What to Eat in Verona: The Best Food and Wine in the Veneto

Verona sits at the intersection of three DOC wine zones and has a food culture that draws on Veneto tradition while being more deeply influenced by the local landscape than Venice or Padua. Horse meat, river fish, risotto cooked in Amarone, and cured meats from the surrounding hills are the foundation.

The essential dishes

Pastissada de caval — horse meat stewed in Amarone with spices, rosemary, and vegetables. Verona’s most traditional dish, with roots going back to a battle fought in 489 AD (Theodoric’s victory over Odoacer at Verona left thousands of dead horses — the victorious army apparently cooked them). Served with polenta. Available at most trattorias in the historic centre.

Risotto all’Amarone — risotto cooked in Amarone wine, which gives it a deep purple-red colour and an intense flavour. Richly satisfying. The wine for cooking and the wine for drinking are the same.

Bigoli — thick wholegrain spaghetti, a Veneto staple, usually served with duck ragù or with sardine and onion sauce (bigoli in salsa). Different from mainstream Italian pasta.

Bollito misto — various boiled meats served with pearà (a bread and bone marrow sauce unique to Verona) and mostarda (fruit preserved in mustard syrup). A Sunday feast dish; some restaurants serve it all week.

Lesso con pearà — similar to bollito misto, specifically with the pearà sauce. The pearà is the key — dense, peppery, rich, served warm.

Pandoro — the star-shaped Christmas cake originated in Verona (the name means “golden bread”). Soft and buttery, dusted with vanilla sugar. Available year-round in Verona, not just at Christmas, and demonstrably better fresh from the bakery than from supermarket packaging.

The wines

Verona is surrounded by three significant wine zones:

Soave (east) — dry white wine from Garganega grapes, typically crisp and mineral. The Classico zone around Soave town produces the best quality. Soave Superiore and single-vineyard versions are considerably more complex than the mass-market Soave sold in supermarkets.

Valpolicella (north) — the red wine zone. Standard Valpolicella is light and cherry-fruited; Ripasso (refermented over Amarone lees) is richer; Amarone della Valpolicella is one of Italy’s great red wines — made from partially dried grapes, deeply concentrated, often 15–17% alcohol. Recioto della Valpolicella is the sweet version.

Bardolino (west, on Lake Garda) — lighter red wine, sometimes rosé (Chiaretto). More approachable than Valpolicella.

In Verona, every restaurant has Amarone by the glass. A good Amarone from a reputable producer (Allegrini, Dal Forno, Quintarelli, Masi) is the definitive Verona experience.

Where to eat and drink

Osteria and trattoria etiquette: Verona has a strong osteria culture — wine bars that also serve food, usually without a printed menu. The food is what’s available that day. These are the best places to eat pastissada and drink Amarone by the glass.

Around Piazza delle Erbe: Several restaurants with outdoor seating on the square. Prices here are above the city average for what you get; the location premium is real.

Via Mazzini and surroundings: The main shopping street has enotecas and cafes. Slightly better value than the piazza.

Lunch habits: The standard Veronese lunch break (pranzo) runs 12:30–2:30pm and many restaurants only open for this window plus an evening service.

Aperitivo: Verona has a strong spritz culture inherited from the broader Veneto — Aperol spritz originated in the Veneto. The bars around Piazza delle Erbe serve spritz with small snacks (cicchetti) from about 6pm.

Market

The Piazza delle Erbe has operated as a market since Roman times. Stalls run every morning (Monday–Saturday). A good source of local cheese, salumi (including local cured meats from the Lessinia hills), and seasonal produce. The covered Mercato Coperto on Piazza San Zeno is the indoor market option.