Tipico Osteria dei Sensi creates an interactive list of olive oils with their producers
In Montone, north of Perugia, each table has a QR code that gives access to a list of oils from producers in Umbria.
“At our osteria, we introduced the interactive olive oil list as another step in the path we began 13 years ago, built on a commitment to quality and a careful selection of products, with premium oils at its core.”
Tipico Osteria dei Sensi, in the medieval village of Montone, is one of the 35 osterias that are ambassadors for olive oil in the Strada dell'Olio DOP Umbria network. Included in Michelin's Bib Gourmand selection and awarded the Slow Food Snail distinction, it builds its identity with ingredients sourced exclusively from Umbria, and at the heart of its offerings is a carefully curated selection of extra virgin olive oils from across the region.
To make olive oil more accessible to a wider audience, owners Paolo Morbidoni and Giancarlo Polito, the restaurant's chef, have created an interactive list with content provided by the producers themselves. By scanning the QR code at each table, diners can access the list on their phones. Each product includes a brief description, a photo of the bottle, and a short video with English subtitles.
The list includes oils from across the region. One section is dedicated to PDO oils from Umbria, with a selection from each of the five sub-zones: Colli Assisi-Spoleto, Colli Martani, Colli Orvietani, Colli Amerini, and Colli del Trasimeno. Another section highlights the main varieties, with single-varietal oils from Moraiolo, Frantoio, Dolce Agogia, Rajo, and San Felice.
According to Morbidoni, the primary goal is to spark the interest of diners with varying levels of knowledge, from seasoned consumers to novices. "I believe a good restaurateur can stimulate interest in olive oil," he told the press. "Through short videos, producers offer an engaging glimpse into the company, the terroir, and the varieties they cultivate. This can ignite curiosity to learn more."
After a year of testing, Morbidoni says the data is encouraging: the list has received, on average, roughly twice as many visits as the website hosting it. The links remain on the phone, so diners can refer back to it and discover other oils and producers later.
