Taiwanese restaurants make Italian Red Guide list: Number rises from 4 to 8

▲Riccardo Ghironi, head chef of Metti in Bistrot. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Reporter Huang Shiyuan / Taipei reporting

The Italian Red Guide Gambero Rosso, which also holds authoritative status in Italy’s culinary scene, has for the first time since last year (2016), when it began secretly evaluating Italian restaurants in Taiwan with four establishments making the list, featured eight restaurants this year (2017). The honored ones are IL Mercato, DiVino, Metti in Bistrot, La Mole, Al Sorriso, Bottega del Vin, Piccola Enoteca, and Antico Forno.

Founded in 1986, Gambero Rosso is a renowned Italian publisher of magazines, wine books, cooking guides, and travel literature. Its evaluation system scores fine dining establishments, casual eateries, and wines, holding significant authority in the food industry. The highest rating for fine dining is three forks, for casual Italian restaurants it's three shrimp, for wine-friendly venues it's a good wine bottle, and for pizzerias it's a pizza icon.

Metti in Bistrot, which received its first fork this year, is helmed by Chef Riccardo Ghironi, who has worked in numerous restaurants across the United States and served as executive chef at the Italian eatery Beata Te. Prior to opening his own Italian bistro, he was brought on by C.Y. Tsai to be the executive chef at La Farfalla, the Italian restaurant inside the Les Suites Hotel Taipei (Harmony). His goal in launching a bistro in Taiwan was to offer the most authentic Italian cuisine, with even a simple lasagna carrying the flavors reminiscent of a homemade Italian meal.

Al Sorriso (2 forks)
Address: 1F, No. 6, Lane 123, Section 3, Ren’ai Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2721-6350

Piccola Enoteca (2 shrimp)
Address: No. 84, Guangming 3rd Rd., Zhubei City, Hsinchu County
Phone: 03-558-6831

Bottega del Vin (2 shrimp)
Address: No. 7, Lane 17, Lane 170, Section 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2752-5330

Antico Forno (1 pizza)
Address: No. 141, Ruian St., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2706-3322

Metti in Bistrot (1 fork)
Address: No. 237, Section 5, Minsheng E. Rd., Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2760-0091

DiVino (1 wine bottle)
Address: No. 15, Lane 71, Section 2, Anhe Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2732-2552

IL Mercato (1 wine bottle)
Address: Nos. 162 & 164, Section 2, Zhongcheng Rd., Taipei City
Phone: 02-2873-0608

La Mole (1 shrimp)
Address: No. 12, Lane 151, Section 2, Jianguo N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2516-6028