Text & Foto: Charis | Schönste Zeit Magazin *

In the rolling hills of Italy’s Langhe region, where Barolo vineyards stretch toward the horizon and medieval villages crown hilltops, a small establishment with a vibrant, multicolored façade stands out at the edge of sleepy Roddino.

To visit Bottega di Roddino, one meanders through narrow cobblestone streets of this village that marks the outer boundary of the world-famous Barolo wine country. The landscape unfolds with gentle undulations covered in grape vines and hazelnut shrubs. Church spires rise majestically from the surrounding hilltop settlements, standing watch over the countryside.

Almost at the end of the village, past the church square and the restaurant of the widely acclaimed chef Gemma, a building catches the eye. Its façade gleams in brilliant colors: red, yellow, purple, pink, and black. This is the work of two artists who, in collaboration with the Langhe Monferrato Roero tourism board, have created a visual masterpiece. Their vision: a multifunctional space connecting cultural heritage with a thriving community.

La Bottega di Roddino: Wine Bar, Daytime Café, and Local Gathering Spot

With shoulder-length curls, a warm smile, and a sturdy apron tied firmly around her waist, we meet Emanuela, whom everyone here calls Emi. She’s the proprietor of Bottega di Roddino and is deep in conversation when we arrive. This gives us a moment to observe the rhythms of the establishment.

At Emi’s place, locals of all ages congregate. They chat at the counter or share lunch. They sip aperitifs, play cards, or exchange daily joys and sorrows. Ordinary interactions that forge the bonds of a healthy village community.

Innkeeper by Passion: Emi’s Journey to the Bottega

“I’ve been working in the hospitality industry for about 25 years,” Emi tells us while a village resident displays artfully crocheted bags on a neighboring table. Emi’s story begins in Monforte d’Alba, the nearest town with nearly 2,000 inhabitants, where her family has lived for generations. While still studying political science, she opened an osteria in the Langhe with a friend. “I decided to stick with it because I enjoyed it,” she says. Her love for food and wine never left her.

After various culinary ventures, her path led to the pizzeria “In Piazza” in the center of Monforte d’Alba, which she ran with two partners for about a decade. But eventually, that chapter ended: “Too many people, too high costs, too much of everything,” Emi recalls.

“I thought my life needed to take a different direction, become slower and calmer.”

La Bottega di Roddino: A New Project for Emi

The origin story of Bottega di Roddino is closely tied to Mayor Adriano Marco’s vision. He initiated the renovation of a historic building in the center of this village of 412 souls to create a cultural and social hub. The building, which served as a school until 1994, was to be given new life after renovation. In a place without a pub or grocery store, a community space was to emerge. However, when Emi first received the offer to take over Bottega di Roddino in 2023, the timing wasn’t right.

So the venue opened under different management as “Bottega Incontro,” a concept that didn’t last long. When the future of the establishment was again in question in September 2024, Emi recognized her opportunity. “This time I said yes,” she recalls with conviction.

“I love this place. The quality of life in Roddino differs fundamentally from that in Monforte. It brings me joy to see how people come together here, dine together, enjoy wine, discuss, and shop. Bottega di Roddino is a place with potential, where you can really make an impact.”

Everyday Goods and Local Products: The Wine Bar as Village Store

The concept of Bottega di Roddino combines the daily operations of a traditional bar with a carefully curated grocery store for everyday needs. “Before, there was no store here in Roddino,” Emi explains the special significance of Bottega di Roddino for the village community. In her shop, she presents a thoughtful selection: pasta, stationery, selected cleaning products, baking ingredients. Plus regional specialties such as artisanal ham, salami, local cheeses, and premium anchovies. “In Bottega di Roddino, I carry products that people need in their daily lives,” she explains with pragmatic business sense.

Since the bar is also visited by international guests, there’s a section featuring typical products from local producers: jams, vinegar, vermouth, and other regional specialties. Or, as right now, a local artisan displaying her crocheted and artfully crafted bags in the establishment.

“Sometimes you wanna try something different,” Emi says.

For the bar itself, Emi selects dishes and wines from the area around Roddino and Monforte: naturally the famous Barolo, whose growing region extends to the borders of Roddino, but also Barbera, Arneis, or Nascetta. A handwritten note on the wall advertises various champagne varieties. “For the future, I plan to set up a wine refrigerator, and then there will also be wines from regions outside Piedmont,” she reveals. “That’s important for the locals, who of course also want to try something other than the local winemakers occasionally.”

Emi’s Kitchen: Simple, Creative, and Typically Piedmontese

Since there’s no professional kitchen, Emi can only prepare cold dishes fresh. “Warm food is only possible if it’s already prepared,” she explains. To still enrich the lunch table with pasta, soups, or other small dishes, she purchases some ready-made meals from her meat supplier.

The dishes are typically Piedmontese: vitello tonnato, acciughe verde (anchovies in green sauce), carpaccio, or antipasti Piemontese – simple but characteristic regional dishes. In the morning, there are sweet pastries; at lunchtime, salads, pasta, soups, panini, and regularly, platters with cheese, ham, and crusty bread. The beverage selection includes wine, espresso, caffè latte, barley coffee, and tea. “I mix a lot,” Emi explains her culinary concept, “each week there are different dishes. So the same food might come to the table somewhat differently the following week.”

As an example, she mentions her salad for the winter months: “Fennel and oranges are typical for this season. So I mix the salad with fennel, oranges, and some orange juice.” Emi and her mother also bake the cakes for Bottega di Roddino themselves.

Selection from the Menu of Bottega di Roddino

  • Vitello Tonnato: Veal with tuna sauce according to Emi’s recipe
  • Acciughe al Verde: Anchovies with a green sauce according to her personal recipe
  • Carne Cruda: Piedmontese tartare from the meat of a special cattle breed
  • Antipasti Piemontese (Giardiniera): Vegetables cooked in vinegar-tomato broth, served with tuna and bread
  • Seasonal salads: e.g., in winter with fennel and oranges or Insalata di Cavolo (cabbage salad) with anchovies
  • Formaggi con Composta di Cipolle Rosse (Cheese with red onion jam)
  • Homemade cakes: Baked by Emi and her mother Accompanied by wine from Piedmont: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Barolo, Pinot Noir from Serafina Quota, Nascetta, and much more.

Daily Work and Future Visions

Although Emi closes Bottega di Roddino earlier in the evening than her previous establishments, her daily routine is demanding. “I open the bar at 9:00 in the morning and close it at 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening. That’s twelve hours of service. A challenge,” she says honestly.

To keep the workload manageable, Bottega di Roddino stays closed on Monday and Tuesday mornings. “In the summer season, we’ll probably open the Bottega on Mondays as well,” she looks ahead.

Her vision includes an inviting outdoor terrace in front of the locale, where two wine barrels already await the coming summer. The small square with a handful of parking spaces will be furnished with tables. And on two evenings a week, Emi wants to stay open longer: for cultural events with music, parties, and exclusive wine tastings.

Bottega di Roddino in the Context of Regional Tourism

Compared to tourist hotspots like Barolo or Monforte d’Alba, Roddino maintains an authentically rural atmosphere. Yet attentive travelers are increasingly discovering the charm of such gems. “At Bottega di Roddino, we experience a different, more sustainable form of tourism,” Emi explains. “The guests who find their way to Roddino and the Bottega appreciate the scenic beauty of the Langhe. Their motivation differs fundamentally from those visitors who are exclusively interested in the renowned Barolo wineries.”

And because the establishment is conveniently located on the “Bar to Bar” route of the Langhe Monferrato Roero holiday region, it becomes the ideal starting point for excursions to Serravalle Langhe or Monforte. “The Bottega is ideally located especially for bicycle tourists,” Emi emphasizes the touristic significance of her business.

Whether locals, hikers, drivers, or cyclists: everyone is welcome at Emi’s.

From Village School to Art Project: The History of Bottega di Roddino

The historic building that houses Bottega di Roddino served as the village school until 1994. In 2023, it underwent an artistic metamorphosis through the intervention of British sculptor Liam Gillick and German artist Hito Steyerl.

Their artwork, titled “However Many Times We Ran The Model The Results Were Pretty Much The Same,” now adorns the façade. It’s part of the Prospettive/Perspectives project, funded by the ALCOTRA program and involving the Langhe Monferrato Roero tourism board, the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Foundation, and Villa Arson.

Three façades of the historic building display a grid pattern that stylistically reproduces the characteristics of the surrounding terrain. The colors used are the result of a computer simulation that attempted to predict the social structure and income distribution of the region. Although many parameters were changed, the results of the simulation remained the same except for two factors: extreme climate changes and conflicts. In Gillick and Steyerl’s intervention, a landscape is presented as an abstract social portrait rooted in the reality of the place.

Inside Bottega di Roddino, the walls are partially unplastered, giving the establishment a rustic charm. Visitors sit on black and white plastic chairs at wooden tables or at a counter.

On one wall, a historical testament recalls a dark chapter of Italian history: remnants of an inscription from the time of Italian fascism, preserved as a historical document. “Libro e moschetto fascista perfetto” (“Book and musket, perfect fascist”), as could be read in almost all Italian schools during the fascist era.

Besides Bottega di Roddino, the building houses a doctor’s office and a library.

La Bottega di Roddino

Via Roma 5
12050 Roddino (CN) Italien
Tel. +39 339 446 3850
Link zu Google Maps

 

*Journalist Charis Stank gained editorial experience at the publishing house Gruner & Jahr and works as a copywriter in the tourism industry. For fifteen years, she has been taking readers to the most beautiful places in the Alps in her digital travel magazine Schönste Zeit.