If you are new to area you are in for a real treat. The food in the region of Le Marche is truly delicious and once tasted never forgotten. If you are one of the lucky ones living here then we hope we have discovered some new places for you to try. La Vita has eaten its way through the Le Marche region, testing each of the restaurants in this guide often alot more than just once and has discovered that Le Marche is remarkable. Not only for the diversity of food on offer but also for the excellence in standards and quality and the result is this collection of our favourite places to eat. Thankfully as the region is bursting with excellent restaurants and Agriturismo we have a long way to go and mean to continue our gastronomic journey and continue to expand our guide each year. Along with our girths no doubt. The chefs and managers of the restaurants have kindly given their input to ensure we have left nothing out. We have only included restaurants which we deemed worthy of inclusion. There are many to choose from all excellent in their own way. The topography of this exceptionally beautiful region plays an important part in the variety and type of dishes on offer. With the Adriatic  sea on one side and  the Sibillini  mountains on the other,  Le Marche  offers  a diverse and exciting cuisine. The majority of dishes and recipes stretch back through generations and are based on locally available seasonal produce. But there are many emerging and established restaurants serving modern Italian Cuisine and breaking away from strict regionally. The quality of produce is faultless for the most part being locally farmed , produced and often organic. Food here tastes like it should taste, how one remembers it tasting as a child before to much choice and low quality ingredients jaded the palette. The restaurants we have selected offer home made, home grown and home produced dishes and where this is not feasible the produce has been sourced with diligence and attention to quality and locality. For the most part Marchigiana food is simple, unsullied and understated but plentiful and often rich, always surprising and  very fulfilling with a sense of luxury   thrown in when one is offered dishes with such ingredients as fresh white truffle and fresh porcini mushroom. We hope very much that you will take courage from this book and get out there and indulge yourselves in all things Marchigianan. We also hope you enjoy all the restaurants you choose as much as we did and do and are won over by the sheer yumminess of the food on offer. We have put together a small list of words and phrases which you will come across constantly and may prove a little baffling on first sight. Buon Appetito  or in English: enjoy this exceptionally good grub. How it's done Eating out is an almost religious institution for Italians- it's always on their minds and most conversations revolve around eating and food. Like so many things in Italy eating is done to a formula:- Antipasto is followed by Prima, followed by Secondo and finally Dulce and Caffe. However, this does not mean that you have to have a four course meal every time you eat out. The 'rules' have relaxed recently and it is perfectly ok to have just one course of your choice if you wish. Though the quality of cooking is such, that it is hard to resist at least two courses. Restaurants are normally happy to share one order between two diners 'uno per due'. Be Brave! Don't be put off be the lack of signs and menus or the excessive fluorescent lighting and dubious art works which afflict a large number of Italian restaurants - these aesthetically challenged places serve the most delicious and interesting food. Lunch rarely begins before 12.30, Dinner 8.00 and Pizza normally only after 8.00. Antipasto: This starter course usually consists of a selection of Salami, Prosciutto, Cheese and Olives(often all home produced).A mixed starter 'misto' often has house specialities like Frittata, Bean Salad, Bruschetta and Crostini. Often one plate of 'misto' will feed two. Prima: Normally the pasta course though risotto is sometimes available. Often there is no menu so the waiter will rabbit through the list of sauces then the list of pasta. Don't be afraid to ask him/her to repeat more slowly ('piano'). If you choose the 'wrong' sauce for a particular pasta e.g. Boscaiola with spaghetti, the waiter will look to heaven and make a noise. If this unnerves you enough, just ask what would the waiter recommend. Spaghetti Bolognese is never seen outside Bologna, over here it is called Spaghetti a Rage and isn't a patch on the British version. Pasta is often home-made, served in huge portions but surprisingly light. Risotto is best avoided except in the better restaurants- it's a Northern dish and still a bit of a novelty here. Secondo: Meat or fish course: often just a single cut of meat such as a steak, a chop, a cutlet, an escallop or a fish. The waiter will tell you if it comes with a sauce; the smarter the restaurant the grander the sauce. Simple mixed grills alla brace are simple and Delicious vegetables are served very separately. Stews available during the colder months. Dolce: Puddings are invariable home made, brightly coloured and rich- so save room. Zuppa Inglese, Tiramisu and Zbaglione are very sweet whilst Sorbetto, Semifreddo and Granita are more cleansing. Delicious fresh fruit is available in season such as peaches and watermelon. One could write a book about the joys of Italian Ice Cream. Caffe: coffee means espresso- a short, sharp shock of caffeine. Cappuccino, after a meal, raises a few eyebrows because it is traditionally the coffee of breakfast time only. Digestivo: Sticky, super strength, medicinal liqueurs often round off a meal.Amaro is bitter-sweet, Limoncello is a lemon liqueur straight from the freezer, Grappa is a mind blowing spirit from grape-must and Mistra is from aniseed and sometimes served in your coffee as 'corretto'. Merende :(Snacks): Bars are the best places to pick up a delicious Piadina, Paninni or slice of Pizza (bakers are good, too).Sandwiches are normally bland, sometimes offensive. Porchetta rolls are excellent and available from butchers. Children: Kids always eat out with there parents here and eat the same as the adults. Kids menus don't exist but staff are always happy to rustel something plain and simple up to keep the little ones happy. Vegetarians: With the exception of the Secondo course, non-meat eaters should normally be able to find some delicious dishes available. It's best to ask what dishes don't contain meat rather than asking for Vegetarian dishes as the V word does tend to fluster a lot of waiters.

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