to its harbor. That night, I hopped in a taxi that took me to the edge of town, almost to the French border, to eat at Balzi Rossi, The restaurant has a suspended terrace over the sea, and the beach is also named after it. After a two-year renovation, the restaurant reopened in 2022 for its 40th birthday. The Piedmontese Chef Enrico Marmo was at the helm. Later that year, it received a Michelin Star.
The sommelier rolled a beverage cart over to mix the house negroni, made with local Arbory gin, a beet-and-black pepper kombucha that was homemade in the restaurant, grapefruit zest and coloured marigolds. The sommelier rolled a beverage cart over to mix up the house negroni, made with local Arbory gin, a house-made beet-and-black-pepper kombucha, grapefruit zest, and a yellow marigold. The seven-course tasting was hyperlocal. It began with an artichoke from a restaurant’s own garden, stuffed with Taggiasca Olives and Pine Nuts and topped off with wild-garlic-oil and Parmigiano egg-yolk.
After a few more courses, the beverage trolley appeared and the sommelier made a mocktail from the essences of the peas pods in the dish before. Dessert is a French riff tarte au citron, put an entire lemon to use: sauce, curd, and gelato created from the pith, juice, and peel, respectively, all packed into the fruit’s hollowed-out shell and crowned with meringue.
How was your meal? the manager asked at the end of my meal.
I sighed, placed my hands on my belly, and smiled—a gesture that transcends all languages.
The original version of this article appeared in the September 20,25 issue of Travel + Leisure Under the heading “It takes Two”.”
