There are places that are not just restaurants. They are homes that have seen lives, stories, generations pass by. La Petronilla, in the heart of Porto Cervo, is one of them. Those who enter for the first time immediately feel a different energy, made up of authentic scents, welcoming glances and an atmosphere that smacks of family. One summer evening I sit at one of its historic tables, greeted by Massimo Scardovi, 79, originally from Viareggio, Tuscany. He has a good look and that telling voice even when he is silent. He smiles at me, sits down with me, and the trip down memory lane begins.
“Petronilla was born many years ago, when back in 1965 with my mother, father and brothers, we came to Sardinia,” Massimo says fondly. “My mother had hands of gold and a hard head, as only some women can have. My father was a silent but present guide, hardworking, tireless, always ready to support every step. All together we built something that went beyond a simple restaurant: an open house, where every dish told a piece of our story.”
It was Don Fresi, a beloved priest in the area, who was one of the first to believe in that little dream. After tasting Mrs. Scardovi’s simple but intense dishes, he said smilingly, “I will bring you the most prominent people of the Coast here,” then just emerging. And so it was.
Within a short time, La Petronilla became a landmark for those seeking authenticity amidst the burgeoning luxury of Porto Cervo. Prince Karim Aga Khan became a regular customer, appreciating not only the cuisine but also the privacy and human warmth. Along with him, so many personalities passed through: Patrick Guinness, Gianni Agnelli, Marina Doria di Savoia, actors Audrey Hepburn, Omar Sharif, Adnan Khashoggi, nobles, entrepreneurs.
“Those were beautiful years,” Massimo recalls with a nostalgic look. “At the end of the evening, as we were sweeping, we would find bread crumbs under the tables and sometimes diamonds. It was all so natural, so real. We laughed, we talked, we told each other stories. And we, with our dishes, united very different worlds with the simplicity of good flavor.”
And not much has changed since then.
Today as yesterday, La Petronilla welcomes guests from all over the world. Often it is the children or grandchildren of those first customers who return to find an emotion, a memory, the smell of tagliolini with spider crab or spaghetti with sea urchins that takes them back in time. “People come to eat well, of course, but they also come to feel understood, pampered, to trust those who do this work with true passion. Here we talk, we listen, we look into each other’s eyes. And you eat with your heart,” Massimo admits.
The soul behind the stove
Behind every great story there is always a great woman. And the one at La Petronilla is named Graziangela: Massimo’s wife, a tireless, passionate Sardinian DOC, respected by all. For decades she has led the kitchen with sure hands, natural talent and a grace that never seeks applause.
“She is the real queen of the restaurant,” says Massimo with eyes full of love. “Her dishes are simple only in appearance, inside is all her patience, her attention, her knowing our history.”
Graziangela is the heart that beats behind the scenes it is also thanks to her and her silent and constant presence that La Petronilla continues to be today a place where you really feel at home. If you’re passing through Porto Cervo, don’t just look for the glossy elegance of the storefronts, drop by La Petronilla. Ask for a traditional dish, look Massimo in the eye and then, sitting at that table, you too can be part of this story that smells of bread, sea, memory… And Sardinia.
Massimo has written a book for discerning palates: Ricette e Storie della Petronilla https://ilmiolibro.kataweb.it/libro/cucina/601630/ricette-e-storia-della-petronilla/
La Petronilla di Massimo Scardovi
Via Sa Conca, 42- 07021 Porto Cervo (SS)
Ph. + 39 0789 92137 / + 39 329-9829349
