Santarcangelo di Romagna wears its culinary identity proudly, rooted firmly in the bold, generous spirit of Romagna cooking. The town sits in the heartland of piadina country, and the flatbreads turned out here — thin, slightly charred at the edges, folded around squacquerone cheese and prosciutto crudo — are a genuine benchmark of the form. Local piadadori set up their griddles with quiet confidence, and a well-made piadina from one of the small stands near the market square is easily the most satisfying few euros you'll spend all day.

Beyond the piadina, the table here rewards patience and appetite in equal measure. Look for passatelli in brodo — delicate pasta made from breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, and egg, served in rich capon broth — and strozzapreti tossed with ragù that has been coaxed low and slow for hours. The weekly market on Thursdays draws farmers from the surrounding hills selling aged cheeses, cured meats, and jars of under-the-radar preserves you won't find in any supermarket. Grab a wedge of formaggio di fossa if you spot it; its funky, earthy depth is unforgettable.

For a proper sit-down meal, the trattorias clustered in and around the historic centre offer the kind of unselfconscious, ingredient-led cooking that food tourists chase across Italy. Ask whether the kitchen is making crescione — a stuffed, folded piadina filled with greens or potato — and order the house wine without overthinking it; the Sangiovese from nearby Rimini hills is honest and goes with everything. Lunch here tends to sprawl pleasantly into the afternoon, which is, of course, entirely the point.