our history il montano - il montano bar and cocktail piano di sorrento

Let us tell you a little bit about ourselves.

Our history

il Montano

...Everything started with Grandfather Giovanni

Our story began in the early 1900s, a story with authentic roots, those of the peasant life.

Our story begins in the early 1900s, a story rooted in authenticity, in the traditions of our farmers. And it’s a story that fills us with emotion to this day.

It all started with Grandfather Giovanni, who, along with his family and brothers, worked the land around our property as a sharecropper.

Yes, because where we live, here in the hills of San Pietro, the land has always been a part of us.

And it’s a legacy that we hold dear with so much emotion and pride!

Lords, princes, and counts had their own estates, with vast lands that required many people to work on them.

In exchange for half of the harvest, many individuals toiled on these lands, with the other half belonging to the “master.” The sheer scale of it all is truly awe-inspiring!

The property you see today, even before it became what it is today, was a magnificent farmhouse surrounded by fields of wheat and olive groves.

It’s truly remarkable how this land has transformed over time!

It was one of the farmhouses with the largest granary and the olive oil mill powered by animal traction, which was unthinkable at that time for a rural house. It’s amazing how advanced and ahead of its time this farmhouse was!

The olive milling was strictly done cold and by hand.

Today, where our bistro is located, about seventy years ago there was the tank for the waste from olive processing.

But the story of tradition doesn’t end, on the contrary, it evolves!

In the ’90s, when the grandchildren took over and with the desire to no longer keep their gardening knowledge to themselves, an agrozoomarket shop & service was born to serve the local agriculture.

In just a few years, it became a go-to for all farmers!

Gardeners and nature lovers from the Sorrento Peninsula refer to it as a point of reference in the sector.

After a profound study of the territory and the new family needs, in October 2021, Montano 2.0 was born – a project tied to the professional abilities of the family’s young members who want to bring their love for gardening and nature even further!

To bring back the love for nature and agriculture, just like our grandparents had, into the modern world – and not just through a livestock store, but through something greater: an eco-bistro, bar and shop where you can find our own locally produced products, even trademarked ones, as well as Campanian and Italian excellences!

Our Values

Our soul is inseparably linked to nature, to the sustainability of the small agricultural realities around us, and to the enhancement of the products of our land.

We love the seasonality that nature creates for us and, like in the old times, we bring it to the table relying on the recipes of our beloved Nonna Maria. It’s truly admirable!

Everything we have thought of and then brought to life has one central focus: our customers, to whom we promise peace, joy, and a smile as truly genuine ingredients that they can always find with us.

Our Mission

To live and make you live from our land

To give you an unforgettable experience.

Il Montano, like many small restaurants and bars in the Sorrento and Amalfi Coast, are family-run businesses, and this is exactly what ours is: a family project with authentic and traditional values, with a focus on sustainability and eco-sustainability. Montano is a versatile business – the day starts early in the morning as a bar. In the morning, you can enjoy a great coffee, a tasty croissant, and a pastry that our customers describe as a morning smile. We also have our special “Pasticiotti”, made from an old grandmother’s recipe with custard cream, crumbly pastry, and our genuine sour cherries. From 11:00, it transforms and becomes a traditional bistro where, with all the love we have for the land and a careful eye on seasonality and local sourcing, we select our specialties following grandma’s recipes; from “focaccias” to “lasagna”, from eggplant “Parmigiana” to our charcuterie and cheese boards, and our modern reinterpretation of fried foods. We take care to serve everything without the use of plastic, our portions are generous, and we are mindful of food waste. We also give ample space to the selection of wines from small producers who use typical grapes from our territory and modern fruiting techniques, making the meal more tasty and authentic. At sunset, the Montano is colored with warmer shades, making room for our cocktail bar. Our sea view lounge offers a wonderful spectacle and at this hour, a drink prepared by our professional bartender is the highlight of the day. This year we have decided to dedicate a lot of space to drinks and aperitifs, selecting and creating unique artisanal cocktails where our territory is the real protagonist. But the secret ingredients remain a mystery (shh, let’s not say it too loud!). No matter if you have already been here, you have to come and taste these delicacies to really believe it. We are waiting for you with open arms! Every cocktail we prepare is strictly of high quality, just like the food that accompanies it. Our philosophy extends to drinks as well, as we value customer satisfaction by only offering top-notch products. This is our commitment to excellence. We have carefully crafted appetizers to accompany our cocktails, which strictly adhere to seasonal criteria, because for us, the aperitif is a matter of seriousness. Each bite is thoughtfully designed to enhance the taste experience and satisfy every palate. Thanks to our passion and love for food, we have been able to transform Montano into a Traditional Food Shop, where you can find delicious, low-impact environmental food products. In our shop, you can find all the specialties that we serve at the table that you can take away with you, from our jams to our oils, pickled vegetables, and excellence of the Amalfi and Sorrento coast.

Why did we decide to turn Montano into a Traditional Food Shop? Because we want to be ambassadors of genuineness, tradition, and culture of our cuisine. In fact, the manager who has been in charge of the food shop for 25 years is responsible for researching excellent products from the local area.

The Montano Food Shop is the best choice to bring a pinch of our land with you.

We have always liked to think this way

“Simple flavors give the same pleasure as the most refined ones, water and a piece of bread give the fullest pleasure to those who lack them”

Epicuro

What our friends who came to visit us say..

 5/5

We spent a wonderful day, alternating between indoor and outdoor activities depending on the weather changes. We were warmly welcomed and served with great courtesy by Mr. Tonino, the refined owner of the structure, and by Mrs. Noemi. We enjoyed products of remarkable quality. All these elements demonstrate the great passion of the owners for every single detail. Despite the variety and quality of the products tested, the prices are competitive compared to the local context. Absolutely recommended.

It's truly fantastic, with a panoramic view overlooking Li Galli. It's very peaceful and clean, with a garden in a vineyard. Very discreet. Furthermore, they serve a zucchini parmigiana that is to die for. Definitely worth returning. The coffee is also very good.

The ideal place for an aperitif, excellent drinks (absolutely try the Montano Spritz and Montano Tonic, their signature cocktails) and the food is of excellent quality, you can tell they use excellent raw materials. Furthermore, the value for money is very honest, considering the quantity of the portions.

First of all, friendliness. In the morning, it's a pleasant bar where you can enjoy one of the best coffees. In the evening, it turns into a high-class cocktail bar and a bistro where you can taste excellent appetizers, as well as more elaborate dishes such as the tasty lasagna. An oasis of paradise not far from the colorful chaos of Positano. I highly recommend trying their personalized cocktails, they are truly delicious and the staff is always very attentive to the customers' needs. An experience not to be missed

Lovely place, friendly and helpful staff, excellent food! Romantic atmosphere · Great value for money · Perfect for parties · Free Wi-Fi · Great food · Creative cocktails.