Ristorante al Filò

Whether you have been scaling impossible heights, skiing until you ache all over, conquering mountain passes on your own two feet, crossing valleys and wading through rivers, or simply basking in the waters of a spa like the Bagni Vecchi in Bormio, it really doesn’t matter. After a day dedicated to mental and physical wellbeing, you are bound to be feeling one thing: ravenous, to the extent that you would be willing to gnaw on your own fingers and toes. Unless, that is, you’ve had the foresight to book a table at the Ristorante Al Filò, located at number 6 via Dante Alighieri in Bormio.

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, so make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to pass through the huge iron and glass doorway, descend the stone steps of the ancient spiral staircase and have the pleasure of being magically transported back in time to the 1600s: it is to this period that the stone vaults of the old barn, now transformed into a restaurant, date back. The history of the place is echoed in the furnishings, which are rich in details and full of warm colours such as the red and ochre hues of the fabric or the chocolate brown of the chairs and tables. The walls are decked out with an array of ironware which strongly recalls the place’s rural mountain past.

Here you will find a lasting connection with Valtellina tradition and the history of the area: the restaurant is situated right at the heart of Bormio’s historic centre in one of the narrow cobbled alleyways that still ring with old peasant tales. The origins of the restaurant are evoked even in its name, filò, a dialect term which refers to the chatter of peasants in the warmth of the barns during long winter evenings.

This is a place that positively oozes with history thanks to its culinary traditions and customs, here reinvented with great mastery and creative genius by Massimiliano Tusetti, chef and owner of Ristorante Al Filò. His cooking? Simple, of course, as tradition would have it, using local, seasonal products from Valtellina, but with the occasional surprising twist such as a deconstructed take on a traditional dish – unusual, but guaranteed to arouse all the sensory enjoyment of the original recipe. At other times, the chef remains faithful to Valtellina tradition, offering up simple dishes with subtle variations in ingredients. His winning formula? The simplicity which lends each dish a touch of elegance and sophistication.

And as for the wine cellar, you will find no less than 250 labels to choose from, with something to satisfy every palate. Here the motto is “Made in Valtellina”, but the wine list is certainly not lacking in excellent choices from other parts of Italy, as well as the finest champagne (six labels to be precise) and, just to top it all off, a wide selection of grappas.