As the city at the heart of one of the greatest dramatic works of all time, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Verona is the perfect location for a restaurant experience that turns the kitchen into a theatrical stage. The intimate restaurant setting of Casa Perbellini is like no other, in that the kitchen is a part of the dining room itself – not just through an open window, or by peering through the pass, the kitchen is fully integrated into the restaurant. Or the restaurant is fully integrated into the kitchen, depending on which way you look at it.

Seating only twenty-four diners at a time, the kitchen brigade of eleven (eight in the kitchen and three front of house) support chef Giancarlo in delivering Michelin-starred dishes to the tables. Guests are able to see all stages of the food’s preparation, cooking and presentation, allowing a greater understanding and appreciation of the choices and skill taken over the food. This care is represented in the dishes available, where seasonal produce plays the starring role, enhanced and embellished with innovative processes and techniques.

In terms of menu options, the inclusive nature of the restaurant and the location are again at the heart of the experience. As if the diner wasn’t already truly a part of the kitchen, there is a ‘Choose you pleasure’ menu option, where diners can choose the key ingredients that the chefs will cook with – the chefs will then design a menu around those ingredients to suit the table. In recognition of the city-centre location in Verona, Casa Perbellini also offers a pre-theatre dining menu, giving guests a rare opportunity to taste two Michelin-starred cuisine before heading out to one of the many theatres or opera houses in the city. Indeed, Casa Perbellini is situated in the historic San Zeno square, right next door to the Arena di Verona; an ancient Roman theatre that is home to an internationally renowned opera festival every summer.

Although the kitchen clearly takes centre-stage, the restaurant is tastefully decorated with artistic touches and modern pieces, that don’t detract from the action of the chefs. Monochrome wallpaper with natural and botanical motifs, colourful chrome artworks on the tables, and geometric patterns on the walls and tiles contrast with the exposed brickwork and beams of the building. This melding of old and new is a good reflection of Giancarlo’s overall approach to his food, with a mix of his innovative signature recipes, such as sesame wafer and sea bass tartare, and his traditional dishes, such as the famous Mille-feuille that was inspired by his grandfather’s own recipe, or the famous Italian pastries that finish off the menu, known playfully as the ‘Pleasures’ or ‘Amusements’ of Casa Perbellini.