Testaroli
Discs of water, flour and salt batter cooked in cast-iron 'testi', cut into diamonds, dipped in boiling water and dressed with pesto or oil and parmesan. Among Italy's most ancient first courses.
Pontremoli and the whole valley
A local family's guide · since 1977
Where to eat in Lunigiana
Testaroli, panigacci, herb pie, and a paella you won't expect. The dishes, the villages and the real prices, told by the family that has been cooking in Mulazzo since 1977.
Looking for where to eat in Lunigiana? This is the guide by the Novoa family of El Caracol, restaurant and hotel in Mulazzo since 1977: the typical Lunigiana dishes (testaroli, panigacci, herb pie, Zeri lamb), the villages worth the trip and our Spanish-Lunigianese kitchen. 35 minutes from La Spezia, near the A15 exit.
Why trust this guide
Lunigiana at the table, plainly told
Lunigiana is the northern tip of Tuscany, squeezed between the Apennines and the sea: a land of stone villages and humble cooking that became precious. You won't find tourist menus here, you'll find red-hot 'testi' pans, chestnut flour, wild herbs and recipes families have handed down for generations.
We are one of those families. We have been cooking in Mulazzo since 1977, with one peculiarity you'll discover below, and this guide tells it straight: what to order, where to go and what you'll really spend. Even when the right answer isn't us.
Lunigiana cooking
Six dishes not to miss
Lunigiana's cuisine was born poor: water, flour, chestnuts, wild herbs and the fire of the 'testi'. These are the dishes that tell its story best.
Panigacci
Unleavened dough discs baked between stacks of scorching terracotta 'testi', to fill with cured meats and fresh cheeses. Eaten with your hands, in good company.
Podenzana
Torta d'erbi
A rustic pie filled with wild herbs and seasonal vegetables, baked in the testi or the oven. Every family has its own version, and it's always the right one.
Bakeries and festivals valley-wide
Zeri lamb
A native breed raised in the wild in the Zeri valleys, a Slow Food Presidium: fragrant meat, traditionally cooked in the testi with potatoes.
The Zeri valleys
Porcini mushrooms
In autumn the Lunigiana woods smell of porcini: with tagliatelle, grilled or fried, they appear in every trattoria as soon as the season starts.
The whole valley, in autumn
Chestnuts and sweet flour
For centuries the bread of the Lunigianesi: today PDO chestnut flour becomes pattona, castagnaccio and desserts. With Lunigiana PDO honey, the taste of the woods.
Middle and upper valley
Want the full list, with the story and season of each dish? Read: what to eat in Lunigiana, dish by dish
The villages worth the trip
Where to go, honestly told
Lunigiana is best explored by car, village by village. These are the places where the local cooking is at its best, each for a different reason.
Pontremoli
The gastronomic capital of the upper valley: home of the testarolo, with historic trattorias in the alleys, pastry shops known for spongata, and the Wednesday and Saturday market.
Podenzana
The village of panigacci: here the terracotta testi never cool down. The most convivial dining experience in Lunigiana.
Bagnone and the valleys towards Zeri
Stone villages on the stream, summer food festivals and, climbing up, the Slow Food Presidium lamb. Lunigiana at its most authentic.
Mulazzo
Dante's village, with the tower and the Dante museum. It's our home: and at the table, here, Lunigiana also speaks Spanish, and has for almost fifty years.
Our table
Lunigiana's Spanish exception
In 1977 Antonio Novoa, a Galician cook, opened El Caracol in Mulazzo together with Elsa Giannardi, born here: ever since, our family has prepared paella to his recipe, alongside the flavours of this land. We are Lunigiana's only Spanish restaurant: a corner of Spain in Tuscany, as Italia 1 told it on national TV.
On the table: our paella in three versions (from €16 per person), Galician-style octopus, fish, and Elsa's Lunigiana: testaroli with pesto, homemade herb pie and other specialities, on the menu right beside the Spanish dishes. A terrace over the village, 4.6 stars on Google with 600+ reviews, free parking.
El Caracol (Mulazzo)
The only Spanish restaurant in Lunigiana, opened by the Novoa family in 1977. Antonio Novoa, a Galician chef, and Elsa Giannardi, from Mulazzo, brought two cuisines onto the same menu: the family paella in three versions (from €16 per person), Galician-style octopus and fish, alongside the local classics on the menu, from testaroli with pesto to homemade herb pie. Panoramic terrace over Dante's village, 4.6 on Google with over 600 reviews, featured on Italian national TV (Italia 1). 35 minutes from La Spezia, near the A15 motorway exit.
Ideal for anyone looking for something different from the typical trattoria without giving up Lunigiana flavours.
What guests say
Those who came, tell it
4.6 on Google with over 600 reviews: these are from people who actually ate in Lunigiana.
“Wonderful location with views over the village of Mulazzo, charming and clean room, excellent restaurant and superb service, all perfectly run by a wonderful family.”
Antonia C.
“A very well-kept and welcoming restaurant, with a stunning view, where you can enjoy not only the typical Lunigiana specialities but also traditional Spanish dishes, executed masterfully.”
Domenico L.
“Excellent food, superb service. The rooms are clean and the sleep is great. This is the second year I've come back and I'd recommend El Caracol to anyone looking for a few days off from the daily grind.”
Luca Z.
Frequently asked questions
Eating in Lunigiana: quick answers
What are the typical dishes of Lunigiana?
The most iconic are testaroli (a Pontremoli speciality, dressed with pesto), panigacci from Podenzana, torta d'erbi (herb pie), Zeri lamb, porcini mushrooms and everything made with chestnuts, from pattona to sweet chestnut flour. In autumn the woods end up on the plate.
Where can I eat testaroli?
Pontremoli is the home of testaroli, but you find them in trattorias and food festivals across the valley, and at our place in Mulazzo too: they are on the menu with fresh pesto (we source them from a local bakery, as is the custom here). They are discs of water-and-flour batter cooked in cast-iron 'testi', cut into diamonds and dressed with pesto or oil and parmesan.
Where can I eat paella in Lunigiana?
The only Spanish restaurant in Lunigiana is El Caracol, in Mulazzo, opened by the Novoa family in 1977. The paella is the family recipe Antonio Novoa brought from Galicia, served in three versions from €16 per person, alongside the Lunigiana classics on the menu. You can see the menu or book on WhatsApp.
How much does eating out in Lunigiana cost?
Lunigiana is one of Tuscany's most honest areas: a meal in a typical trattoria usually runs €20-35 per person. At our place a paella starts at €16 per person; the menu with all prices is online.
What makes El Caracol different from other restaurants in the area?
We are Lunigiana's only Spanish restaurant, since 1977. Our paella is a family recipe Antonio Novoa brought from Galicia, served alongside Elsa's Lunigiana flavours: testaroli with pesto and our homemade herb pie are on the menu. Spain and Lunigiana on the same menu, with a terrace over the village of Mulazzo.
Do I need to book at Lunigiana restaurants?
At weekends and in summer, yes, almost everywhere: places are small and terrace tables go fast. With us you can message WhatsApp or call 0187 439707.
Is Lunigiana convenient from the Cinque Terre and La Spezia?
Yes: Mulazzo is about 35 minutes by car from La Spezia, near the A15 motorway exit. You can combine sea and villages in a day; hours and directions on the Find us page.
In the area? The table is ready.
Book with a message: we confirm availability and time within minutes.
Want to explore Lunigiana at your own pace? Our eight rooms are right above the restaurant: discover the hotel