ristorazione — Borkum · Bassa Sassonia
On the island of Borkum, where the North Sea sketches horizons of wind and low-slanting light, an Italian restaurant has earned a lasting place in island life: Essbar da Leo brings the cooking of Southern Italy all the way to the shores of East Frisia, and has done so for five consecutive years.
The entrance opens onto Jann-Berghaus-Straße, a short walk from the promenade that runs along the island's open sea. The location is no accident: Leonardo Iannantuoni chose to settle exactly where residents and tourists meet, where the seafront walk naturally finds a place to pause and refuel. Over the years the restaurant has become the recognised gathering place for Borkum's Feinschmecker (gourmets).
The dining room welcomes guests with a warm, familiar atmosphere that belies the latitude: this is a fine dining establishment, yet one feels among friends. Residents and tourists mix around the same tables in a balance that few places manage to build and sustain over time, one that Essbar da Leo has kept steady year after year.
Behind the stoves is Leonardo Iannantuoni, originally from Southern Italy, who leads the kitchen with the passion of someone carrying a precise and deeply rooted tradition. The geographical distance has not softened the character of the cooking: the flavours of the Italian South arrive in Borkum intact, filtered through the hand of someone who has known that cuisine from its origin.
Five years on the North Sea with roots planted in Southern Italy: the page tells everything Essbar da Leo has built on the island.
