Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Typical price: €14-25 a plate
The heart of the pork leg, hand-tied in a bladder and aged in the fog of the Po lowlands. Deeper, muskier and rarer than prosciutto, it is the salume Parma treats as treasure.
Culatello di Zibello DOP belongs to the Bassa, the flat river country north of Parma where winter fog and summer heat swing the cellars through the cycles the meat needs. Documented at the Farnese court from the 15th century, it lost ground to industrial hams before Slow Food and a handful of families, the Spigaroli among them, rebuilt its name. Each piece ages 12 to 40 months tied in netting, checked by nose and needle.
5 editor picks for Culatello di Zibello in Parma, ranked by editorial score. All Parma signature dishes · Culatello di Zibello across every city.
Order The culatello vertical, sliced across several ageings from the cellars below.
Antica Corte Pallavicina, Massimo Spigaroli's castle farm on the Po near Parma, has held a Michelin star since 2011 and ages culatello in its cellars.
Order Culatello di Zibello in three ages, then anolini in brodo.
Al Vedel in Colorno near Parma pairs an elegant dining room with the Podere Cadassa cellars, where the family ages its own culatello below the inn.
Order Culatello and mariola from Bassa curing rooms, then anolini.
Osteria Ardenga feeds the culatello lowlands at Diolo di Soragna near Parma: farmhouse rooms, river-plain salumi and anolini that honour the Bassa's kitchens.
Order The culatello and Parmigiano vertical with a Malvasia.
Degusteria Romani turns the Silvano Romani salumi counter into table service on Borgo Palmia in Parma: culatello flights, verticals, Emilian glasses.
Day trip · 4 hours
Discover where the world-famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto are made, followed by a mouthwatering tasting accompanied by a glass of wine.
Viator · 4 h
Enjoy a easy bike tour to visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheesefactory and see all production chain, to know the secrets of this great cheese and the huge storage with th...
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Embark on a guided tour of a traditional Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory and get insight into the art of cheese making. End your tour with a tasting of parmesan che...
Order Culatello di Zibello DOP with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
La Filoma bills itself as the oldest restaurant name in Parma and cooks like it: culatello with Parmigiano, black-truffle risotto and proper tortelli.
Editor tip. Real Zibello culatello is scarce; if a menu lists the age and producer, order it there and buy vacuum-packed at a salumeria for home.
Anolini in brodo
Tortelli d'erbetta
Torta fritta
Prosciutto di Parma
Parmigiano Reggiano
Salame di Felino
Trippa alla parmigianaWhere to eat Culatello di Zibello in ItalyCulatello di Zibello: best cities and venues
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