Traditional Sardinian · Località Su Gologone, Oliena · dinner €55–€75
Michelin Guide · Sardinian institution since 1967Traditional Sardinian$$$Oliena (Barbagia)Listed in the MICHELIN Guide, an institution since 1967
"Sardinia's 1967 Barbagia institution above Oliena. Fly in for spit-roasted porceddu by the open fire and propose under the beamed ceiling."
9Food
9Ambience
8Value
About Su Gologone
The most photographed kitchen in Sardinia is a fireplace, and you can watch the porceddu turn on it. Su Gologone opened in 1967 in the Barbagia hinterland above Oliena, in the Province of Nuoro, founded by Pasqua Salis and now led by her daughter Giovanna Palimodde, who shaped the hotel and restaurant into a showcase of Sardinian craft and art. The kitchen cooks only traditional inland Sardinian food, the suckling pig on the spit is the signature, and the dining rooms look out over vineyards and olive groves. It is listed in the Michelin Guide.
The Kitchen
Su Gologone is a family institution rather than a chef's vanity project. Pasqua Salis founded it in 1967, and her daughter Giovanna Palimodde runs it today, holding the kitchen to the cooking of the Barbagia, the mountainous Sardinian interior. The defining technique sits in plain view: porceddu allo spiedo, suckling pig turned slowly on the spit over an open wood fire in a room built around the hearth, scented with myrtle. This is heritage cooking defended, not reinvented.
Order the porceddu, the dish people drive across the island for. Around it the menu reads like a map of inland Sardinia: culurgiones, the pleated ravioli filled with potato, pecorino and mint; maccarones de busa, hand-rolled pasta; and pane carasau, the crisp shepherd's flatbread. Dinner runs roughly €55 to €75 a head before the local Cannonau, so plan on about $70 to $110 per person. The Michelin Guide listing confirms what Sardinians have known since 1967. For more, see the best Italian restaurants worldwide and the Sardinia dining guide.
The Room
The setting is the reason to make the drive. Su Gologone is a low, whitewashed complex in the hills, its dining rooms rustic and beautiful, hung with Sardinian handicraft and centred on the huge open fireplace where the porceddu cooks. There is a terrace with a long view over vineyards and olive groves toward the Supramonte. The sound is warm and convivial, the lighting low and firelit at night, the tables generous. Dress is smart-casual; this is the countryside, but a dressed-up countryside. Book ahead, especially in summer.
Best for a Milestone or a Proposal
Make the trip for an anniversary, a proposal or a landmark birthday because Su Gologone turns a meal into a destination: the firelit room and the porceddu give the evening real theatre, the terrace view over the Barbagia is a setting worth proposing in, and the half-century of continuity lends the night a sense of occasion that a new room cannot fake. Reserve well ahead in summer. See the Sardinia dining guide and the World's 50 Best 2026 for context.
Not for
Not for vegetarians or anyone wanting a quick city dinner. The menu is built around spit-roasted meat and inland tradition, and it sits well outside Oliena, so you need a car and an evening.
Frequently Asked
Is Su Gologone worth it?
Yes, it is one of the defining meals in Sardinia. Open since 1967 and listed in the Michelin Guide, Su Gologone cooks only traditional Barbagia food, with spit-roasted porceddu at its heart, in a firelit room above Oliena. It is our highest-scored Sardinian table, and the setting alone justifies the drive inland. Treat it as a destination dinner, not a convenient one. See the Sardinia dining guide for more.
How hard is it to book Su Gologone?
Book ahead, especially in summer. Su Gologone takes reservations directly through the hotel, and the dining room and fireside tables fill quickly from June to September and around Sardinian holidays. Aim for two to four weeks out in peak season and request a table near the fire or on the terrace. It sits in the hills above Oliena, so factor in driving time from the coast.
What should I order at Su Gologone?
Order the porceddu, the spit-roasted suckling pig that built the restaurant's name since 1967. Around it, the culurgiones (potato-and-pecorino ravioli), the maccarones de busa pasta and the pane carasau flatbread are the classics of the Barbagia worth trying. Pair it with a glass of local Cannonau. The menu is firmly traditional, so come hungry and lean into the regional dishes.
How much does Su Gologone cost?
Dinner runs roughly €55 to €75 per person before wine, or about $70 to $110 a head, with local Cannonau adding modestly to the bill. For Michelin Guide cooking in a setting this distinctive, that is fair value, especially against starred rooms on the coast. Reserve ahead and plan for a full evening, since the location and the leisurely pace make it a destination rather than a quick stop.
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Practical Information
AddressLocalità Su Gologone, 08025 Oliena (Nuoro), Sardinia
