Restaurant in Alba, Italy
Langhe views, Michelin star, book early.
A Michelin-starred Piemontese restaurant just outside Alba, Locanda del Pilone combines a 360-degree Langhe vineyard panorama with a flexible tasting menu and a wine list recognized by Star Wine List (2026). Ranked #141 in OAD's Classical Europe ranking for 2025 and priced at €€€, it is the strongest case for a full-evening destination dinner on a Piedmont wine trip.
Ranked #141 among Classical European restaurants by Opinionated About Dining in 2025 and holding a Michelin star, Locanda del Pilone earns its €€€ price point for food-and-wine travelers who want serious Piemontese cooking in a setting that doubles as one of the better arguments for the Langhe hills. If you are already in Alba for truffle season or a winery circuit, this is the restaurant to anchor a full evening around. If you want a more urban, in-town dinner, consider Piazza Duomo instead — it is more technically ambitious at a higher price tier.
Locanda del Pilone sits just outside Alba in the frazione of Madonna di Como, and the location is part of the proposition. The dining rooms offer a 360-degree panorama across Langhe vineyard rows — the kind of view that makes the Langhe one of the most photographed wine regions in Italy. That setting is not incidental to the experience; it contextualizes why chef Federico Gallo leans into seasonality and local tradition so consistently. The cuisine is Piemontese at its foundation, interpreted through a creative lens that keeps the menu disciplined rather than experimental.
The tasting menu is the clearest way to read the kitchen's range, and it carries a practical advantage: it can be composed and personalized from the à la carte, giving tables more control over pacing and portion volume than a fixed progression allows. For food-and-wine explorers, this flexibility matters , you are not locked into a set sequence when the wine list (recognized by Star Wine List in 2026) is worth spending time with across multiple courses.
That wine recognition is worth taking seriously. The Star Wine List award positions Locanda del Pilone's cellar as a destination in itself, not just an accompaniment to the food. In the Langhe, where the local Barolo and Barbaresco producers are among the most sought-after in Italy, a restaurant wine list that earns international recognition signals real depth of selection and presumably strong vintage access. For the explorer-type diner visiting Piedmont specifically for the wine region, the drinks program here is a primary reason to book, not an afterthought. Pair that with the OAD ranking , #141 in Classical Europe for 2025, up from #220 in 2024 , and you have a restaurant on a clear upward trajectory.
In summer, a bistrot operates on the terrace, offering a more relaxed format at the same panoramic address. This is worth knowing if your travel window falls between June and August: the terrace bistrot gives you the setting and presumably some version of the kitchen's output without the full formality of the main dining room. For groups with mixed appetites for structured dining, it is a useful option to ask about when booking.
The OAD climb from #220 to #141 in a single year is a meaningful signal. OAD rankings are crowd-sourced from a verified community of serious diners rather than an anonymous public vote, so upward movement of that scale reflects accumulating positive assessments from people who eat at this tier regularly. Taken alongside the Michelin star, which validates consistent technical execution, the picture is of a kitchen that is gaining confidence and recognition at the same time.
For context on where Locanda del Pilone sits in the wider Italian fine dining conversation: it operates in the same regional tradition as venues like Dal Pescatore in Runate and shares the northern-Italian terroir focus that distinguishes places like Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico. It is not in the category of Osteria Francescana in Modena or Uliassi in Senigallia in terms of international profile, but at €€€ versus those venues' higher price tiers, it offers a more accessible entry point into serious Italian regional cooking. Compared to experience-driven international tasting-menu destinations like Lazy Bear in San Francisco or Le Bernardin in New York City, Locanda del Pilone is narrower in scope but deeply specific to place , which is exactly what a Langhe itinerary calls for.
The Google rating of 4.4 across 242 reviews adds a floor of mainstream satisfaction beneath the specialist accolades. That combination , strong public score plus OAD and Michelin recognition , is a reasonable indicator that the kitchen delivers consistently across different diner profiles, not only for the trade-audience visitors who drive specialist list rankings.
If you are building a Piedmont wine-and-food trip, Locanda del Pilone belongs on a short list alongside the better options in Alba proper. Check our full Alba restaurants guide, our full Alba wineries guide, and our full Alba bars guide to fill out the itinerary. For accommodation, our full Alba hotels guide covers properties within reach of both the town center and the Langhe hills. Broader local planning resources are at our full Alba experiences guide.
Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star, OAD Classical Europe #141 (2025), Star Wine List (2026), Google 4.4/5 (242 reviews), price range €€€, location outside Alba at Madonna di Como, summer terrace bistrot available, flexible tasting menu composable from à la carte.
Booking here is hard. A Michelin-starred restaurant in the Langhe with OAD recognition draws a mix of wine-trip planners, serious food travelers, and local regulars, particularly during the autumn truffle season from October through November when the Alba area is at peak visitor density. Book at least four to six weeks ahead for autumn visits; three to four weeks may be workable in quieter months, but given the venue is slightly outside town and likely has limited covers, there is little margin for last-minute availability. Contact the venue directly to confirm current booking channels, table availability, and whether the summer terrace bistrot requires a separate reservation.
Locanda del Pilone is located at Strada Della Cicchetta, Località Madonna di Como, 34, outside Alba , a car or taxi is necessary to reach it. The main dining rooms are described as elegant and classic in style; the summer terrace bistrot operates seasonally and offers a more relaxed format. The tasting menu can be personalized from the à la carte, which gives individual tables flexibility on length and composition. The wine program holds a Star Wine List award (2026), making it worth asking for guidance from the sommelier on Langhe and Piedmont-specific selections. Chef Federico Gallo leads the kitchen.
At a glance: €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | OAD Classical Europe #141 | Star Wine List 2026 | outside Alba, car required | book 4–6 weeks ahead for autumn.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Locanda del Pilone | €€€ | — |
| Piazza Duomo | €€€€ | — |
| Lalibera | €€ | — |
| Osteria dell'Arco | € | — |
| La Piola | — | |
| Ape Vino e Cucina | €€ | — |
A quick look at how Locanda del Pilone measures up.
Book at least 6 to 8 weeks out, and further if you are planning around autumn harvest season in the Langhe, when demand peaks sharply. A Michelin-starred room with OAD Classical Europe recognition (#141 in 2025) draws international wine travelers alongside local regulars, so availability disappears fast. For groups of four or more, book even earlier to secure appropriate seating.
At €€€, it is justified if Piemontese cuisine with creative depth is what you are after. The Michelin star and OAD #141 Classical Europe ranking (2025) place Federico Gallo's cooking in credible company, and the panoramic vineyard setting adds genuine value to the experience. If you want the Langhe at a lower price point, Lalibera or Osteria dell'Arco in Alba proper offer solid alternatives without the destination-restaurant commitment.
The elegant dining rooms can handle groups, but confirm directly with the restaurant given the intimate scale typical of starred Langhe properties. The summer terrace bistro offers a more relaxed format that may suit larger parties better than the main dining room. Advance notice about group size is essential at this price point.
You need a car or taxi — the restaurant sits in the Madonna di Como frazione outside Alba and is not walkable from town. The tasting menu can be composed from the à la carte, which gives you flexibility without locking you into a fixed sequence. In summer, ask about the terrace bistro if you want a lighter, more panoramic lunch rather than a full formal dinner.
The tasting menu is personalizable from the à la carte, which suggests reasonable flexibility for dietary needs. check the venue's official channels before booking to confirm — at €€€ with a Michelin star, kitchens at this level routinely accommodate restrictions when given advance notice, but specifics are not documented in available venue data.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
