Where to eat in Castelpetroso might look like a mission impossible, as Molise is really small, so you might think there is no room for restaurants. But, surprisingly, there are a lot of places to eat, and some are hidden away in places you wouldn’t guess have a restaurant.

This was the case with Donna Carmela, that was recommended to us by the owner of the B&B where we were staying in Castelpetroso. There are very few restaurants around; we decided to try this one. It’s located about a 10-minute drive from the B&B, and still in Castelpetroso.

First Impressions of Donna Carmela

At the time of our visit, it was practically a new place to eat on the Castelpetroso culinary map. It was also quite difficult to find, and therefore not touristy – it means a real local cuisine. The restaurant is located in an old tenement building, and then it was completely unmarked. Only the brightly lit windows suggested it might be a restaurant.

Hungry after a long day, we hoped the kitchen would be open; we arrived at time when in some restaurants the chefs were still drinking their evening coffee, storing up energy before the busy evening. It was around 8pm, what for Italian standards was rather early, as they tend to eat in late evening.

That’s why we were the first customers there – it almost seemed like we were the only ones looking for somewhere to eat” and for the next two hours, the only ones.

A woman, who could be an object for research on longevity, greeted us at the entrance; we hesitated for a moment, as we thought she could be a chef, and we would die for starvation waiting for our food. But she just welcomed us and disappeared, so we didn’t have to keep wondering where to eat in Castelpetroso — we’d clearly found the spot.

The restaurant’s bright pastel interior, with its somewhat rustic chic, suggested that all the dishes were fresh and theoretically traditional. They indeed were , as the restaurant serves regional cuisine, but with a modern twist. And homemade liqueurs, which are interestingly displayed on a shelf in the room.

What We Ate

The menu wasn’t too long or elaborate, which I consider a plus in restaurants. I always have a problem choosing when the menu is 10 pages long. The restaurant also offers a daily special, typical of regional cuisine rich in meat and truffles, and that’s what we chose.

Mauro started with the mushroom soup, and he was pleased with his choice. He said mushrooms were definitely from forest and the soup had a deep, distinct taste.

I took the ravioli di borragine, stuffed with ricotta and spinach. Served with butter, grated lemon zest, a few strips of cheese, and bitter greens, they were delicious. I’m not a fan of butter-like dressings, but with the greens, the taste wasn’t very creamy.

For the second course, Mauro opted for pork with gravy sauce, which also turned out to be delicious.

I ordered caciocavallo, which looks like a balloon with a tiny head, cheese. It would be great if it tastes as nice as it looks, but it doesn’t and I don’t like it. It’s just bland and probably that’s why my grilled caciocavallo was served with a fried egg and truffles. I guess this meal was in line with the restaurant’s philosophy of a modern take on traditional cuisine. It was interesting, but I don’t think I’d be tempted to try something like that again.

A modern twist, yes — but to me it felt more like twisting the wrong way.

If you are a vegetarian

At the moment of visiting the restaurant, I was a vegetarian for a very long time, and since I didn’t eat meat, cheese was the only option.

Very often in Italian restaurants, you have almost zero selection of dishes for non-animal eaters, which I found very annoying. You can usually get cheese. Again, I love cheese, but I prefer to eat it when I want, and not because it’s the only edible meal for non-meat eaters. In my opinion, the concept of vegetarianism is still kind of beyond the comprehension of Italians, which is ironic, given how their markets look like a vegetarian paradise.

Meat rules, so if you don’t eat it… Bad luck. But not to make you frustrated if you’re an herbivore, it’s slowly changing, at least in big cities. In places like Castepetroso, you can always order pasta with tomato, salad, soup, or…. cheese:)

Sweet Ending and Final Bill

We finished the dinner with a delicious warm chocolate cake with ricotta and liqueur, a must for better digestion. We spent €80, which was a decent amount for two courses, dessert, wine, and liqueurs.

If you’re in Castelpetroso craving traditional-unconventional cuisine, Donna Carmela is a good choice. However, if you want to experience a true Italian restaurant atmosphere, you should go for dinner around 10 p.m. By the time we finished eating and were ready to leave, guests started arriving.

Pros & Cons of Donna Carmela

Pros: Nice interior, good food and not-too-large portions, friendly owner, not overly confusing menu, good homemade liquors
Cons: Service is slow, and the staff are tricky to spot — they seem to live in the kitchen. The place was also very quiet; a bit of soft music would go a long way.