Giuliano Borgonovi Airfield

Giuliano Borgonovi Airfield is a small general aviation field tucked into the quiet flatlands of the Po Valley near Zerbolò, and anyone expecting a bustling airport food court will need to recalibrate their expectations — charmingly so. The facility caters primarily to private pilots, flying club members, and weekend aviators, which means the dining experience is intimate and genuinely local rather than sanitized and corporate. Think of it less as an airport and more as a friendly aeroclubhouse with a kitchen.

The heart of the social scene here is the club's own canteen-style dining room, which serves honest Lombard cooking that reflects the agricultural richness of the surrounding Pavese countryside. On weekends especially, you'll find simple, satisfying dishes: risotto al Barbera, cotoletta alla milanese prepared with real care, and generous plates of salumi sourced from nearby producers. The portions are unfussy and the prices are the kind that make you wonder why city restaurants get away with what they do. Wash it all down with a carafe of local Oltrepò Pavese wine and you'll feel like a regular.

Because Zerbolò sits within easy reach of Pavia and the broader Lomellina rice-growing region, the surrounding area is dotted with trattorias and agriturismi that are well worth the short drive. If you're flying in for the day, ask the staff at the aeroclub for their personal recommendations — they know every kitchen worth visiting within a ten-kilometer radius. The real dining culture here lives not airside, but in the vine-laced countryside just beyond the runway's end, and that's exactly as it should be.