Le Calandre

Exceptional cuisine

We are in the hamlet of Sarmeola di Rubano, just a few kilometers from Padua. Le Calandre is located in a discreetly hidden villa and presents itself as a sanctuary of gastronomic creativity. Crossing the threshold, the dining room welcomes guests with measured elegance: soft lighting, natural wood tables without tablecloths, and furniture pieces designed by the Alajmo brothers. Every detail—from custom-designed glassware to cutlery—contributes to an experience that is not merely about eating, but "exploring". Here, a sensory immersion harnesses creativity to consciously amplify the perception of flavor. Le Calandre offers a journey that highlights ingredients and tastes while stimulating and delighting. The staff, dining room, and furnishings all combine to shape a service that is professional yet warmly inviting. The tableware is minimalist yet original, perfectly in sync with the kitchen. The wine list is refined, featuring carefully curated and coherent selections. Special mention goes to the breads and the elegant cheese trolley. The final gift leaves a memory that lingers long after the meal.

Taste of history:To dine at Le Calandre is to take a bite out of Italian culinary history. Chef Massimiliano and maître d’ Raffaele Alajmo – brothers Max and Raf – took over their parents’restaurant in 1994, and over the last three decades, have not only turned it into an icon of gastronomic innovation, but also into the cornerstone of the Alajmo Group, which now includes 12 restaurants across three countries. Devil’s in the details:The multi-sensory experience begins with the design. In the sleek, dimly lit dining room, tables are carved from a single 300-year-old ash tree. Each becomes a stage for the performance to come, spotlighted by sculptural lamps by designer Davide Groppi. There are no tablecloths here: the table itself is Massimiliano’s canvas, and even the striking, hand-blown water glasses are marked with the chef’s own fingerprint. Art on the plate:Massimiliano’s tireless creativity means the three tasting menus are constantly shifting, with inspiration coming from seasonal produce, his passion for art and a child-like curiosity. The innovative Cuttlefish Cappuccino, first created in the late 1990s, has been reinvented as Cappuccino Murrina, a tribute to Venice’s glass-blowing heritage in the form of potato and chive cream with cuttlefish and sea urchin, finished with vibrantly red beetroot and deeply green spirulina. In its 2.0 version, Risotto Passi d’Oro is a homage to Roberto Barni’s sculpture at the Uffizi in Florence, with its golden hue from saffron and boldness from black liquorice recalling the statue’s contrasts of light and darkness. About dessert:Chef elevates the final chapter of the meal with playful precision. An innovative cassata might be served alongside earplugs – a sensory experiment that plunges the diner into a world of pure crunch and flavour – or a shiny mozzarella ball might reveal itself as a glass-like shell of egg whites, honey and sugar encasing a delicately sweet almond foam.

3 Forchette