La Nonna: Transalpine cuisine at its best
After studying at the École Hôtelière de Lausanne and gaining experience around the world, Raphaël Igelman settled in Verbier in 2006. Keen to set up on his own, he took over Le Rouge restaurant a year later. In 2015, Philippe Leblan joined the adventure. The tandem quickly transformed the place into a must-visit address. For lunch, dinner and après-ski, this cheerful landmark is always busy. Over time, the duo decided they wanted to make their mark on the resort, and set themselves a new challenge by opening another establishment. Having found the right arcade, they set about developing this ambitious project, and Raphaël dedicated the new restaurant to his grandmother. “She was a very important person in my life, and I wanted to pay tribute to her through this culinary adventure,” he recalls. Her black-and-white portrait stands proudly at the heart of the room, depicting her with a cigar to her lips.
Cerise de Carvalho
Soft lighting
When it comes to location, it doesn’t get much better than this! For the winter season, La Nonna has taken up residence in the Hôtel de Verbier, on the traffic circle in front of the main square. It took a year and a half to refurbish both the hotel and restaurant sections. It’s a renovation that is helping to embellish the commercial heart of Verbier village. As soon as we enter this “osteria”, a warm, intimate atmosphere makes us forget the cold outside. The subdued lighting diffuses the light perfectly, presaging a pleasant evening. “We didn’t want the decor to be modern or cold. It had to be elegant and sober without being ostentatious or stuffy,” recalls Philippe Leblan. The long wooden bar – on which shakers and tumblers stand side by side – heralds boisterous aperitifs as soon as the health crisis is over. The room, meanwhile, combines green banquettes and stacked bottle racks, further underlining a mountain environment conducive to festivities.
Cerise de Carvalho
Negroni & Pappardelle
It all begins with a negroni, enhanced with bergamot liqueur and white vermouth, accompanied by focaccia and a few strips of Arnad bacon. Behind brand-new stoves, chef Mattia Pitzalis and his brigade concoct the classics of Italian cuisine. “All our fresh pasta is made in-house using organic flour and organic eggs,” he proudly assures us. There are no pizzas here, just a selection of Italian gastronomic favourites: barley with chanterelle mushrooms risotto style, pappardele with wild boar ragout, pork belly confit with herbs, octopus stew spiced up with red wine, or the unmissable Milanese veal chop… In the dining room, the intrepid Ivan Gaudron is in charge of the service waltz. All you have to do is take off your shoes and enjoy!
La Nonna, 2 Place Centrale, 1936 Verbier. 027 565 69 05
