La Clandestina Cocktail & Food: The Secret Pulse of Arezzo

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 10/28/2025

La Clandestina Cocktail & Food: The Secret Pulse of Arezzo

Hidden within a historic building on Corso Italia, in the very heart of Arezzo, lies La Clandestina Cocktail & Food—a place where memorabilia from different eras come together to create a playful, time-bending atmosphere for one of the city’s most intriguing bars.

Founders Alessandro Di Salvatori and Linda Giangeri have shaped the space into something both cinematic and intimate, part speakeasy, part living room, and entirely magnetic. She commands the kitchen, creating vibrant South American–inspired dishes, while he curates a thoughtful wine selection, guided by his sommelier’s instinct to match each flavor with precision and flair.

Their travels across South America and deep passion for its culinary traditions infuse every detail of La Clandestina. The result is a dining experience that feels authentic yet inventive, an adventure of taste and atmosphere contained within the restaurant’s historic walls.

There’s a quiet charm to the place—the soft glow of vintage lights, the hum of jazz, the clink of glassware, and the easy laughter that drifts between tables. Every element feels intentional but never forced, born from a sincere love of hospitality and the art of good company.

The Kitchen: A Dance of Cultures and Curiosity

At La Clandestina, food tells stories—of travel, of experimentation, of flavors that meet somewhere between tradition and instinct. The menu flows easily between continents, weaving Mediterranean sensibility with Latin American boldness.

The ostrica fritta in aguachile (€6) opens with a bright, refreshing burst — crisp, briny, and delicately spiced. The tostadas with ceviche and gazpacho di pomodori (€14) deliver exceptional acidity and freshness, lifted by the citrus tang of leche de tigre.

The anticucho di polpo alla galiziana (€12) offers tender, smoky octopus with a subtle depth of flavor, while the mare fritto with lime mayonnaise (€14) achieves the perfect balance of crunch and lightness. For a playful interlude, the guacamole with corn totopos (€7) delivers creamy comfort and satisfying crunch.

Each plate feels deliberate and expressive, revealing the kitchen’s confident rhythm. The empanadas (filled with pork and chimichurri or octopus and ají rocoto) are golden and full of character, while dishes like lomo saltado (€15) and tostadas of beef tartare (€13) show off the kitchen’s balance of precision and heart.

Desserts are equally memorable. The tamalito al cioccolato fondente 80% with guanábana gelato is rich yet refreshing, while the churros with dulce de leche gelato and smoked salt (€10) close the meal on a note of nostalgia and warmth.

The Cocktails: Where Memory Meets Mischief

Here, the bar is the heartbeat of La Clandestina. Alessandro and Linda treat mixology as a quiet performance, balancing intensity with surprise and elegance with playfulness.

The cocktail list (€8–€12) feels like a conversation across time: smoky spirits with tropical whispers, citrus brightened by spice, and timeless classics reinvented with flair. Each drink feels crafted to spark curiosity, to surprise the palate, and—almost inevitably—to invite another round.