Restaurant in Bra, Italy
Bib Gourmand value, two years running.
A back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand winner (2024–2025) in Bra's historic centre, Osteria La Pimpinella serves generous, sourcing-led Piedmontese cooking at a €€ price point that is hard to argue with. Vitello tonnato, tajarin, and Bra sausage anchor a menu firmly rooted in local produce. Book for a special occasion or a serious regional meal without the starred-restaurant price tag.
At the €€ price point, Osteria La Pimpinella is one of the most defensible restaurant decisions you can make in Bra. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) confirm what a 4.6 rating across 572 Google reviews suggests: this is a kitchen that delivers consistent, generous Piedmontese cooking without the €€€€ ticket that accompanies the region's starred tables. If you are in Bra for Slow Food tourism, a visit to the Cheese Fair, or simply exploring the Langhe, La Pimpinella should be your first call for a sit-down meal that does not require advance financial planning.
Osteria La Pimpinella sits in Bra's historic centre, positioned conveniently near a square with a car park, which matters more than it sounds when you are arriving from Alba or the vineyards around Barolo. The building reads as a modern inn rather than a rustic trattoria, which means the room has enough comfort for a special occasion without the stiffness of a formal dining room. The atmosphere leans warm and unhurried: the kind of place where you can hear your table's conversation, where the staff are described as courteous and professional with, notably, a feminine touch in their approach. The energy sits squarely between neighbourhood restaurant and destination dining, which is exactly the register where Bib Gourmand recognition lands.
Chef Anders Lauring runs a kitchen grounded in Piedmontese sourcing. That sourcing commitment is not incidental. The Langhe and Roero, the two zones flanking Bra, produce some of northern Italy's most distinctive raw materials: Fassona beef for vitello tonnato, tajarin egg pasta made with the yolk-heavy local Cuneo eggs, Bra sausage that is DOP-protected and tied specifically to this town. These are not generic Italian ingredients dressed up with a regional label. They are products with defined provenance, and a kitchen that anchors its menu in them is making a sourcing argument, not just a stylistic one. When La Pimpinella puts vitello tonnato on the menu, it is working with Fassona veal from farms whose proximity you can measure in kilometres. That traceability is what separates a genuinely local Piedmontese menu from one that appropriates the aesthetics without the substance.
The dishes reported from Michelin's assessment reinforce the sourcing story. Vitello tonnato, tajarin pasta, Bra sausage, and slow-cooked casseroles, including a suckling pig cheek preparation, form the core of the menu. These are generously portioned and well-presented, meaning you are not paying fine-dining prices for a tasting menu of three-bite courses. At €€, portions being described as generous is a meaningful data point: this is cooking built for satisfaction, not theatre. The contemporary styling means the plating is thoughtful, but the kitchen's priorities are flavour and tradition rather than technical provocation for its own sake.
For a special occasion in Bra, La Pimpinella occupies useful middle ground. It is more considered than a simple osteria and more relaxed than a starred restaurant. A birthday dinner, an anniversary meal, or a celebratory lunch after a morning in the Barolo cellars all fit naturally here. The couple running the front and back of house bring an enthusiasm that translates into attentive service without the formality that can make a special-occasion meal feel like an audit. If you are bringing someone who does not spend every dinner thinking about food, this is a better choice than a more conceptual table: the cooking speaks clearly and the room does not intimidate.
Timing matters in Bra. The town's Cheese Fair, held every two years in September, and the proximity to harvest season in October mean the town fills up and restaurant availability tightens significantly. Book further ahead than you think you need to during those windows. Outside peak periods, Bra is a quieter stop on the Langhe circuit than Alba, which means walk-in chances at lunch may exist on slower weekday afternoons, but do not rely on that logic in summer or during any regional food event. Booking is described as easy relative to the starred competition in the area, but easy does not mean last-minute during harvest season.
If Piedmontese cuisine is why you are in the region, the sourcing depth at La Pimpinella justifies the visit on its own terms. The Bib Gourmand distinction means Michelin's inspectors have validated both the quality and the value simultaneously, which is a more useful signal than a star when your primary question is whether the food justifies what you will spend. At €€, the answer is yes, with room to spare. For the full picture of where La Pimpinella sits alongside its Bra neighbours, see Battaglino and Osteria del Boccondivino, the two closest local comparators in format and price. Our full Bra restaurants guide covers the wider options, and if you are planning around accommodation, the Bra hotels guide is worth consulting before you book. Round out your visit with the Bra bars guide, Bra wineries guide, and Bra experiences guide.
Address: Via S. Rocco 70, Bra. Price tier: €€. Awards: Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024 and 2025. Google rating: 4.6 (572 reviews). Booking difficulty: Easy outside peak periods; book well ahead for September–October.
See the comparison section below.
Yes, and it is a comfortable choice. The modern inn format and courteous staff make solo diners feel welcome rather than conspicuous. At €€, you can eat generously without the financial weight of a starred table, and the Piedmontese menu is varied enough to make a solo visit worthwhile. For solo context across Bra's options, check the full Bra restaurants guide.
Bar seating details are not confirmed in available data. The venue operates as a modern inn and full-service osteria rather than a bar-first space, so a walk-in at the counter is not a reliable strategy. Reserve a table to avoid disappointment, particularly at dinner.
The vitello tonnato and Bra sausage are the clearest signals of the kitchen's sourcing priorities and have drawn specific Michelin attention. The tajarin pasta is a Piedmontese benchmark dish and a reliable test of any local kitchen's standards. The suckling pig cheek casserole is another confirmed standout. Build your order around these rather than straying toward the edges of the menu on a first visit.
At €€ with back-to-back Bib Gourmand recognition, yes. The Michelin Bib Gourmand is specifically awarded for quality at a fair price, so the value case is externally validated. Generous portions reinforce the argument. You would spend two to three times more at a nearby starred restaurant like Piazza Duomo in Alba for a very different kind of meal. La Pimpinella is the better choice if traditional Piedmontese cooking, not technical experimentation, is what you are after.
Yes, provided your definition of special occasion does not require a starred room. The atmosphere is warm and considered, the service is attentive and professional, and the food is presented with enough care to mark an occasion. It works well for anniversaries, celebratory dinners, or a serious meal with guests who want flavour over formality. If you need the theatre of a tasting menu, look to Piazza Duomo in nearby Alba instead.
Battaglino is the closest local alternative for traditional Piedmontese cooking at a comparable price. Osteria del Boccondivino offers a more explicitly Slow Food-aligned experience and is worth considering if the movement's philosophy is central to your visit. For the full field, see the Bra restaurants guide. If you are willing to drive to Alba, Piazza Duomo operates at a significantly higher price and ambition level.
Tasting menu availability and pricing are not confirmed in available data. What is confirmed is that the kitchen's strengths lie in generous, well-sourced Piedmontese dishes rather than multi-course conceptual progression. If a tasting menu is offered, the suckling pig cheek and vitello tonnato suggest the kitchen has the depth to carry one. Confirm directly when booking.
For most of the year, a week's notice is likely sufficient given the easy booking difficulty rating. During the Bra Cheese Fair (September, biennial) or Langhe harvest season (October), add two to three weeks minimum. The Bib Gourmand recognition draws visitors specifically, so do not assume a weekday lunch in peak season is a safe walk-in.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osteria La Pimpinella | Contemporary | €€ | Situated in the historic centre but near a square with a car park, this modern inn serves Piedmontese cuisine which is contemporary in style yet still firmly anchored in local traditions. The generously portioned, well-presented dishes on the menu include vitello tonnato (excellent – we tried it!), tajarin pasta, Bra sausage and casseroles (the soft suckling pig cheek was delicious), all of which are as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate. The restaurant is run by an enthusiastic couple, aided by proficient and courteous staff with a feminine touch.; Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | Easy | — |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | Italian, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dal Pescatore | Italian, Italian Contemporary | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Enoteca Pinchiorri | Italian - French, Italian Contemporary | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Enrico Bartolini | Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Le Calandre | Progressive Italian, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Osteria La Pimpinella and alternatives.
Yes, a solo visit is low-risk here. At €€ pricing with generous portions and a format anchored in classic Piedmontese dishes, there's no pressure to over-order. The couple-run operation and courteous staff make single diners feel at ease rather than like afterthoughts. Book a table rather than assuming a walk-in spot.
Bar seating is not documented for this venue, so treat it as a table-service restaurant. If a quick perch at a counter is what you need, plan on a full sit-down meal instead. At €€ for a Bib Gourmand kitchen in Bra's historic centre, that's not a hardship.
The vitello tonnato and tajarin pasta are the standout Piedmontese classics on the menu. The soft suckling pig cheek casserole and Bra sausage round out the must-order list. These are all dishes the kitchen is specifically recognised for, and they represent the core of what earns the Michelin Bib Gourmand.
At €€, it's one of the most straightforward value calls in the Langhe. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024 and 2025) confirm you're getting cooking that punches above its price tier. For visitors wanting honest, well-executed Piedmontese food without a €€€+ bill, this is the right call.
It works for a relaxed celebration but not a formal one. The €€ format, generous portions, and convivial atmosphere suit a birthday dinner or anniversary lunch better than a high-ceremony event. For full tasting-menu formality, Le Calandre near Padua is the tier above; here, the occasion is the food and the company.
Within Bra itself, options at the Bib Gourmand level are limited, which makes Pimpinella the default anchor. For a step up in format and budget within the Langhe and Piedmont region, Enrico Bartolini operates at a different price tier entirely. For comparable regional cooking with equal value focus, look at other Bib Gourmand listings across Alba and Barolo.
Tasting menu specifics aren't documented for this venue. Given the €€ price tier and the Bib Gourmand recognition, the kitchen's strength is in delivering generous, well-presented à la carte dishes rather than extended multi-course formats. Order a few of the Piedmontese classics and you'll cover the ground that matters.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
