La Via del Gusto

A banquet as long as the town itself

La Via del Gusto is the major summer food and wine festival in Ripi, a village in the province of Frosinone, nestled in the heart of Ciociaria and southern Lazio. The concept that makes it instantly recognizable is simple yet spectacular: a single banquet table over 250 meters long, with more than 1,200 seats, running through the town center and bringing residents and visitors together at the same table. There are no separate areas or reserved tables: you walk, you choose, you sit wherever there is space, and dinner becomes a collective experience.

The six districts, stars of the evening

The organizational heart of the event lies in the six districts of Ripi, united under the volunteer association APS Contrade Ripane, which was created to promote local culture and traditions and is also active with other events such as Le Cantine di Ripi. Each district sets up its own stall and prepares its own specialties: the choice is yours—you buy the dish you want directly from the stall and bring it to the table. It is a formula that rewards variety and effectively turns the districts into a friendly cooking competition.

Ciociarian cuisine on the table

The culinary offerings are deeply rooted in Ciociarian tradition: peasant-style first courses, meats, local products, and homemade desserts, all paired with excellent wine provided by the districts themselves. It is the perfect opportunity to sample a range of flavors in a single evening that you would otherwise only find in family kitchens, and to understand how gastronomy in this part of Lazio is a way of telling the story of the land.

Music and atmosphere

The gastronomic experience is complemented by musical entertainment, which continues late into the night, turning the town streets into an open-air village festival. The lights along Viale Umberto I, the bustle between the stalls, and the hum of the long banquet create an atmosphere that has made this event a landmark for the entire province of Frosinone over the years.

An event that has grown edition after edition

Reaching its eleventh edition in 2026, La Via del Gusto has evolved from a local festival into an event capable of attracting crowds from all over Lazio. The Municipality of Ripi is a steady partner in the organization, and over the years, the event has adopted more environmentally conscious practices, with particular care taken in managing the materials used for service.

Why it's worth the trip

• A banquet table over 250 meters long: a unique sight in the landscape of Lazio's food festivals.
• Six different kitchens in one night, all managed by the local districts.
• Free entry to the festival area: you only pay for what you consume at the stalls.
• A Ciociarian village to discover, just a short distance from Frosinone and easily accessible from Rome.

Ripi, between Ciociaria and history

Ripi stands on a hill overlooking the Sacco Valley, in an area also known for its unique history linked to early 20th-century oil extraction. The historic center, the squares, and the alleys that host the event give the evening an authentic setting, far from commercial formulas: here, the festival is still created by the locals, for the locals and for those visiting from afar.