We are right in the heart of the Dolomites, between Mount Pelmo and Civetta, in a small valley famous for having given wood, iron and “sweetness” to the Serenissima Republic of Venice. Here, in fact, lived and worked some of the best blacksmiths, carpenters and pastry chefs who contributed to the majestic history of the Veneto, from the shape of gondolas to its typical sweets.

A magical, uncontaminated place, the only town in Val di Zoldo that has never suffered any fire in its long epic and which, for this reason, is the only one that can still give us back the charm of being populated by ancient wooden houses and tabià (traditional barns) dating back to the 16th century.

When men and mountains meet, great things happen.

(William Blake)

Right here, in this village populated just with a church, a museum of cheese-making art, a few dozen stone and wood houses and no shops, Jasmeen, originally from Domodossola, and Giuseppe, from Conegliano, decided to move after meeting in Copenhagen, with a great passion for the mountains and the art of hospitality in common.

Giuseppe, in fact, has a long experience as a chef, including at the starred restaurant Local in Venice, while Jasmeen, in addition to the world of hospitality, as a baker and pastry chef specialized in the leavening technique with mother yeast.

In 2023, when they still lived in Copenhagen, they spent a holiday in Fornesighe, fell in love with it and, having learned of the possibility of taking over the management of the premises recently renovated by Anna and Renato of the nearby B&B Dormì & Disnà, decided to move.

A fairy tale that led them to open the Nona Giò restaurant in June 2023 – a name chosen because the room was Grandma Giovanna’s living room – and in 2024 the 2 rooms located on the upper floor.

Jasmeen and Giuseppe bring to the table dishes from the entire Veneto region, with recipes invented or reinterpreted by them and the added value of the flavors of Val di Zoldo that are found in the wild plants and buds added to each dish, in the vegetables from their small garden that they grow a few meters from the inn, or in the mountain cheeses.

The pasta, like the bread, is all fresh and homemade, while the fish and other ingredients are purchased every week directly by the couple in Chioggia or from small producers in the Venetian lagoon.

So on the menu, which changes every month, we find, for example, the Platter with mountain cheeses and delicious cured meats handcrafted for Nona Giò by the Antica Macelleria San Daniel in Lamon, first courses such as Guinea fowl ravioli with hay-flavored butter and fresh pears and thyme, and second courses such as the Beefsteak cutlet in escalope, homemade hazelnut butter, black cabbage and pickled fir shoots.

The small dining room, seating only 15 people, is furnished in the typical style of the area with a modern larìn (traditional fireplace) in the center and all around the old restored benches of Grandmother Giovanna in splendid pear wood from the 17th century. There are many style details, such as the lampshades created with ancient shovels and the rakes used as glass holders on the walls.

The original wine cellar, born from the passion of Giuseppe, a self-taught sommelier happy to tell his guests stories of winemakers and small virtuous productions that he has personally visited around Italy. To contain his “collection” of bottles, Giuseppe even renovated an old stable near the inn.

At Nona Giò, a lunch or dinner always ends in style with one of the desserts prepared by Jasmeen, such as the Vanilla Semifreddo with buckwheat crumble, flaked licorice and fresh fruit, a rich selection of grappas and artisanal digestives, and the embrace of the Dolomites, with a truly splendid view from the restaurant terrace, as Fornesighe faces south, therefore exposed to the sun all day.

Nona Giò’s customers also deeply appreciate its two small rooms, perfect for enjoying a long evening without limitations or spending a holiday discovering the nearby beauties. From here, in fact, it is possible to visit beautiful places, such as, for example, Cortina d’Ampezzo or Passo Giau, an hour’s drive away, or Cibiana, known as “the town of murals”, just twenty minutes away.

A truly, unique experience in the world.

The Secret

The beautiful Val di Zoldo during the 20th century experienced the phenomenon of depopulation, common to many mountain areas, but it has a truly illustrious history. For example, its people has contributed to the birth of gondolas (the valley was the birthplace of the Casal family of the homonymous squero in Venice where the most beautiful gondolas in the world were born) or having innovated the confectionery tradition of the Serenissima with the zaeti biscuits, made with corn flour, and other delicacies (the Colussi family also started from here, revolutionizing the world of pastry making with its tinned baicoli biscuits).

Useful Info

Locanda Nona Giò
Via Ruis 3/A
32012 Fornesighe, Belluno
Tel. +39 380 1387866

Appetizers: from 16 euro
First courses: from 17 euro
Second courses: from 22 euro
Rooms: from 120 euro, “mountain” breakfast on request

A few minutes from the center of the village, there are 3 parking lots where it is advisable to leave the car and then reach the Locanda on foot