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A More Person-Centered Dining Experience. A Place of Taste Where People Are on First-Name Terms. Less Appearance, More Substance.

Marco Gatti

Civico 24: The Gourmet Lounge of Brianza

In Albiate, at Lara Buoninsegni and Enrico Casati’s place, a few seats to enjoy signature dishes paired with wines from a great cellar.

A more person-centered dining experience. A place of taste where people are on first-name terms. Less appearance, more substance. If you’re looking for a place with these characteristics, the address you need to know is a radiant new entry in IlGolosarioRistoranti GattiMassobrio. It is Civico 24 in Albiate. It awaits you in Piazza Conciliazione, the heart of the charming town of Brianza—birthplace of Vittorino Colombo, who was a minister and president of the Senate in 1983, and Bernardo Caprotti, the "father" of Esselunga—where the Church of San Giovanni and the 11th-century bell tower are located.

On the outside, there is only a display window with a glass door, and to the right, a sign announcing that the venue is a restaurant and delicatessen.

Inside, as soon as you pass through the entrance, there is a tiny room with, on the right, the open kitchen behind the bar counter, and on the left, two small tables ideal for couples. At the back, beyond an arch, is a charming little room with a very warm atmosphere, with only four tables, bottles of spirits and wines on display, anticipating the true pride of this address: the cellar, which houses over 400 labels.

Now, the reason for the few seats—remember to book in advance—becomes clear with the "tailor-made" service and cuisine. With Lara Buoninsegni and Enrico Casati, the couple who are as well-matched in life as in work, you will be hosted as if you were friends in their living room. With the wines, also available by the glass, from the splendid selection, where you’ll find many of our Top Hundred and numerous unique labels, true discoveries, thanks to Enrico’s passionate search.

From a menu that Lara adjusts based on daily shopping, you can enjoy satisfying dishes such as Mangalica cotechino with lentils and golden zabaglione, or a potato and tomato soup with sautéed mussels, Jerusalem artichoke chips, and pine oil.

Among the first courses, homemade stuffed pasta, with Emilia-Romagna tortellini in roast reduction sauce (delicious, the recipe is from Enrico’s grandmother, who moved from Piacenza to Albiate after World War II and opened a successful pasta shop). Rice dishes include risotto with Shropshire cheese and Port reduction.

For the main courses, indulgent porcini mushrooms (from Borgotaro and Valtellina) with polenta, foie gras scallop with Moscato pears, macaron with horseradish cream and Sherry glaze, or for cheese lovers (the selection is from Degust Affineur of Varna).

To finish, American-style cheesecake with salted caramel and Brazilian nuts, or rum baba. You will leave with a strong desire to return. Civico 24 will be talked about. How many more small—yet grand—places like this would we need!