It’s difficult to imagine a more exclusive setting for a restaurant than the Villa della Pergola, a splendid historic residence surrounded by a delightful botanic garden (which can be visited for a fee and by prior appointment), with a spectacular balcony offering views of the sea in the distance – it’s well worth the drive with its narrow hairpin bends to get here. Here, new chef Antonio Romano, who has worked with Heinz Beck, creates modern dishes based on local ingredients and vegetables sourced mainly from the property’s own biodynamic kitchen garden, L’Orto Rampante. Among the many delicious dishes, we particularly enjoyed the glazed veal sweetbreads with paprika, artichokes, black chickpea hummus, and lime from the garden. Added to this are the superb, exclusive guestrooms and tranquil surroundings, despite the proximity to Alassio which extends beyond the villa gardens.