Moncalvo

What survives of Moncalvo's fourteenth-century castle is two brick towers over the market square, linked by restored walkways that now hold the tourist office and a wine shop. The walls are freely accessible and the views reach across the Monferrato hills to the sanctuary of Crea. The square below hosts markets, festivals and December's Fat Ox Fair.

Call ahead — the number's on the site — and Roberto pours you through the range in a working cellar rather than a staged tour. It's Barbera country: a straightforward Barbera d'Asti and Il Boschetto, the barrique-aged DOCG Superiore, alongside a Grignolino that tends to change minds and Prima Luce, a Martinotti-method brut for anyone who opens a bottle before lunch. Something to nibble usually comes alongside, and there are a couple of restored guest rooms upstairs if the view over the vines keeps you a second night. Come to taste and buy; the regulars leave with a case.

A pedestrian ramp climbing from Piazza Castello to Piazza Carlo Alberto, where the Thursday market has long been held. Along its wall hang reproductions of architect Mario Pavese's drawings for the town's Truffle Fair — part of Moncalvo's open-air museum trail.

Italy Bike Resort rents e-bikes and runs tours out of Moncalvo — one of Italy's smallest cities, up in the northern Monferrato hills. Beyond the pedal-assist hire, they'll guide you through the vineyards and villages around town. Arrange it directly with them.

A Gothic townhouse on Moncalvo's main street, its exposed-brick façade dating to the thirteenth century. It's a striking corner of the old town, with characterful shopfronts still tucked into the ground floor — worth a pause while walking through the centre.

Andrea usually meets you at the cellar, and the only real question is how far up the hill you want to go. Fifteen euros gets four wines at the counter (free if you spend over €80); €28 adds a board of salumi and cheese and a short walk into the vines; the €33 Elite pours eight and climbs to the "heroic" rows the family works by hand because a tractor would tip. It's Barbera-led and certified organic — the Superiore La Pajassa is the one to hold out for. Book ahead on their site or by WhatsApp, and take the morning slot while the hillside's still cool.

A historic Moncalvo palazzo that opens its rooms for concerts, among them the Guglielmo e Orsola Caccia music festival. Behind its brick façade it's a quietly grand setting for an evening of music in the old town.

A small public playground set into the huge Piazza Carlo Alberto, beside the castle porticoes. Recently renovated, it pairs swings and play equipment with one of the town's best viewpoints over the hills — handy for families breaking up a walk through the centre.

Tagliata of Fassone beef and topside with tuna sauce anchor the menu, and the wine list runs long enough to lose an hour in. It's a proper trattoria-vineria in the centre of Moncalvo, with truffle in season and a private room upstairs that comes with a view.

Raw Fassone beef, agnolotti, peppers in bagna càuda and the full bollito when Moncalvo celebrates its Bue Grasso — this is old Piedmontese cooking done with care. It sits under brick vaults with an open cellar, the owner works the room and the wines, and a tasting menu keeps the bill honest.

Refined Piedmontese cooking in the centre: vitello tonnato, a crisp breaded egg, sixty-hour short rib, and white truffle when the season lands. The wine list is deep and the welcome warm; service can slow when the room's full, so settle in for a long, unhurried lunch.

Thin, crisp-crusted pizza and house specialities like the sfilantino and arancino, from a room small enough to fill fast. The wine and beer list is better than it needs to be and the prices stay fair — worth booking, and worth finding, since it's tucked away.

Anna's pizza runs to a long list of pizze bianche and a crunchy wholegrain base — gourmet in spirit, priced like an everyday pizza. There's a good pick of craft beers to go with it.

Pizza is the thing here — four kinds of dough, hemp flour included, turned out huge and cheap by a warm family who'll sometimes pull you into a pizza-making session. Locals and travellers pack it in; the sfilotina is worth ordering.

Pizza al taglio, flaky to the last bite, from Pino and his family — the radicchio, gorgonzola and lard is the one to order. Prices stay low, there's local wine to pick up at the counter, and the renovated room is cosier than it used to be.

Egg poached with cheese and truffle, veal cheeks that fall apart, and a garden that looks out over the hills. It's the more refined end of Moncalvo dining, and worth booking ahead — even on a quiet Monday the room can fill.

Pasta made in-house is the reason to come — agnolotti in veal jus, ravioli with tomato and basil, and some of the best gnocchi around. It's a warm trattoria off the piazza with a packed outdoor terrace in season and truffle on the menu come autumn.

Light, well-leavened pizza and a ragù that regulars come back for, run by Paolo and Martina up in the old town. The welcome feels like family, there's a terrace for warm evenings, and the Negroni pours generous.

Piada kebab and cheesy margheritas made fresh to order, cheap and quick — around six euros for the kebab, open every day until midnight. The room's small and a little plain, but the food's fair and the staff work fast, whether you eat in or take away.

Wood-fired pizza and generous plates of pasta from a family who run the place themselves, near the castle. Portions come big, the welcome is warm, and there's a decent wine list to go with the pizza — the kind of spot where local families eat.

A tiny takeaway pizzeria at the top of town with a couple of tables, good farinata, and friendly owners. Phone the order through ahead — turn up cold on a busy night and the wait can stretch.

Two panoramic terraces set into a historic building in the centre, best reached for an aperitivo of local wine as the light drops. It's a recent opening still finding its feet in the kitchen, but the view off the top terrace earns the climb on its own.

A café on Moncalvo's main piazza with tables out under the arcades. It's a reliable stop through the day — coffee and homemade gelato, a much-praised hot chocolate with cream in winter, and an aperitivo with finger food as the evening comes on.

A spacious, welcoming bar with a relaxed regulars' atmosphere and a reputation for good coffee. It's a proper local hangout — table service, craft beers, football on a Saturday night, and an aperitivo of local sparkling wine with salami and olives out front on warm evenings.

A small, easygoing pub just below the castle and main square, run by a genuinely warm host, Massimo. The kitchen turns out homemade burgers — including a black-truffle one and a vegan version — alongside truffle dishes and a good beer selection, served in a room that looks out over the hills.

An artisanal gelateria on the main square, turning out smooth, well-made gelato in unusual flavours — the dark chocolate and Nutella get singled out. There are gluten- and lactose-free cones, generous takeaway tubs, and friendly owners, with plenty of seating inside for hot afternoons.

A friendly neighbourhood café near Moncalvo station, run by Paolo and Luisella. Regulars come for the cappuccino and a spread of morning pastries — a cream bombolone, non-dairy options — and stay for the easy, chatty atmosphere in the roomy dining area.

A small bar tucked under the porticoes on the way to Moncalvo's panoramic viewpoint, with a generous outdoor terrace on the square. Service is quick and friendly, and it's one of the last places around still serving a one-euro coffee at the table — an easy stop for a morning cappuccino or an evening aperitivo.