Iacobucci

Verdict

If you're returning to Iacobucci after a first visit, you already know the answer: book again. This Michelin-starred restaurant inside Villa Zarri — a historic property in Castel Maggiore associated with one of Italy's most celebrated brandies — is one of the more convincing arguments for making the short drive north from Bologna. Chef Agostino Iacobucci's cooking sits at the intersection of Campanian tradition and Emilian produce, and that tension is what makes the restaurant worth the €€€€ price point. Ranked #493 in Europe by Opinionated About Dining in 2024 and climbing to #510 in 2025, it has consolidated its position in the upper tier of the regional fine dining category. For returning guests, the question isn't whether to come back , it's what to focus on this time.

The Setting

The visual experience begins before you sit down. Villa Zarri is a genuine historic residence, and the dining room carries that weight: high ceilings, proportioned spaces, and the kind of light that makes an evening feel considered rather than merely expensive. The garden is accessible before or after the meal and is worth using , it extends the occasion in a way that most restaurant spaces can't offer. A dedicated car park makes arrival direct, which matters if you're coming from Bologna or further afield. This is, by any measure, a destination setting, and it earns that status through the building itself rather than through any decorative effort layered on leading of it.

What the Kitchen Does

Agostino Iacobucci builds his menus around a specific editorial idea: southern Italian technique applied to northern Italian ingredients. The rabbit alla genovese on the record , a Neapolitan-style slow braise , arrives with scamorza cheese and herb cream, finished with shavings of local black truffle. That dish is a precise summary of what the kitchen does: a familiar preparation from one region, redirected through the produce of another. It is not fusion in the diluted sense. It is a chef working between two specific culinary traditions he knows well, and the results carry that clarity. For a returning guest, this means the menu rewards close attention , there is always a structural logic to each dish that becomes more visible on a second or third visit.

The Wine Dimension

The wine list is a genuine reason to return, not just a supporting element. Vertical selections of Sassicaia and Tignanello with ten or more different vintages available puts Iacobucci in rare company for a single-Michelin-star restaurant outside a major Italian city. If you did not explore the list properly on your first visit, this is the priority to address. The list rewards guests who know what they want , asking the sommelier to walk through the verticals is the right move for anyone seriously interested in Italian fine wine. For a special occasion that centers on wine as much as food, this list is competitive with restaurants carrying more stars and higher prices.

Private Dining and Groups

The villa format naturally supports private dining in a way that a conventional restaurant space does not. Historic residences typically contain rooms that can be configured separately from the main dining area, and Villa Zarri's layout , with its garden, its proportioned interiors, and its car park , is well-suited to group occasions. If you are organising a dinner for a significant birthday, an anniversary, or a corporate event that needs to feel considered rather than merely catered, this is the kind of venue where the building does much of the work. The €€€€ price range is appropriate for the format: groups paying at this level should expect the full private-dining treatment, including dedicated service and wine pairing options drawn from that deep vertical cellar. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss configurations, as no online booking details are currently published.

Timing and Logistics

Iacobucci is closed Monday and Sunday. Service runs Tuesday through Saturday at lunch (12:30 PM to 2:30 PM) and dinner (7:30 PM to 10:30 PM). Booking difficulty is rated hard , this is not a walk-in venue. Given the Michelin star and OAD ranking, advance planning is necessary, particularly for weekend dinners or any occasion where the date is fixed. Lunch on a weekday is your leading entry point if you want more flexibility, and the fixed hours mean the kitchen is not running marathon service , there is a clear beginning and end to each sitting, which generally translates to more focused execution. For guests travelling from Bologna (roughly 12 kilometres north), the drive is direct and the car park removes any logistical friction on arrival.

Further Exploration in Castel Maggiore and Beyond

If you're building a wider trip around the area, Pearl's full Castel Maggiore restaurants guide covers the local dining picture, including Berberè Pizzeria for a lower-key evening. Our Castel Maggiore hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide are useful if you're spending more than one evening in the area. For Italian Contemporary at a comparable standard elsewhere in Italy, L'Olivo in Anacapri and Agli Amici in Rovinj are worth comparing. If wine depth is the draw, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence sets the benchmark at the leading of the Italian fine wine and dining category.

FAQ

• Is Iacobucci good for a special occasion? Yes, clearly. The Michelin star, the historic villa setting, the deep wine list, and the €€€€ price point together make this a strong choice for a significant birthday, anniversary, or professional dinner. It outperforms most comparably priced venues in the region on atmosphere alone, and the kitchen's cooking has the kind of precision that makes the occasion feel earned. Book the garden for a pre-dinner drink if weather allows.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Iacobucci? Dinner is the higher-stakes experience , the villa reads differently after dark and the occasion builds more naturally over a longer evening. That said, lunch on a weekday is the smarter booking if availability is a constraint: the kitchen runs the same hours and the same level of cooking, and you are less likely to face a wait for a reservation. Lunch is also a better entry point for price-sensitive guests who want to calibrate the experience before committing to a full dinner.
• Can Iacobucci accommodate groups? Almost certainly yes, given the villa format , historic multi-room properties of this type are well-suited to private group dining. With no phone or website currently listed, you will need to reach out via a reservation platform or through the venue's direct contact. The €€€€ price range and the wine list's depth make this a credible option for corporate dinners or milestone celebrations that need both food and wine to perform. Contact early: booking difficulty is rated hard.
• What should a first-timer know about Iacobucci? Three things: you are about 12km north of Bologna, so plan transport in advance. Booking is hard , do not assume availability will be there when you want it. And the menu is built around a specific creative idea (Campanian technique, Emilian ingredients) that rewards engagement, so go in willing to think about what you're eating rather than expecting direct regional Italian.
• What should I order at Iacobucci? The rabbit alla genovese with scamorza cheese, herb cream, and local black truffle is the dish on the record and the clearest expression of what the kitchen does. Beyond that, engage with the sommelier on the wine list , the vertical selections of Sassicaia and Tignanello are the kind of cellar access you don't find at this price point very often. Ask what's available across the verticals before you order food, and let the wine steer the menu choices.
• Is the tasting menu worth it at Iacobucci? At €€€€ with a Michelin star and an OAD European ranking, the tasting format is where the kitchen's Campania-meets-Emilia concept is most fully expressed. If you are coming from a distance, or if this is a special occasion, the tasting menu is the right decision: it lets you track the creative logic across multiple courses rather than sampling one or two dishes. For a casual or time-limited visit, an à la carte approach is fine , but you will get less of the full argument the kitchen is making.
• What are alternatives to Iacobucci in Castel Maggiore? Iacobucci is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Castel Maggiore. For comparable Italian fine dining in the broader region, Dal Pescatore in Runate and Osteria Francescana in Modena are the reference points , both €€€€, both Italian Contemporary, both operating at a higher award tier. For something closer in spirit and ambition, Le Calandre in Rubano and Piazza Duomo in Alba are worth considering for a longer trip through northern Italy. For the wine experience specifically, Uliassi in Senigallia is a useful peer comparison on the Adriatic coast.