Osteria Perbacco By Raìse in Verona bears a name that speaks for itself: Raìse, a word rooted in the Veronese dialect, and Perbacco, a popular exclamation and the ancient god of wine, a symbol of good fortune for those who produce and celebrate it. A direct nod to the great tradition of Italian taverns—those places that historically welcomed travelers, offered shelter, and provided warmth—now reinterpreted with fresh eyes.
Leading this revival is Luca Antonello, 24 years old and with a resume that already hints at Michelin-starred kitchens, at the helm of a young and determined team. Their goal is as simple as it is ambitious: to bring back to the heart of Verona something that seemed lost. A tavern that feels like home, that speaks the local dialect, that isn’t afraid to be unpretentious because it understands the value of precision, and knows that simplicity, when it’s authentic, doesn’t need to show off.
The Venue
The interior of Osteria Perbacco By Raìse preserves the authentic spirit of a traditional tavern, with its weathered wood and details that tell stories, that rich, familiar atmosphere that’s hard to find these days, and a subtle renovation that doesn’t compromise the place’s character but makes it more welcoming, more convivial, and better suited for those seeking something genuine. Here, the charm of the past blends with the sensibility of the present, coexisting timelessly in a balance that reflects care and conscious choice. A welcoming place, just like the taverns of yesteryear, when opening the door meant offering refuge, warmth, and good company. The common thread linking the ambiance, the kitchen, and the wine cellar is the concept of the circular tavern, a philosophy that permeates every aspect of the project.
In the kitchen, we start with the raw ingredients: every ingredient is used in its entirety, without waste, seeking in each part the depth of flavor that only mindful preparation can bring out. The creative process then follows a logic that is both precise and poetic, where dishes are born in Verona and return to Verona, drawing on diverse techniques and influences, yet with the joyful commitment to always bring them back home. The wine and spirits list follows the same compass: it is a loving and thoughtful exploration of the Veneto region and its surroundings, built around small producers who work with ethics, passion, and respect for the land. Because at Perbacco, the product is not an accessory; it is the raw material of everything, the starting point of every collaboration, the language through which this place chooses to tell its story.
The Chef and His Cuisine
Born in 2001, Luca Antonello grew up in the province of Verona with a passion for cooking that soon became a clear and irreversible path. The hotel school in Valeggio sul Mincio was his first concrete step; this was followed by seasons on Lake Garda, his first experiences abroad, and then the leap that changed everything: France, with his first Michelin-starred kitchen at Panoramique della Corniche, on the banks of the Seine, just a stone’s throw from Normandy. His return to Italy was a journey built with patience and ambition, step by step. In Verona, he honed his technique and character alongside Giancarlo Perbellini and Michele Bosco during the opening of the restaurant in Garda. Then came Aqua Crua in Barbarano Vicentino, followed by Fabio Aceti at Vista Palazzo Verona, a five-star luxury boutique hotel, and a stint in Bologna, leading up to Trattoria del Cacciatore Sirk at La Subida in Cormons, Friuli, under the guidance of Alessandro Gavagna. Each experience left a specific and lasting mark. From Bosco and Perbellini came the technique and that healthy hunger to carve out a place in the world. From Aceti, the ability to think outside the box without losing sight of the fundamentals. From Gavagna came the most essential lesson of all: “if you use two or three ingredients, you have only two options: either you make it mediocre, or you make it perfect, and that way it remains extraordinary.” It is with these lessons etched into his being that, at just 24 years old, Luca Antonello opens the doors of Osteria Perbacco By Raìse.
We begin with the horse pastissada, a slow-cooked stew with onions, spices, and herbs—a signature dish of Veronese tradition—which is traditionally served with polenta. Here, however, it is elegantly reimagined: the meat is served raw as a carpaccio, fresh and delicate, accompanied by perfectly balanced sweet-and-sour braised onions, crispy puffed polenta chips, and a sauce infused with the same aromas as the original recipe, reduced to a liquid form. The same classic preparation, but deconstructed and reinterpreted. Among the first courses, pasta e fagioli is perhaps the dish that best embodies Perbacco’s circular philosophy. Not a simple reinterpretation, but a profound celebration of the local terroir, where the native Lessinia beans come from Matteo Caloi of the Tretener Farm in Badia Calavena, a small producer who supplies the restaurant with six, seven, and sometimes more varieties depending on the season. Each variety is blanched separately to preserve its unique characteristics, then creamed with ditalini rigati and finished with a rosemary vegetable broth and celery sprouts. The result is a silent symphony, where every spoonful reveals a different nuance—a bean with its own voice, character, history, and deliciousness.
Paired with a sparkling apple cider infused with red grape must. A fresh, crisp opening, with a slightly floral undertone, an aromatic heart, and herbaceous notes, finishing with a hint of minerality. An unexpected pairing that works, as is often the case when you trust your instincts over convention. To bring it all full circle, the dessert. The Russian cake, a quintessential Veronese classic, made of puff pastry and filled with almonds and amaretti, carefully deconstructed and reassembled. While the filling is shaped into a disc that serves as the base, atop which rests a soft, enveloping white chocolate namelaka, and an amaretto sorbet to add freshness and creaminess. To crown it all, a wafer on top that echoes the original pastry with a touch of light, crispiness. A finale that concludes the meal like a well-written story concludes, with references back to the beginning, and the feeling of having understood something new about something already known.
Contact
Osteria Perbacco by Raise
48 Via Giosuè Carducci, Verona (VR)
Tel. 376 096 7641
