Located in an industrial district famed for its leather production, the north-east Italian town of Arzignano is not the most obvious place for a Michelin-starred restaurant. Just half an hour from the bustling city of Vicenza, Damini e Affini is a hidden gem, well worth a special journey. Born into a family of butchers, the brothers have worked tirelessly to integrate together their restaurant and family-owned butchers to create a truly unique dining experience.

Visitors to Damini e Affini should take time to wander around the restaurant’s charming shop, run by master butcher Gian Pietro. The shop boasts over 2,000 carefully selected products from all over Italy, including: pasta, pistachios, biscuits and preserved fruits, to name just a few. In fact, guests are able to buy most of the ingredients used in the restaurant. It is, however, in the long glass counters at the back of the shop, where Gian Pietro’s most prized assets can be found – 900 varieties of expertly sourced meats, salami and cheeses.

Giorgio, the restaurant's head chef, has crafted a deliberately understated menu in order to best show off the fantastic produce at his disposal. A strong believer in keeping food simple, the chef challenges himself to use four ingredients or less wherever possible. This can be seen with the restaurant’s popular steak tartare, served simply with olive oil and sea salt. Thanks to the restaurant’s intimate size, Giorgio is usually on hand to offer recommendations from the menu – which changes with the seasons – and on occasion, personally presents customers with his latest creation.

In keeping with the restaurant’s menu, the décor is unpretentious, with minimalist black furniture dominating the room. For decoration, the brothers rely on their impressive wine collection which proudly adorns the walls.