An ever-changing legacy
1961:“Il Centrale” opened.
This was the name of Guido and Lidia’s first restaurant.
A man ahead of his time with a gourmet spirit and a woman with an uncommon talent in the kitchen that led her to become one of the best interpreters of the Piedmontese tradition that ever lived.
A new model
Guido immediately realized that Lidia’s exceptional skills, combined with his vision, could create something unique. So, he convinced his wife to change everything, relying on a model of haute cuisine and creating a restaurant where people had to make reservations to get a table, and therefore they consciously chose to go.
“The queen of agnolotti”
The “Plin”
Among the many dishes that have contributed to the legend of Guido da Costigliole, the agnolotti al plin deserves special mention.
Lidia’s agnolotti al plin (which means “pinch” in Piedmontese, because they are pinched to close them) are truly a culinary obsession, and a piece of history from the Piedmontese culinary tradition enjoyed by personalities such as Sandro Pertini and Jacques Chirac on up to (obviously) the entire Agnelli family.
Al Fazzoletto
Traditionally served with roast beef gravy, ours are enhanced by the “fazzoletto method”: the agnolotti are drained directly into a napkin and served with no sauce or condiment. This allows guests to enjoy their perfect flavor.
The first star
In 2002, the beginning of a new adventure
Lidia and Andrea
Guido had been wanting to relocate the restaurant for years and was looking for a new and more stimulating environment. Granting his posthumous wish, in 2002, Lidia and their youngest son, Andrea, moved to Santo Stefano Belbo: a place closer to home and more convenient for mom, and a new space and a new story waiting for Guido’s heir.
Relais San Maurizio
Lidia and Andrea had definite ideas of the characteristics that the location for their new restaurant should have and were immediately impressed by what has become our home, the Relais San Maurizio.
A charming former Benedictine monastery nestled in our beloved Langa Astigiana that conveys a sense of history, a slower pace, hard work and attention to detail, the same elements that have distinguished our work for more than 60 years.
Guided by the same instinct as Guido
Andrea and Monica
Guido’s tradition is carried on today by Andrea Alciati, the youngest of their children. Along with his associate Monica, he celebrates the savoir faire that has made Alciati’s restaurant what it is, with an understated and elegant style and particular attention to the wine cellar, the true feather in the cap of the Relais’ lower level.
Ugo and Fabio
The direction of a kitchen with such a heavy legacy could only fall on Ugo Alciati, Andrea’s brother and Lidia’s first pupil: Ugo, in fact, coordinates the restaurant project together with the executive chef Fabio Sgrò. United by a great trust, both human and working, today their common sensitivity carries out a cuisine of protection and research.
