Al Pompiere

The story

Al Pompiere, Verona: Venetian Trattoria with a Gambero Rosso Nod

Al Pompiere is a Venetian trattoria at Vicolo Regina d'Ungheria 5 in Verona, listed in the Michelin Guide in 2026 and awarded two forks by Gambero Rosso in 2022. It began as a simple osteria run by a retired firefighter who never gave it a name, so regulars named it after him.

The cooking of Marco Dandrea

Chef Marco Dandrea has run the kitchen alone since 2011, after the rooms were fully renovated in August 2000. His approach is seasonal and plain-spoken: good local produce, careful technique, and Veronese and Veneto tradition held against a lighter, more contemporary taste. Il Golosario gave the restaurant its Corona Radiosa in 2026 and noted how he reinterprets traditional dishes.

Dishes to look for

Pasta is made fresh in-house. Look for tagliolini with veal, guinea fowl and rabbit ragù, or pasta e fagioli. Among the mains are Vicenza-style salt cod with Marano corn polenta and beef cheek braised in Amarone. The menu changes with the season, so asparagus and spring peas may appear alongside. Dessert might be a tiramisù or a semifreddo with amaretto and mandarin cream.

Salumi, cheese and the cellar

In a corner of the main room, 35 kinds of cured meat wait beside a cheese counter of about a hundred Italian varieties. The wine list runs past 1,000 labels, Italian and international.

The room

Wood furnishings and black-and-white photographs line the walls. About 50 seats are split between a main room of 35 and a small room of 15. In summer, there is outdoor seating.