Agriturismo Fonte Maggio Restaurant

Tucked away in the rolling hills just outside Vasto, Agriturismo Fonte Maggio feels like discovering your Italian grandmother’s secret dining room. This charming farm-to-table restaurant sits on a working agriturismo in Scerni, where the Abruzzo countryside stretches endlessly in every direction. The drive alone is worth it – winding through olive groves and vineyards that seem untouched by time.

The menu here celebrates the bounty of the surrounding farmland with dishes that change based on what’s growing in their gardens and grazing in their fields. You’ll find handmade pasta dishes featuring wild boar ragu, fresh ricotta from their own sheep, and vegetables picked that morning. Their arrosticini – Abruzzo’s famous lamb skewers – are grilled to perfection over wood coals, while the homemade ravioli bursts with seasonal flavors like pumpkin in fall or fresh herbs in spring.

Dining happens in a rustic stone farmhouse with exposed wooden beams and terracotta floors that have seen decades of family gatherings. In warmer months, tables spill out onto a vine-covered terrace overlooking the gentle hills. The atmosphere is wonderfully unhurried – this is slow food in its truest form, where meals unfold naturally and conversations linger over house wine.

If you’re looking to experience authentic Abruzzo hospitality away from the coastal crowds, make the 20-minute drive from Vasto. The family that runs Fonte Maggio treats every guest like a long-lost relative, and you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for how Italian cuisine connects to the land. Just remember to bring cash and your appetite for a real farm feast.