Fabriano Friends · Osteria San Biagio

Finding a restaurant like Osteria San Biagio feels a bit like finding a needle in a haystack.

Good restaurants exist everywhere. Restaurants with integrity are harder to come by.

As part of the Fabriano Friends series, we’re highlighting the local businesses, makers, and creatives who inspire us, keep us well fed, and remind us why we chose this particular town in Le Marche to launch Fritto Misto Comune. These are the places we return to, the people we trust, and the ones we happily send our guests to without hesitation. And if you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know we hold no prisoners when it comes to food — the sourcing, preparation, and sharing of it.

Osteria San Biagio is not just one of those places.
It is the place.

Tucked quietly behind the church of the same name, San Biagio doesn’t shout for attention. It doesn’t need to. What it does instead is cook with care, integrity, and a very clear sense of purpose — season by season, plate by plate. There’s a confidence here that comes from doing things properly, not loudly.

The first time we ate here was on the back of a very direct message from a friend who knows our taste well:

“Sara, you must eat here.”

My reply was immediate. It was already the only place I had booked — and I couldn’t wait.

San Biagio found its footing during Covid. Coming out the other side, it has built what is, hands down, the most thoughtful kitchen in Fabriano. Recent inclusion in respected Italian restaurant guides only reinforces what’s evident the moment you sit down. Integrity comes up again and again — in the food, the sourcing, the service, and the way the room feels — and it’s inseparable from the way Lucia and Riccardo lead the place.

Sunday lunch here is a thing. Locals, visitors, families, solo diners, all folded into the same long, unhurried service. It’s one of those rare restaurants where you can arrive alone and never feel it, where time stretches in a way that feels generous rather than indulgent.

There’s one particular lunch, on a warm late-summer day, that has stayed with us….the kind of meal that reminds you why you care so much about where and how you eat.

The food is confident but restrained….dishes that know exactly when to stop.

A tomato and chickpea gazpacho with prawns and basil: velvety and balanced, bright without being sharp.
Roasted figs with tomatoes and goat’s cheese: delicate, seasonal, and perfectly judged.
And a standout dish of roasted mackerel with rice miso, sweet-and-sour onions, and raisins…. beautifully cooked, layered, and quietly complex all at once.

The wine list deserves attention in its own right. Thoughtful, regional, and full of personality. Claudio, the sommelier, has that rare ability to communicate hospitality fluently, regardless of language (If you’re looking for something a little special, the champagne and international wines are on point, and poured properly. Ask when you visit.)

There’s one bottle we always return to: San Biagio. Named for the church behind the restaurant, and for the dog whose image appears on the label. A Verdicchio with depth and character, familiar but quietly distinctive. It’s a wine we’ve shared many times at Fritto Misto Comune, and one we now associate entirely with this place.

San Biagio is also proudly part of the Slow Food Osterie d’Italia network, and it shows. Seasonality, regional sourcing, and respect for ingredients aren’t talking points here; they’re simply how things are done.

We asked Riccardo and Lucia our three favourite questions. Here’s what they said:

1. What are three things you love about Fabriano?

Riccardo:
The possibility of influencing things and making things happen, even if many things are still missing. The spaces around the town, and aspects of real quality of life: less chaos, more connection.

Lucia:
The nature around Fabriano, perfect for long walks. The historic centre in August, when it becomes beautifully quiet. And honestly…. it’s hard to choose. There’s a lot to love.

2. What do you think visitors absolutely must do, see, or eat while they’re here?

Riccardo:
Eat at Osteria San Biagio. Walk in the surrounding mountains. Watch the paper being made.

Lucia:
Visit the Paper Museum, the Fedrigoni Foundation (when the archive is open), and of course… eat at Osteria San Biagio 😂

3. What makes your space or work feel special to you?

Riccardo:
The possibility of creating something new, and exploring ways of doing things differently.

Lucia:
Preserving the building and bringing it back to life….it was a true labour of love. The big windows, the high ceilings, the incredible floor. But most of all, the people: our team, our guests, and the producers and suppliers we work with.

Why We Love It

Osteria San Biagio captures what we love most about this region: generosity, simplicity, and soul. Lucia, Riccardo, and their team cook with care and intention, the kind that makes every meal feel like Sunday lunch, even on a weekday.

If you’re visiting Fabriano, try to be here for one.
And if you can’t…. book whatever table you can get.

Places like this are why small towns matter.
And why we’re so happy to call this one home.