• Food & Wine

Eating in Lodi: starters to dessert

From cheese to amaretto biscuits, here's all you need to know to indulge in some delicious Lodi specialities

Fancy stopping in Lodi for lunch? We have put together a guide about the gastronomic delights that are waiting to be discovered. Enjoy some delicious local Lodi dishes!

 

As well as being a sight to behold, the natural and artistic beauty of Lodigiano also whets your appetite somewhat. After a relaxing stroll surrounded by nature or a sightseeing excursion to explore the legacy of times gone by, take a break to taste the mouthwatering recipes typical of the area. Just a taste? This comprehensive menu will impress even the most demanding foodies.

What to eat in Lodi: let's start with starters!
A good meal featuring Lodi dishes simply has to start with Pes en carpiòn, an appetizer made of small freshwater fish that are fried and then macerated in water and vinegar. Fritadine is another traditional speciality, a warm omelette garnished with raspadüra: a Parmesan type cheese (usually mature Granone lodigiano) cut into thin sheets with a large, flat knife. Raspadüra, which takes its name from the way it is "raschiato" or "scraped", is also used as an accompaniment to salami, walnuts or mushrooms, or to garnish first courses (such as risotto or polenta). Originally it was popular as a cheap food made from imperfect wheels of grana cheese, but today it is made with high quality mature cheese. 

Remember that local cheeses are considered to be the jewel in the crown of Lodi's specialities. If you're a cheese lover you should try Pannerone, which takes its name from “panera” meaning “cream” in the local Lombardy dialect. This cheese is made from unpasteurised cow's milk, it is not salted and best eaten young is only matured for a short period. It is perfect in risotto or served with honey and poached pears. With a slightly bitter aftertaste it is an excellent after-dinner cheese. 

A first class first course in Lodi: Risotto
Rice is an essential feature of your perfect traditional Lodi menu. The Lodi area produces plentiful rice crops. A hearty dish of Rišòt rugnùš is a must, this risotto is made with tomato sauce and diced salami, then served with butter and cheese. This is one of the most typical dishes of Lodigiano, along with Rišòt cun verše and fasöi, made with chopped cabbage and borlotti beans. 

A unique taste of traditional Lodigiano: Büseca  
Another highlight of Lodigiano cuisine has to be the tripe based Büseca: an unusual dish that blends authenticity, simplicity and flavour, and is most notably served on the feast of Lodi's patron saint, Saint Bassiano, on 19 January. This local recipe involves stewing tripe with lots of vegetables and a meat broth, until it is tender and tasty. 
To finish it off, the dish is served with a generous helping of grated Granone cheese.

Traditional Lodi second courses
A second course is definitely on the menu to fully enjoy a meal of Lodi specialities. After the risotto, there is always room on the table for Pulpéte ligàde, pork loin rolls stuffed with grana cheese and breadcrumbs. Rane en ümid is also worth a try, this dish of roasted frogs is accompanied by a tasty tomato, garlic and parsley sauce. 

An exquisite ending: typical Lodigiano desserts
As well as the famous Tortionata, a delicious classic Lodi dessert, we recommend you try the Torta Sabbiosa di Maleo, served with rum or cognac cream, and Bertuldina, a very soft cake with a slightly crunchy surface. Alternatives to classic cakes include Meìn, which are made with butter and flour and best enjoyed crumbled in milk or cream (these are a November favourite), Crema Lodigiana, prepared with eggs and mascarpone cheese, and Amaretti di Sant'Angelo, based on a traditional recipe dating back to the early 19th century. 

On the same topic

Torta Paradiso

The iconic dessert of Pavia's tradition
  • Food & Wine
Torta Paradiso

Bike riding along San Colombano’s Wine Route

Vini e prodotti della Pianura Padana. La Strada del Vino San Colombano è un percorso di eccellenze dalla storia centenaria
  • Food & Wine
Bike riding along San Colombano’s Wine Route

Milanese risotto recipe

One of the most typical and well-known dishes in Milan
  • Food & Wine
Milanese risotto recipe, simple and tasty

Wines of Valtellina

The extreme variety of the Lombardy territories is reflected in a very wide range of absolutely fine and famous red and white wines all over the world
  • Food & Wine
Discover and savor the wines of Valtellina

Eating in Como

Here are some suggestions of what to eat in Como
  • Food & Wine
Eating in Como, 3 culinary worlds and 5 different restaurants

Salame d’Oca Ecumenico

The Salame d’Oca di Mortara IGP is an outstanding product of Lomellina’s gastronomic tradition.
  • Food & Wine
Salame d'Oca

Grana padano

Typical Italian DOP cheese
  • Food & Wine
Grana Padano

Polenta and Misultin Recipe

Well-roasted polenta and salty missolitini to be skipped on the plate
  • Food & Wine
Polenta and Misultin Recipe, a winning combination

Taste and relaxation in the vineyards

From hills to wineries, welcoming the autumn on a journey through tasting, culture, and relaxation.
  • Food & Wine
Vigneti in Lombardia@inLombardia

What can I eat in Cremona?

The main courses of Cremona’s tradition
  • Food & Wine
What can I eat in Cremona?

Wine and Flavor Trail Franciacorta

Among rows of vines with perfect geometries that cross small villages rich in history, traditions, farms, cellars and signs of human activity: discover Franciacorta
  • Food & Wine
Wine and Flavor Trail Franciacorta,

Lemons of Garda

Beautiful greenhouse gardens enrich the Brescia side of the lake, made of walls and white pillars that climb the mountain, in total harmony with the environment
  • Food & Wine
Lemons of Garda, renowned local products

East Lombardy

East Lombardy, the European Region of Gastronomy 2017
  • Food & Wine
East Lombardy

Tasting in Lombardy: Five flavoursome experiences

  • Food & Wine
Mete Golose_Franciacorta

Tripe a la Milanese Recipe

It is a second course based on meat and is ideal for lovers of ancient flavors
  • Food & Wine
Tripe a la Milanese recipe, how to prepare it

The road of Cremona's flavours

The best elements of Cremona's territory in a selection of products, places and itineraries proposed by The Road of Cremona'sFlavours.
  • Food & Wine
The road of Cremona's flavours

Winery weekend in 7 stages

7 must-see destinations in Lombardy to discover with a glass of wine in hand
  • Food & Wine
Winery weekend in 7 stages

Oltrepò Pavese

Good food, excellent wine, medieval villages. The Oltrepò Pavese surprises and conquers with its charm.
  • Food & Wine
Oltrepò Pavese, a borderland triangle

For Wine Cellars in Lombardy

Rows of vineyards line the countryside, producing some of the finest wines in the world. Exploring Wine Cellars in Lombardy
  • Food & Wine
Vineyards in Sondrio in Valtellina

Salame di Varzi D.O.P.

The origins of Varzi Salame are to be found in the dawn of time
  • Food & Wine
Salame di Varzi