Mantuan cuisine is one of the most distinctive in Lombardy, shaped by the sweet-sour combinations that characterise Renaissance cooking — a tradition the city has maintained with unusual consistency. The signature dish is tortelli di zucca: fresh pasta squares filled with roasted pumpkin, crushed amaretti biscuits, mostarda di Cremona (candied fruit in mustardy syrup), and Parmigiano. The filling is sweet and slightly spiced; the dish is finished with brown butter and sage, or sometimes with meat ragu.
The best places to try it are in the trattorias around Via Accademia and Via Pomponazzo, where the pasta is made daily on-site. Look for places that make their own tortelli — the industrial version sold in supermarkets gives no idea of what the real thing tastes like. Risotto alla pilota, made with Vialone Nano rice from the Mantuan plain and local luganega sausage, is the other must-try; it is cooked in a particular way (the sausage and rice are finished together off the heat) that produces a loose, creamy result. The twice-yearly Festivaletteratura in September brings crowds who add strain to restaurant capacity, so booking is advisable then.