From “Solo Mattia” home flavors on the waterways

Marta Munerotto and Mattia Pagnussato’s restaurant is located in Cison di Valmarino surrounded by a beech forest

CISON DI VALMARINO. “Seen and liked”, says Marta, recalling her meeting with her husband Mattia, her desk mate at the Beltrame hotel institute in Vittorio Veneto: they were 16 years old and have been inseparable ever since. And, for almost ten years, Marta Munerotto e Mattia Pagnussato they are also the owners of “Solo Mattia”, a restaurant and pizzeria in Cison di Valmarino, next to the Bosco delle Penne Mozze. After school and after sharing the first work experiences, the big step.

“We were twenty years old, with clear ideas and a great desire to get involved”, remembers Mattia. «I’m from Cison and I have always known the historic Baita San Daniele, a simple and characteristic restaurant in a magnificent place. We therefore jumped at the opportunity to manage it and we have revolutionized its appearance, cuisine and philosophy; to define this great change we also changed its name, and in March 2013 we inaugurated “Solo Mattia”. And today we are delighted with the effort we have put into, and continue to invest, in this project of ours ».

«Our families have never worked in catering», explains Marta, «but in the first years of“ Solo Mattia ”’s life, our parents worked hard in the most diverse tasks to help us carry out our project. For some years they have not helped us in the restaurant anymore, but they are very busy as grandparents: with the arrival of our children Perla (4 years) and Filippo (5 months) the support of my parents, Angelo e Cleliaand those of Mattia, Domenico e Lisa, is again decisive. But my sister is also fundamental Monicaby my side in the room, as well as the involvement of Mattia’s brothers: Samuel e Nicola who collaborated in the first years and then Daniele e Antonio who are still with us ». “The commitment of those who asked us for this undertaking, especially in the early years, was enormous: an effort that can only be endured between family members”, highlights Mattia. “Let’s say that our basic staff is all parental, but over time we have built a larger and now consolidated team: in times when it is not easy to find valid collaborators, this is another aspect of which we are very happy”.

A staff nourished above all in the kitchen because, continues Mattia: «We produce everything at home, from appetizers to desserts, including pasta and bread. We have chosen simplicity, tradition and home-made flavors which we express in clear and concrete dishes, presented with great care and a pinch of originality ». The menus, strictly seasonal, have a “mountain” imprint: grilled and spit-roasted meats, game, wild herbs and mushrooms, with many choices also for vegetarians. «When we opened we also restored the pizzeria that had been out of use for years and I also dedicated myself to studying the dough thoroughly to offer a quality product. This is because our first goal is to try to satisfy all needs », concludes Mattia. Marta dedicates herself to the room showing off attentions and smiles which, alone, tell of her passion for this work: «Sometimes it is tiring, of course, but it is also very gratifying for those who, like me, love to relate to the public. Having carried out this project together with Mattia and having established excellent relationships with customers and collaborators, repays me for all the hard work ».

Marta also cultivates a great passion for wines. «At 16 I had already discovered the charm of the wine world and, after much insistence, I stole permission from my parents to follow the Fisar courses and become a sommelier. So I also take care of the cellar of “Solo Mattia”, calibrated on the proposals of the kitchen but also on the exaltation of Treviso and Veneto excellence, also because we are in a position often reached by tourists ». The two young restaurateurs, in fact, never forget where they are: «The added value of our restaurant, which was born as a hut, is our summer terrace overlooking the beech forest that embraces the structure. We are in a very pleasant place but also a bit hidden and isolated: many people discover us during the walks along the itinerary “Le vie dell’Acqua”, which from the historic center of Cison runs along the Rujo stream and reaches the Valle di San Daniele. So many hikers come to us on foot, almost by chance: but then many return, and when they do we know that it is not by chance. That is our greatest satisfaction ».