If you fancy a short walk before and after lunch this
restaurant fits the bill.
Park in Diamante under the SS18 near the bus park (NOT the
bus station) and then follow the red tiled path up the side of the river. It’s about 1 kilometre but it’s very easy
walking on a footpath and will take about 20 minutes depending how often you
stop to survey the scenery.
The trail leads you past some spectacular cliff formations
as well as some very pretty landscaped areas.
Even in summer there is always plenty of water in the river – but in the
winter it can be very fast flowing and turbulent.
You arrive at the restaurant over a rickety rackety looking
bridge, conjuring up visions of Billy Goat Gruff living underneath!
The restaurant is set on the side of the river with a large
car park to the side of the wedding area.
If it’s a nice day eating outside at the tables set amid the trees is
very relaxing.
Should you choose to eat in the restaurant, it’s a light and
airy building retaining many of the features of the old mill. It has been converted in a very tasteful way
and has some quirky artefacts around the walls.
Even the toilets are a delight to visit. They are very clean
and modern.
The menu includes all the normal dishes of the region, all
of which are cooked and presented beautifully.
My personal favourite is the local sausage. The flavours are
fabulous. They have a novel take on chips
here which may look odd at first but are delicious.
The beer served is Birra Morretti, which makes a nice change
from Nastro Azzurro. The wine is local
and again very good.
The people however are just as important as the food and
they present a very warm welcome whatever time of day you arrive. They are attentive without being intrusive
and strive to ensure that the whole experience is as perfect as they can make
it.
If it’s night time, or too hot to walk, the trip in the car
takes about 10 minutes on a rough track. You arrive slightly shaken and, if
you’ve been foolish enough to forget to close the windows, dusty!