In the heart of the Orobie Alps, in Lenna (BG), Ferdy is not just a farmhouse, but a place where the mountains are the protagonists, experienced every day in an authentic way. Today it is also a Michelin Green Star restaurant for 2025, an award that recognizes consistency and respect for the environment, animals, and people.
Getting here is a little ritual: you cross a small bridge and enter an ecosystem made up of woods, horses, Orobian goats, and the stone building that houses the restaurant, spa, and rooms. A family project started by Ferdinando Quarteroni, “Ferdy,” and now carried on with vision and sensitivity by his son Nicolò, who has transformed his father's dream into an ethical, contemporary reality rooted in the territory.
High-altitude cuisine: seasonal and animal-friendly
Ferdy's cuisine, led by chef Alessio Manzoni, is a living story of the Orobie Alps: raw milk cheeses, ethically sourced meat, wild herbs, roots, flowers, and ingredients harvested or raised on site. “We don't serve young meat here: we work with endangered breeds, such as the Original Brown Alpine, and we value every part of the animal,” Nicolò explained to the Michelin Guide in this interview.
This is where Wild Etik was born, a philosophy that combines animal welfare and conscious taste. The dish “Orobie Orientali” is symbolic: Etik cow filet, wasabi-flavored coclearia, spring onion, and broth. Another signature dish? Spaghetti cooked in whey and creamed with butter, pepper, and Etik liver bottarga. The menu, which changes with the seasons, includes tasting menus such as “Ma le Orobie di più” and “Viaröl de la Petronilla” (vegetarian), which offer a journey through the woods and pastures.
The cheese trolley, the Cheese Valley, and the Mountain Superheroes
A real attraction is the artisanal cheese trolley, hand-built by Nicolò: 15-20 short-chain products, all from the Cheese Valley (recognized by UNESCO). When it is not possible to produce everything in-house, the Mountain Superheroes network comes into play: small producers who share Ferdy's values. “We pay them twice the market price because that's how quality and respect are sustained,” says Nicolò.
Wild Vigneron and a stay in touch with the land
In the glass, the philosophy remains the same: with Wild Vigneron, Nicolò has selected over 700 labels from natural winemakers who work with respect for the land. Each wine tells a true story, such as Manuel Biava's Moscato di Scanzo, a Bergamo excellence. Those who decide to stay can sleep in one of the ten rooms, all made of wood and stone, with attention to every detail, or relax in the alpine spa, with treatments based on whey, hay, and local stones.
Sincere communication, a genuine community
Ferdy's success is also built on transparent, daily storytelling on social media. Nicolò shows what really happens: milking, the birth of a calf, cheese production. “We don't sell storytelling. We tell the story of who we are.” Ferdy is now an essential stop for those seeking authentic, seasonal, sustainable experiences. A mountain that nourishes, welcomes, and teaches you to take care of time and food. A place you visit once and remember forever.
