Aminta: The Italian Countryside’s Michelin-Starred Showcase of Estate-Grown Ingredients

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 3/14/2025

Aminta: The Italian Countryside’s Michelin-Starred Showcase of Estate-Grown Ingredients

As a chef, sommelier, and third-generation restaurateur, Marco Bottega merges his family’s rustic roots with modern culinary ambition. His Michelin-starred Marco Bottega Restaurant, anchored within his family’s Aminta Resort in Genazzano’s hills, an hour from Rome—redefines fine dining. The resort’s 50-hectare estate fuels the restaurant: olive groves, orchards, forests, and pastures supply 80% of its ingredients, from heirloom vegetables to free-range meats. Sustainability drives every choice here, not trends. This self-sufficient ecosystem doesn’t just support the kitchen—it is the kitchen.

Meanwhile, a wine cellar bursting with 1,300 labels (half French, because Bottega lives for Champagne) underscores the restaurant’s audacious spirit. At Aminta, nothing goes to waste. Fifth-quarter cuts like sweetbreads become showstoppers, wild boar gets a citrusy punch from blood oranges, and humble garden carrots emerge as honey-glazed sculptures. Each dish is a manifesto—tradition with an edge, innovation without pretense.

The Restaurant: A Farm-to-Table Fortress

Aminta isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a playground of biodiversity. The Bottega family’s journey began decades ago with a humble tavern, evolved into a banqueting empire, and now stands as a gastronomic oasis. Two 19th-century farmhouses anchor the estate, but the real magic lies beyond the walls: think organic orchards, free-range livestock, and a zero-kilometer supply chain that fuels everything from charcuterie to olive oil. The estate is equipped with solar panels, geothermal energy, and suites with stone floors reclaimed from local quarries. A spa, 200-sqm wine cellar, and seven minimalist-chic rooms will cement its status as a destination, not just a dinner stop.

The stone-walled dining room, managed by maître d’ Elena Di Flauro, pairs Bottega’s bold dishes with attentive service. Wine director Alessio Cirelli selects pairings to match each course, while sous-chef Settimio Scacco executes savory staples. Pastry chef Alessio Pitocco finishes meals with desserts that mirror the savory menu’s ethos like using hay, chamomile, and bread as core ingredients.

Marco Bottega: The Tenacious Visionary

Marco Bottega builds ecosystems, not just meals. Born in Rome in 1982, he rejected generational comfort to forge his path: studying literature, training as a sommelier, and working in Michelin-starred kitchens like Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana and Alain Passard’s Arpège. In 2009, he returned home to transform his family’s banquet hall into a hub for innovative “agricultural cuisine.”

Chef Marco Bottega

Bottega’s cooking blends precision with rebellion. He reimagines Roman classics—turning sweetbreads with turnip-top jus into refined dishes, or stuffing rabbit ravioli with bitter estate-foraged herbs. His philosophy? “Let the season guide your hand.” Spring brings artichokes in five textures; autumn features wild boar braised with chestnuts and blood oranges.

His creativity isn’t for show. Bottega chose Genazzano’s rural roads over urban fame, farms at dawn, and cooked for Popes Benedict XVI (2009) and Francis (2014). Awards followed such as the Michelin star and green star, three Gambero Rosso forks, but he prioritizes roots. Today, he’s a farmer-chef proving haute cuisine can feel like home. His accolades include Chevalier du Trastevin and Chevalier of l’Ordre Des Coteaux de Champagne.

Aminta’s Menu: Local Roots, Bold Flavors

Aminta’s menu focuses on Lazio’s local ingredients, with hints of French influence and clever techniques. Chef Bottega mixes Italian tradition with new ideas, relying on ultra-fresh, seasonal produce and precise cooking. Over 80% of ingredients come straight from the restaurant’s own farm—dishes like sweetbreads with turnip greens or artichokes prepared five ways shift with Genazzano’s harvests. Bottega sources ingredients himself and improvises daily, keeping the menu dynamic. Bold flavors and smart tweaks highlight, never overpower, the quality of the raw materials.

The dining experience reflects Aminta’s Michelin-starred prestige. Tasting menus range from €120 to €180, with optional wine pairings at €80 and €100. For those preferring à la carte, appetizers and first courses are priced at €25, main courses at €35, and desserts at €20. Each dish embodies the philosophy that "all ideas are valid, but the best ones are those that are realized," a mantra Bottega lives by.

Complementing the cuisine is an impeccable wine selection curated by Alessio Cirelli. Francophiles can indulge in rare champagnes (€300+), while those seeking local gems will find Lazio’s best-kept secrets, like Cesanese del Piglio (€60–€90). Whether it’s a carefully crafted dish or a perfectly paired glass, every element at Aminta is designed to elevate the dining experience into something unforgettable.