Gluten free restaurant Marennà

One great Gluten free lunch at Marennà restaurant

This Summer I decided to spend the holidays with my family in Sorrento and I have to tell you, that this year I was so looking forward to it! Sea, sun, family, and good gluten free food was the cocktail I needed to rest and relax for a while.

The day after my arrival, my beloved dad made me a surprise and booked a gluten free lunch at Marennà, a famous Italian and Michelin-starred restaurant in Sorbo Serpico, close to Avellino.

I was very happy and curious at the same time as I have been hearing lots of good things about it and his chef Paolo Barrale.

Marennà is part of the Feudi di San Gregorio, a family run business founded in 1986 that is well-known for producing excellent wines from indigenous vines like the red “Taurasi” or the white “Fiano di Avellino” and “Greco di Tufo”.

All around the restaurant, there are beautiful vineyards that stretch up the hills. You can also book a visit and make a tour into the vineyards to get to know the history of the Feudi di San Gregorio better.

The restaurant manager and sommelier Angelo Nudo greeted us with a glass of excellent DUBL spumante, culatello ham, pecorino cheese and gluten free artisanal fresh bread. I can say that the word hospitality finds here its most beautiful expression and everything was delicious.

We then sat at out table. Japanese architect Hikaru Mori has imaged the design of the building. I liked the large windows all around the tables that let you see outside: the hills, the vineyards, the beautiful rose garden, the cows in the prairie not so far. You are surrounded by Nature at its best.

We were offered a pre-antipasti which was all gluten free: I loved the pumpkin crème brulé, the “macco di fave” (fava beans puré) with red onion, the paté served on a crunchy hazelnuts sablé.

I enjoyed so much all the gluten free homemade chips that were made of rice, corn, squid ink, yellow and violet potatoes…I ate the whole plate myself, too good to resist!

Angelo Nudo made us taste an incredibly delicious extra virgin olive oil called “Ravece”. “Ravece” is the name of the olive from which the oil is made, and it is typical of this region of Italy, the Campania. I can say that when an extra virgin olive oil is that good, I love to sip it slowly and feel all of its round taste, and flavor. It’s an experience that makes me travel pleasantly far away.

After I chose gluten free “mussels soup…in white”: it was a dish made of mussels, octopus, pinky octopus water turned into foam, garlic salad, and a sprinkle of algae on top. I can say that I felt the sea flavor at every bite. So fresh. I did like it.

My main course was gluten free “Lavioli…al vapole”: homemade rice ravioli stuffed with mushrooms, served with truffles, spinach and a vegetables juice. I loved it! So tasty. This dish is also lactose free and everything is clearly labeled on the menu.

Then it came dessert! After a fresh lemon sorbet, I went straight for a gluten free “Delizia al limone”. The “Delizia al limone” is a typical lemon pastry from the Campania region and it is very common to find it at local pastry shops. What it is not common is to find it gluten free. When I spotted the “magic” word on the menu, I couldn’t but choose it! The creativity of chef Paolo Barrale has re-imagined a version of the classic Delizia that it is utterly original and unique: first it comes a limoncello foam, then a meringue, limoncello sorbet, lemon custard and delicious gluten free biscuits made with extra virgin olive oil. I did love it all! I was amazed at how the different textures worked beautifully together: from the lightness of the foam to the delicacy of the meringue, the freshness of the sorbetto, the unctuousness of the custard and the crunchiness of the biscuits at the very end. Bravo to the chef!

We also enjoyed mini gluten free pastries served at the end of our meal: macaron made of chocolate and passion fruit, chocolate sablé, almond chocolate, pear “gelatina” candy. What about a strawberry lollipop?!! It was fun!

After lunch, my brother Francesco and I made a tour into the rose garden, so many beautiful varieties! We also loved the aromatic herbs garden that surrounds the restaurant.

My mum and dad made a stop at the shop to buy some wine. The shop is located at the ground floor of the building. There is also a wine bar where you can sit and taste different wines before buying them; it definitely helps to make your choice if you are not common with them.

Now that I am back home and I look backwards to write this post, I can sincerely say that this one fantastic trip and a wonderful experience that I do recommend. The Nature, the gluten free food, the staff at Marennà, they were all incredible and made this moment unforgettable.