I Sette Consoli

I Sette Consoli is among Orvieto's most respected restaurants, a Michelin Guide-listed kitchen on Piazza Sant'Angelo led by chef Anna Rita Simoncini, with her partner running an exceptional cellar and dining room. The setting is a quiet courtyard a few steps from the centre, and its summer garden - with glimpses toward the Duomo - is one of the loveliest places to dine in the town on a warm evening. The cooking is refined and creative while staying anchored in Umbrian and central-Italian produce: seasonal tasting menus shift with what the region offers, and recurring highlights include palomba or piccione (pigeon) and dishes built around black truffle from the surrounding hills. Plates are precise and elegant, the work of a kitchen that has held its place in the guides for many years. The dining room is intimate and quietly formal, with a calm, conversation-friendly atmosphere; in summer the garden is the place to be. Dress is smart. The wine list is a genuine strength, deep in Umbrian and Italian labels with thoughtful pairing suggestions. Service is warm and knowledgeable. The restaurant serves lunch, roughly 12:30PM to 2PM, and dinner from about 7:30PM to 9:30PM, and closes Wednesday. Prices sit in the upper-mid bracket. Because the room and garden are small and the reputation strong, reservations are recommended, particularly for dinner, weekends and summer evenings when the garden tables are most in demand, as well as the autumn truffle season. Diners hoping to eat in the garden should say so when booking. The tasting menu is the best way for a first-time visitor to take in the full sweep of the kitchen, while the wine pairing makes a strong case for itself.