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Dining in Europe > Rimini When talking about Rimini, the associations of entertainment, sea, holidays and discotheques are inevitable. However, this summer 'metropolis' on the Romagnolo coast also has much to offer from a culinary viewpoint. You won't find highly elaborate dishes, but simply prepared and tasty food that uses natural ingredients that are not altered by long cooking or exotic techniques or ingredients. The cuisine on both the coast and inland is unquestionably one of the most important characteristics of the local peoples history, culture, hospitality and spirit. Based on the simple cooking of agricultural and fishing communities, it has retained the simple and wholesome flavours of the vegetable garden and fresh fish but has been imaginatively adorned to create cuisine to be proud of. The apparent simplicity of the Romagnolo people is reflected in their cooking but, once tasted, you will quickly understand that there is no lack of quality here and that the various flavours are knowingly balanced. Tagliatelle, tagliolini, ravioli, cappelletti and strozzapreti are some of the best traditions of the city and its hinterland. Pan-cooked or grilled poultry form the basis for countryside restaurants, fresh grilled fish that in coastal restaurants. Naturally, all food is accompanied by Sangiovese wine and the local piadina snack is available everywhere. Here is a gastronomic trip you might like to undertake during your stay in Romagna. Lets begin with the piadina: Rimini is teeming with piadina stands but it would be worth your while climbing Covignano hill to the Bar Ilde in the Rimini countryside a few metres from the famous discotheque, Paradiso. If you like good pizza, there are various places that offer this Neapolitan dish, for example, Da Carlo, the Gaiofana (on the road to Montescudo) where probably the pizzas are more genuinely Neapolitan, La Brasserie (very popular especially in winter), the Carisma and Le Logge. The Romanesque architecture of the Vecchia Pescheria is also worthy of a special mention as it is said to be located in the most beautiful part of the city centre, next to Piazza Cavour where the City Hall stands. Imaginative night-time illumination makes the zone particularly charming. Another alternative where the cooking is good is the Osteria della Piazzetta. It is obvious though that anyone who comes to Rimini must delight in at least one dinner or lunch of fish cooked to be fit for a God. The possibilities are endless, here are some in the city centre: Marinelli da Vittorio, the unpretentious Osteria Saraghinas, the refined and elegant Acero Rosso; further inland there is the Pesce Azzurro, a lovely trattoria in the heart of the country, the Panorama da Giovannino on the hills, the Terrazza Ceccarini at Riccione, the Stazione at Cattolica and Tuf Tuf in Morciano; this last one is a little dear but worth the expense. Riminis most famous restaurant, the one that everyone has heard about, is Il Lurido in the heart of Borgo San Giuliano. It is the unquestioned kingdom of popular and hearty cuisine based on fish. Cesenatico is also worthy of a mention. Fresh fish is prepared with less creativity here but fully in respect of maritime tradition and with attention to detail, in particular Al Gallo and at Vittorio. Vittorio merited a single star in the 1998 Michelin Guide and both are situated on the side of the port with views over the fishing boats. The alternative is rural restaurants where the menus are very similar but you cannot eat there and leave unsatisfied. This is given by the freshness and tastiness of the homemade pastas, the traditional sauces and condiments (ragł, peas, sausages, cream etc.), the enormous helpings served, and the excellent value for money. If you want to eat well but spend little, there is no end of choice; here are some examples: Osteria de Borg in the centre with local and full flavours; a little out of the city there is Osteria del Povero Diavolo in Torriana, the Bellavista in Montescudo, the Locanda di Porta Marina in Saludecio, the famous Osteria da Carloni in Riccione, and the Pacini in Montebello, a very beautiful place that truly deserves a visit. Are you a lover of the various types of mushrooms? If so, then you should take a trip into the Appenines in search of restaurants that offer local ingredients, such as Piastrino in a lovely rural setting in Pennabilli, the trattoria La Pace at Rocca San Casciano, Gambero Rosso in the centre of the small friendly town of San Piero in Bagno. There is something for all tastes, including the 'natural' and 'curative' cookery of the Villa Leri by the Montecolombo Lake, the exquisite vegetarian dishes of the Antica Osteria degli Archi at Castrocaro, and the rural dishes to be had at Saperi e Sapori in Vallecchio di Montescudo. If you enjoy sipping at excellent wine and nibbling on slices of salame, you are advised to try the Enoteca Belfiore at Montefiore, or the romantic Osteria Porta del Sasso in Verucchio. Entertainment in RiminiIt is extremely difficult to outline the ideal route through the labyrinth nightlife in Rimini and the surrounding area as the variety of places to visit and the contagious atmosphere is so great that you could enter any disco, bar, pub or club and spend an entire evening having the greatest fun. A distinction, however, must be made between the winter and summer seasons: in summer you will find everything under the sun on offer in Rimini and often until breakfast the next day. In winter many of the entertainments close leaving others very full but the atmosphere of the summer is certainly missing even if the air is still charged with the Romagnolo spirit of fun. What you will find is that winter weekends are very similar to the summer period with the exception of the (outside) temperature. To have a grasp of the thousands of possibilities available on the Riminese and Riccionese riviera, the area has to be divided into zones. Some, exclusively frequented by locals, others exclusively by tourists, while others still are a blend of the two. A true Riminese, a little snobbish in their own way, loves to take refuge in the city centre, especially in summer, and spend time in the most fashionable discotheques. The trendiest areas for Riviera nightlife are Rimini city centre, Marina Centro and the seafront and Riccione Alta. Entertainment is guaranteed in any one of these at any time of the year. Rimini city centre You can begin with the Black Cock, then move on to La Cantinetta, or choose one of the bars for a drink and then head for the marble tables of the fish market. Any combination is fine but be careful as the setting is so pleasant you may not wish to leave for the entire evening. Marina Centro The inner seafront The Io Street Club , the Bounty (pub built like a boat), Cellophane , and the Altro Mondo Studios are also nerve centres of Riviera entertainment, being popular with both tourists and locals. Separate mentions should be made for the Beach Village and the Territorio Match Music , the latter being a real summer beach attraction either in the early, mid or late evening. Riccione Alta You have to spend at least one evening here and if you need information on which disco is best for you, what clothes to wear or what type of people go there, remember the local saying that as you climb the hill you also climb the social ladder. Dining in Europe > Rimini
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