Where to Eat Traditional Food in Parma: Tortelli, Culatello and Torta Fritta at Osteria dei Servi
Osteria dei Servi sits in Piazza Ghiaia, in the historic centre of Parma, close to the river, Palazzo della Pilotta and the main streets of the old town. It is a large, lively restaurant rather than a tiny neighbourhood osteria, but the menu remains firmly tied to Parma: culatello, Prosciutto di Parma, spalla cotta di San Secondo, Parmigiano Reggiano, tortelli, anolini, horse meat and pork braised in Lambrusco.
For this 2026 review, the best way to approach Osteria dei Servi is to resist the size of the menu. The restaurant serves plenty of grilled meat and more contemporary dishes, but its strongest identity comes from the traditional section. A board of local salumi, torta fritta, one plate of fresh pasta and a proper Emilian meat course tell you far more than an indiscriminate six-course meal.
Salumi and Torta Fritta Are the Correct Beginning
The cured-meat section is one of the restaurant’s strengths because the products are identified rather than presented as anonymous “local salumi.”
Culatello di Zibello DOP from Salumificio Dallatana costs €18.50, while Prosciutto di Parma aged 24–28 months costs €14.50. The Parma in Tavola tasting, with prosciutto, coppa and Salame di Felino IGP, costs €13.50. A portion of torta fritta is €4.50.
The obvious combination is prosciutto or culatello with the torta fritta served hot. The dough is crisp outside, hollow and light inside, giving the fat from the cured meat somewhere to melt without adding another heavy flavour.
For two people, one salumi tasting and one portion of torta fritta are enough. The restaurant also offers a Parmigiano Reggiano vertical and even a 100-month Riserva Speciale, but ordering everything before the pasta would be a mistake.
Tortelli d’Erbetta Remain the Benchmark
The tortelli d’erbetta, priced at €13.50, are filled with ricotta and greens, then finished with clarified butter, sage and 30-month Parmigiano Reggiano.
This is one of the dishes that most clearly explains Parma cuisine. The pasta must remain thin, the filling soft and vegetal, and the butter generous without drowning the tortelli.
The Parmigiano gives salt and umami, while sage provides just enough aroma to keep the dish from becoming a simple combination of dairy and pasta.
There are more elaborate options on the menu—truffle tortellacci, green tortelli with spalla cotta, pappardelle with wild boar—but for a first visit the erbette version is still the most useful reference point.
Risotto Giuseppe Verdi Is Richer and More Distinctive
The Risotto alla Giuseppe Verdi, at €16.50, combines seasonal mushrooms, culatello and fresh asparagus.
It is a richer plate than the tortelli, but the combination is intelligently balanced. Mushrooms supply earthiness, culatello gives salt and depth, and asparagus brings a fresher green note.
The rice is finished with clarified butter and mature Parmigiano, so this is not a restrained modern risotto. It is unmistakably Emilian in structure and appetite.
If two people are sharing, ordering one tortelli and one Verdi risotto gives a much broader picture of the kitchen than choosing two similar filled pastas.
Guancialino di Maiale al Lambrusco Is the Main Course to Order
The Parma pork cheek braised in Lambrusco, priced at €16.50, is one of the most convincing second courses. It is served with a warm potato preparation scented with seasonal herbs.
Long cooking softens the connective tissue until the meat becomes spoon-tender, while Lambrusco adds acidity and dark-fruit character to the braising liquid.
The important point is that the wine is not there to make the sauce sweet. Its acidity keeps the pork fat under control and gives the dish enough lift to remain enjoyable after pasta.
This is exactly the kind of main course that suits an osteria in Parma better than an imported premium steak.
Horse Meat Gives the Menu a More Local Edge
Osteria dei Servi also takes horse meat seriously, a tradition that remains strongly associated with Parma.
The simplest version is Maria Luigia, cavallo pesto al naturale, priced at €13.50. There is also a DIY-style tartare with mustard, anchovies, onions, capers and egg yolk for €15.50, while smoked horse ribs cost €23.
Cavallo pesto has a lean, soft texture and a distinctly clean sweetness. The natural version is the better choice if you want to understand the ingredient itself rather than bury it beneath condiments.
It is not essential on a first visit, but it gives the restaurant a stronger Parmigiano identity than the international grilled-meat section.
Wine Pairings
Salumi and torta fritta: Lamoretti Malvasia di Candia Frizzante — aromatic, fresh and excellent with cured pork.
Tortelli d’erbetta: Lamoretti Sauvignon Blanc Colli di Parma DOC — crisp enough for butter and Parmigiano.
Guancialino al Lambrusco: Oinoe Bocanegra Lambrusco Maestri Ancellotta — dark fruit, bubbles and acidity for the braised pork.
The restaurant currently lists all three wines on its own wine list.
Torta Susanna Is the Dessert to Keep in Parma
The Torta Susanna, at €8.50, combines shortcrust pastry, ricotta and dark-chocolate ganache.
It is dense but well judged: the ricotta softens the chocolate while the pastry provides enough structure to prevent the dessert from becoming a spoonful of cream.
The alternative worth considering is the Stracchino della Duchessa, with coffee-soaked biscuits, mascarpone, gianduia and almonds, also at €8.50. But after tortelli and pork, Torta Susanna gives the meal a more recognisably Parmigiano conclusion.
Service, Atmosphere and Prices
Osteria dei Servi is open every day from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. The restaurant has a large outdoor area in Piazza Ghiaia and enough internal space to handle groups as well as smaller tables.
The atmosphere is traditional but not austere. The menu mixes classic Parma cooking with more modern presentations, and the visible grill gives the restaurant a broader identity than a pure pasta-and-salumi trattoria.
Prices are slightly higher than the most basic Parma osterias, but the products are specified and portions remain substantial. Parma in Tavola (€13.50), torta fritta (€4.50), tortelli d’erbetta (€13.50) and Torta Susanna (€8.50) total €40 per person if ordered individually, before drinks and the €3 cover charge. Sharing the salumi and torta fritta reduces a realistic three-course meal to around €30–€35 per person excluding wine.
Add the pork cheek and a complete meal moves closer to €50 per person.
Useful Information
- Address: Piazza Ghiaia 1, Parma
- Area: Historic centre, near Palazzo della Pilotta
- Cuisine: Traditional Parma and Emilian cooking, fresh pasta and grilled meat
- Signature dishes: Torta fritta with salumi, tortelli d’erbetta, Risotto Giuseppe Verdi, pork cheek braised in Lambrusco and horse meat
- Parma in Tavola salumi tasting: €13.50
- Torta fritta: €4.50
- Tortelli d’erbetta: €13.50
- Risotto Giuseppe Verdi: €16.50
- Guancialino di maiale al Lambrusco: €16.50
- Torta Susanna: €8.50
- Cover charge: €3
- Opening hours: Daily, 12:30 pm–2:30 pm and 7:30 pm–10:30 pm
- Telephone: +39 0521 185 6156
- Reservations: Recommended
- Outdoor seating: Available in Piazza Ghiaia
- Wine list: Strong selection of Parma wines alongside Italian labels
- Best for: Traditional Parma cuisine, salumi, fresh pasta and local meat dishes
Our Rating of Osteria dei Servi
Food: 8.9/10
Traditional Parma cooking with enough breadth to satisfy both purists and diners looking for something more elaborate.
Salumi and Starters: 9.2/10
Culatello, Prosciutto di Parma, spalla cotta and torta fritta form a particularly strong opening.
Fresh Pasta and Risotto: 9.1/10
Tortelli remain the reference, while Risotto Giuseppe Verdi adds a richer house signature.
Main Courses: 8.9/10
Pork cheek and horse dishes carry more local personality than the international grilled-meat section.
Desserts: 8.7/10
Torta Susanna and Stracchino della Duchessa keep the final course closely connected to Parma.
Wine List: 8.9/10
A useful regional selection with Lambrusco, Malvasia and local still wines at accessible prices.
Service: 8.6/10
Professional and energetic, suited to a restaurant that handles substantial volumes.
Atmosphere: 9/10
Piazza Ghiaia, the large dehors and the traditional interior give the restaurant a strong sense of place.
Value for Money: 8.7/10
Not the cheapest osteria in Parma, but product quality and generous portions justify most of the premium.
Overall Rating: 8.9/10
