Bologna is known across Italy, and beyond, as La Rossa (The Red One). The nickname stems from its terracotta-tiled roofs that distinguishes the city when you look down on it from the hills of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It also speaks to the deep political spirit of the Bolognesi, whose fists, throughout history, have been raised defiantly to the Italian sky. And then there’s the cuisine, earning Bologna its second nickname: La Grassa (The Fat One).
Giacomo Mannucci was born in Bologna in 1985. His parents were both entrepreneurs – his father in fashion, his mother in steel – and, more importantly, excellent cooks. But the idea that both meat and hospitality in general would become a core part of Mannucci’s life wasn’t on the cards yet. He didn’t come to Berlin to open a restaurant. In 2004, he came to study German and literature, but as is so often the case, it was the city’s vibrant music and club scene that truly drew him in.
Mannucci could play the piano, and he started producing his own tracks, however, he quickly switched to the promotional side of things: this entrepreneurial spirit, the drive to create, he learned from his parents. From Berlin, he organised regular nights at the Goa Club in Rome, which at the time was one of the hottest venues, not just in Italy, but in all of Europe.
Then his partner Romy became pregnant, and the precarious life of a party promoter suddenly needed a steadier rhythm. A restaurant might not be stability in the strictest sense, but it was a start. Whilst in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan Mediterranean coast, Mannucci had an epiphany. He explains, “I ate butcher Dario Cecchini’s – who’s now well-known from a Netflix documentary – bistecca there. I wanted to serve that in Berlin as well.” Cecchini agreed to the idea, but had one condition: Mannucci had to complete a three-month apprenticeship in Tuscany, learning the meat trade from the ground up, from butchery to preparation.
In 2012, he opened the (now closed) To Beef or not to Beef in Schöneberg’s Akazienkiez. Four years later, the steakhouse To the Bone opened its doors on Torstraße. It’s Italian, but not in a stereotypical sense. Mannucci says, “Clichés can help, especially in times of crisis, as they give guests a sense of comfort. And people expect clichés from Italian restaurants. But daring to try something new stops you from getting complacent. I have to reinvent myself every now and again; I need that pressure and that creative spark.”
This year, Berlin got a double treat as Mannucci opened two culinary gems. First, Amodio Lezza, long-time head chef at To the Bone, convinced Mannucci to open a 20-seat Japanese-fusion Omakase bar with him in Charlottenburg. Lo Fūfu serves Mediterranean cuisine combined with a Japanese take on ingredients, and immediately became one of the city’s most spectacular taste experiences and most unique restaurants. Lo Fūfu serves a six-course Omakase menu, and each course explores variations of the same ingredient, for example yellowtail tuna and amberjack, sourced directly from Tokyo’s fish market.
Then Sicilian chef Karim Yacoubi arrived at To the Bone. He also wanted to bring his celebrated Rasoterra restaurant from Catania to Berlin. Mannucci immediately hit it off with Yacoubi. He understood the concept behind the resolutely regional sourdough pizza served in his restaurant. Rasoterra, on the corner of Uhlandstraße and Ludwigkirchstraße, is a pizzeria that feels like an elevated restaurant. The Neapolitan pizzas served there are outstanding. As a starter, make sure to share one of the fried pizzas, reminiscent of a doughnut, topped with the best mortadella Berlin has to offer. Both restaurants, Lo Fūfu and Rasoterra, are among Berlin’s best new restaurants of 2025.
I ate butcher Dario Cecchini’s – who’s now well-known from a Netflix documentary – bistecca there. I wanted to serve that in Berlin as well.
You’d think that would be enough excitement for one year, but Mannucci kept at it, effortlessly reinventing his flagship restaurant To the Bone in October. Dario Cecchini is no longer part of the project, although the dry aged beef from Cecchini’s Chianina cattle still hangs in the glass-front dry-aging cabinet of the restaurant. Now, the beef has to share the stage with scampi-stuffed pork belly. Another menu highlight is the Wagyu beef ragout, which has more umami than any pasta dish has a right to have. There’s also charcoal-grilled artichoke, incredibly simple king crab and a bone marrow dish, which immediately became a signature plate for the restaurant. And then there’s the amazing service that makes you feel at ease, not to mention the restaurant’s decor, striking in its combination of class, character, coolness and good taste. Giacomo Mannucci is reaching high with To the Bone, yet it never feels or tastes forced.
Having called Berlin home for 15 years, what flavours define the city for Manucci? “I’ve definitely benefited from the energy and enthusiasm the city had as it wanted to reinvent itself as a culinary metropolis,” says Mannucci. “And yet, here people talk about food that’s ‘fiercely local’ and mean Brandenburg at best. But when you go out to eat in Bologna, you find a completely new regional cuisine every 30km.” Berlin’s culinary scene is still evolving, and Giacomo Mannucci is along for the ride.
