Civico 25

Awesome. Just….awesome. It’s in the centro storico in Perugia, and one of those places that’s actually worth tracking down. The food is simply top-notch , not pricey, but exceptionally good, and made with love , and ingredients that taste the way they’re supposed to. They also have an exceptional wine list, with some great natural wines available too (and, of course, the wines by the glass are yum) Nice environs, which are dimly out in a cosy way, and exceptionally friendly staff. Defo 5 stars….

Food was good, typical and varied. In addition to the everyday menu, a few options of the day were available. Service was good but we waited a bit between the different courses, probably because there was a lot of people. Nice outside tables, on the stairs in front of the restaurant. Wine list is varied, you can also order glasses of wine. That's a really nice place for evening diner under the stars and in the middle of Perugia!

A few different sources recommended Civico25 and it did not disappoint! Wonderfully cosy inside with friendly service; the menu features all the usual pasta dishes you’d expect alongside some really delicious meat dishes. The pigeon was a standout dish for me, and the wine list is also exceptional. The bottle we initially selected wasn’t available but the Montefalcone our waitress recommended instead was possibly even better! Will definitely return next time I’m in Perugia.

Dynamic place with what looks like a decent menu and wine list. After a dispute about the wine captain’s “knowledge” of the wine I selected which ended up being either misrepresentation on the part of the wine captain or his friend the wine maker which made for rather an uncomfortable evening, I experienced such horrible food poisoning within hours of my dinner there. Extremely dissatisfied with the place, obviously. And while I am angry over the dishonesty over the bottle as well as the dreadful illness that resulted from my dinner - I also feel terrible for the cleaning staff at the hotel where I was staying, as they were the ones who had the bear the brunt of what happened. And regarding the dispute over the bottle - it’s not like I’m inexperienced with wine. I’ve been a sommelier in New York for nearly 13 years and a restaurant owner and wine buyer/captain for nearly 8 years. Perhaps Civico’s wine captain thinks he can fool everyone but he’s mistaken. I’m just lucky I didn’t end up in the hospital with how severe the food poisoning was.

I would return in a second, a restaurant not to miss in Perugia old town. We loved every minute of our experience here and were lucky to get a table on a busy saturday. The area has a cool arty feel with murals on the walls, artworks. The vibe is young, cool and looking good. The food will have us returning again and again. Maybe the best Ossobuco of my life. The wine list is enormous but we chose two bottles reflecting the owners origins of Umbria and Veneto - both excellent. Covid protocols were followed and our outside seating allowed us to enjoy a perfect end of summer Umbrian evening. I love eating a places where the staff all have a twinkle in their eye and make you feel special and well looked after. This is one of those.