What is Ca' Apollonio Heritage, the first sustainable restaurant in Veneto?
When Voltaire wrote the final lines of Candide, he probably couldn't have imagined that centuries later, the protagonist's invitation to Master Pangloss to "cultivate your own garden" would become a refrain serving the gastronomic world.
The idea was conceived by Norbert Niederkofler and Paolo Ferretti, the South Tyrolean chef's partner in the Mo-Food holding company (a consultancy firm founded in 2014), and was supported by Vireo, a global certification body. In Veneto, the first restaurant to receive the recognition was Ca' Apollonio Heritage, a hospitality and dining project located at the foot of Monte Grappa, which achieved Gold status, underscoring the increasingly close connection between food, hospitality, culture, and environmental engagement.
What is Ca' Apollonio and where is it located?
Ca' Apollonio Heritage is located in Romano d'Ezzelino, in the Vicenza province, in an area that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the result of a far-reaching project by entrepreneurs Maria Pia Viaro and Massimo Vallotto, who in 2015 purchased a series of lands and Villa Apollonio, a historic residence dating back to the 16th century. A meticulous renovation followed, allowing them to open a bistro and fine-dining restaurant in 2022, led by chef Alessio Longhini.
At the same time, in 2017, another adjacent property was purchased, around which the Ca' da Roman organic farm now grows. In addition to hectares of PIWI-resistant vines, the estate also includes a one-hectare vegetable garden, fruit orchards, olive groves, cereals, monumental trees, and honey-producing hedges. A total of 18 hectares of vineyards make Ca' da Roman the largest winery in Europe planted exclusively with PIWI vines. The project also includes hospitality, with the recent opening of the historic villa's seven guest rooms, which will be joined by more in a few months, as well as a spa, wellness, and fitness area. This will be the first boutique hotel in the Veneto region to adhere to the stringent "CasaClima R" and "CasaClima Hotel" protocols.
Viaro and Valotto stated that the recognition represents "further testimony to our ongoing commitment to sustainable dining practices. In keeping with Care's philosophy, Ca' Apollonio Heritage now intends to continue to be part of this transformation, offering its guests an authentic, responsible, and ethical dining experience."
The gastronomic offer
The principles underlying the gastronomic offering are almost obvious, given its recognition (seasonality, collaboration with local producers, and valorization of the local produce): here they've called it the "cuisine of 50 steps," that is, the steps between the table and the organically grown vegetable gardens and orchards.
The offerings are doubled with the Bistrot, designed for a convivial and informal setting, and the Gourmet restaurant, offering two tasting menus, Familiarità and Concoppiatura. All dishes are designed by Alessio Longhini: born in 1988 in Asiago, he worked with Corrado Fasolato at the Met in Venice and Norbert Nierderkofler at St. Hubertus – Rosalpina in San Cassiano.
In 2018, at the Stube Gourmet of the Hotel Europa in Asiago, he received a Michelin star (his risotto with cod tripe was a real hit) and was also named Young Chef of the Year by the Michelin Guide. "This result is extremely gratifying and rewards the work of an entire team," he told us. "I believe it's important today to have a tool that allows us to fully understand and evaluate the impact of each of our choices. For us, it's also an incentive to continue the journey we've embarked on here at Ca' Apollonio Heritage, focusing on cuisine that is attentive to local products, respectful of the rhythm of the seasons, and capable of showcasing the raw materials we harvest directly from our gardens and orchards." Both menus reflect this idea, and while Familiarità encompasses the chef's most iconic dishes, Concoppiato represents the most instinctive and evolving version of Longhini's style.