Riso Melotti from Isola della Scala: When Rice Becomes a Family Story

Article by Daniela Deveccchi published in Alphabetcity Magazine

About twenty kilometres south of Verona, there is a place where rice is not just a crop. It is a way of life. Isola della Scala — known as the City of Rice — has been home for centuries to some of the most fertile rice fields in Italy, and among those fields the Melotti family has built something rare: a company that controls every single stage, from sowing to the plate. From 1986 to the present day, without ever handing anything over to anyone else.

A passion handed down from father to son

It all began with Giuseppe Melotti, the founder. A man of the countryside, deeply tied to the land and to the spring waters that flow across the Veronese plain. From him onwards, the passion was passed down from generation to generation, to his sons Luca and Gianmaria, who today run the company in the same spirit as their father.

Luca looks after the rice fields, guardian of the land where the grain is grown. Gianmaria, on the other hand, looks ahead. "Take one step at a time, but never close the door on your dreams" is the motto that guides him — first spoken during a trip to New York, the city that would go on to change the company's history.

And then there is Mamma Rosetta. Her rice-based recipes have become part of the company's heritage, an archive of flavours rooted in Veronese farming tradition that the Melotti restaurants around the world bring to the table every day.

Short supply chain, zero-mile rice: a model unique in Italy

Few companies in Italy can truly say they do everything themselves. The Melottis can. Growing, harvesting, processing, packaging and direct sales: every step takes place under the same roof. No middlemen, no shortcuts.

Processing follows traditional, completely natural methods, with no chemical treatments or manipulation that could alter the properties of the grain. The result reaches the table just as it left the rice field — genuine, whole, unmistakable.

The flagship products are Vialone Nano Veronese PGI rice and Carnaroli rice, both grown on the family's land. Over time, however, the range has grown. Today the Melottis also offer their Special Rices: Nero Beppino black rice, Lillà rice, Rosso Rosetta red rice and Mandello rice. A true niche product is the Sun-Dried Rice, whose grains are left to dry naturally in the open air, just as was once done in the great rural farmyards.

A deliberate business choice: Riso Melotti is not sold in supermarkets. As a matter of company policy, large-scale retail is excluded. It can be found in fine delicatessens, in the kitchens of the best Italian and international chefs, or directly at the farm or online.

From rice field to restaurant: Risotteria Melotti around the world

At a certain point, selling rice was no longer enough. It also had to be cooked, served and shared. This is how Risotteria Melotti was born, now present in five cities.

2002 — Isola della Scala. The first restaurant opens in the heart of the town. A menu based entirely on rice, Veronese and Venetian risottos, and local wines.

2013 — New York, East Village. The big leap across the ocean. The restaurant echoes the rustic style of the original and offers a completely gluten-free menu. This is where the Melottis realised their rice could travel the world.

2017 — Rome, historic centre. Just a few steps from Piazza Navona, starters, risottos and desserts made with rice flour win over locals and tourists alike.

2021 — Florence. On Via dei Servi, a stone's throw from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the fourth restaurant brings Vialone Nano to the heart of the Renaissance.

2024 — Milan, Navigli. The latest opening, and perhaps the most ambitious. In just 23 days, a space in the Navigli district is transformed into a restaurant. An investment of almost €500,000, a team of 10 young people, and a forecast of more than 35,000 risottos served every year. Francesca Melotti explains: "The Milan Risotteria is the result of the passion and enthusiasm of our young and determined company team." Luca adds: "Seeing our rice travel straight from the countryside to the tables of the people of Milan is an unparalleled joy."

The wines on the list come exclusively from Veronese wineries — a choice consistent with a vision that celebrates the whole Verona area, not just its rice.

The educational farm and the agriturismo: rice to experience

Since 2005 the company has also been an Educational Farm, open to school groups and adult visitors. A guided tour combining videos and on-site visits tells the story of rice from cultivation to packaging, bringing new generations closer to an age-old craft.

For those who want to stay longer, there is La Perla del Riso Melotti, the agriturismo set among the rice fields. A place where the landscape changes with the seasons and time truly slows down.

The Melottis' project keeps growing without losing its way. Five restaurants around the world, a constantly evolving product range, a farm open to the public — but always the same rice, grown on the same land, processed by the same hands. As Gianmaria puts it: "Every step forward is a tribute to our land and our history."