Where to go for some of the best fine dining on Lake Garda’s southwest shore near Salò:

I can say about myself that I have dined at all the Michelin (starred) restaurants in Gardone Riviera on Lake Garda. There are four of them in total, and one of them is very popular. It is so sought-after that it is difficult to secure a table here. Before coming to this well-liked place, first to the “hotel restaurant” at Grand Hotel Fasano. This is the luxury lodging where my husband and I stayed recently on our 14-day trip through north Italy and west Switzerland (hotel post/itinerary post). The end will make another hotel restaurant on the lake plus an osteria in Gardone Riviera’s uphill historic center.

There is a lot to say about any of these four upscale dining spots in Gardone Riviera. Notwithstanding that, I will try to focus on conveying their most important aspects. Seen across all these Michelin restaurants, each of them provided good food, friendly service and a pleasant ambiance. Yet, there were of course considerable differences between them too.

1. Restaurant Il Fagiano (at Grand Hotel Fasano), one Michelin star

About

Il Fagiano Restaurant, Grand Hotel Fasano’s flagship dining spot, has been helmed by Maurizio Bufi since 2022. The chef, originally from southern Italy, moved here from another hotel in the area, Villa Giulia. This is also the place where he gained a Michelin star. Before, he had worked at another local lodging, the Lefay Resort & Spa. Earlier, Maurizio Bufi spent also some time in Switzerland, in the renown Badrutt’s Palace in Saint Moritz.

What to expect at Il Fagiano?

In terms of setting, there is an elegant dining room and a pleasing terrace with lake view.

As to Maurizio Buffi’s cuisine, it is creative and he knows how to play with textures and flavors so that a sublime culinary experience results.

On our evening at Il Fagiano, three tasting menus with six to seven courses at 110 to 130 € were on offer. All the dishes being part of these multi-course menus were also available à la carte. With the latter, starters costed 30 €, the first courses (pasta and risotto) 30 €, the mains 40 € and the desserts 20 €. We went for the tasting menu Essenza, with six courses.

How was it?

My husband and I were lucky enough to having been able to dine on the lovely terrace. The setting exuded casual elegance, and we felt well at ease here. Service was faultless throughout the evening, and the dinner was paced just right.

Food wise, we went for one of the tasting menus, Essenza with six courses. Everything we had was great, be it the first dish around the tomato, the pasta course (rabbit ravioli) or the main, red mullet, arranged by the chef himself at our table. The meal was inventive, balanced and varied. And a plus was that it also reasonably priced. And since November 2023, Il Fagiano has also held a Michelin star!

2. Restaurant Lido 84, one Michelin star & No 7 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

About

This is an unbelievably popular restaurant, you have to make your reservation at precisely the first possible point of time stated on their website (two to three months before). This because it is “sold out” in three minutes on weekends or five minutes on weekdays. When I did our booking, I was one day late and ended up on the waiting list. Luckily, we were informed three weeks before the desired date that we made it into the place!

The Camanini brothers – Riccardo the chef, Giancarlo working front of house – opened the dining spot in 2014. Before, Riccardo Camanini had overseen the kitchen at Hotel Villa Fiordaliso – see below – for 15 long years. Six months after opening Lido 84, the restaurant got a Michelin star and in 2021, it debuted The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list at No 15 (now No 7).

What do expect at Lido 84?

First of all, Lido 84’s setting is breathtaking. It is in a nice country house surrounded by a superb garden and this right on Lake Garda’s shore. Apart from the eclectic interiors,

there is a lovely outdoor area where you can have your meal only steps from the lake.

You are in here for exquisite Italian food which is a bit different from the one you usually get. The chef is strong at experimenting in the kitchen, combining old recipes with state-of-the-art techniques. His signature dish is Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe en Vessie, this is pasta with Pecorino cheese and pepper prepared in a pig’s bladder. The finish takes place tableside, which is quite a sight, and a delicious affair indeed!

Furthermore, he has a knack for art on the plate. There were two such dishes with semi-permanent status on the menu, spaghetti with yeast crumble (exposed at San Francisco MoMA) and risotto with black garlic and berries (dedicated to a local artist).

On our dinner, we had the choice of two menus – Menu Fluctuations with seven or nine courses at 130 or 150 € respectively Menu 4 e ½ with five courses at 140 €. You could add the mentioned pig bladder pasta for 20 € to both menus. The same is true for the two art pasta dishes, described above (only Menu Fluctuations). Furthermore, there is an à la carte option. Starters are available from 40 to 50 €, pasta at 40 €, fish at 50 or 60 €, neither meat nor fish (400°C Eggplant) at 50 € and meat at 50 €. Then there is the Grande Carte Des Desserts from 15 to 25 €. And the latter was by far the most comprehensive section!

How was it?

Lido 84 is the restaurant I liked most here in Gardone Riviera because of its breathtaking setting by the lake. It used to be a lido – hence the name – , a beach club for vacationeers. And we were lucky to be seated outside, which was very enjoyable.

After we had studied the menu, Giancarlo Camanini, the restaurant manager, inquired whether we were here for the the first time, which we answered with yes. Consequently, he recommended that we should include the two mentioned “art dishes”, and this in addition to the pig bladder pasta we had already ordered with the Menu Fluctuations. And so we had three pasta/risotto dishes, which I found a bit too numerous. Furthermore, we had two seafood courses to start the meal plus sweetbread (Giancarlo Camanini had asked whether this would be okay) and a Bavette steak. The end made two different desserts to share.

While everything was immaculate prepared, utterly delicious and wonderfully arranged (especially the risotto), the menu felt not that balanced to me. For me the share of starchy food (three dishes) was too high. And we got no vegetables at all, throughout the evening! Except if you count in the mashed potatoes (half potato/half butter), which I would not do. Furthermore, it was quite “heavy stuff” we got, not only the starchy food and the mashed potatoes. The oyster (one of the starters) was gratinated and the Torta di Rose, yeast-based pastry with lemon zabaione (one of the desserts), is no light fare either.

Overall Restaurant Lido 84 Gardone di Riviera

You could notice from my description of the food that the experience at Lido 84 was not necessarily the one I expected (modernist, new taste cooking). For me, it was comfort food on a high level, no less, but not more, either. I have already mentioned the dreamlike setting, which is hard to beat.

As to the service, it was good but not outstanding. Often, chefs served their dishes themselves with explications, which was nice. However, the staff who cleared the tables was not that knowledgeable. And the sommelier was somewhat offended when my husband said that the 2019 Barolo won with its longer opening, although he had asked for a feedback about the wines before (we had the wine pairing).

While I found the individual dishes exquisite, I could not understand how they could propose such a misbalanced menu to us. Three out of seven courses consisted of starchy food, and there were no vegetables whatsoever. In my view, they should know better. But probably there will be no second shot for us here as I cannot imagine going through the hassle of the reservation process at Lido 84 once again.

3. Restaurant at Hotel Villa Fiordaliso, Michelin listed

About

This is the restaurant where the chef at Lido 84, Riccardo Camanini, worked before. And it is still a good address for foodies, although the actual chef here, Dino Colantuono, cannot totally keep up with his predecessor’s performance. You are here – once again – in a historic house, built at the end of the 19th century. This time it is an Art Nouveau villa, which is now a hotel, with five rooms only.

What to expect at Villa Fiordaliso?

The setting is beautiful, directly overlooking Lake Garda’s tranquil waters. There is an outdoor setting – under a tent-like structure, which is not so nice to look at. There must also be an indoor dining room, yet I could not make it out when I ventured inside for the ladies’s room.

With regard to culinary offerings, there is a six-course tasting offer at 130 €. In case you wish to dine à la carte, no problem, it is possible too. Starters amounted from 30 to 50 € (the latter with foie gras), first courses (pasta/risotto) from 25 to 45 € (the latter with lobster), mains from to 45 to 55 € and desserts from 15 to 20 €. While I found the tasting menu adequately priced, I considered the à la carte options as a bit over the top.

How was it?

While I found the setting wonderful – it is the former residence of Mussolini’s mistress – ,

I did not like the tent-like structure above and around me in the outdoor area. But I imagine it comes handy in case the weather is “borderline like”. Otherwise, the ambiance was pleasant with a maître d’ – Or even the hotel director? – being  a warm host ensuring each client felt looked after. When he heard that we wanted the tasting menu (130 €), he recommended having the wine pairing too, which we had – and liked.

When it comes to food, I liked the starters (beef carpaccio and mozzarella three ways) and the starchy dishes (risotto with shrimps and cheese ravioli) best. The fish dish (grouper) was good and the dessert was not more than solid. It was the same we had at Lido 84 (Torta di Rose). This time, the pastry was good, however the zabaione was much too sweet for my liking. And the second dessert, Fior di Latte ice cream, was not exceptional.

Overall, you get well made classic Italian food with a twist at Villa Fiordaliso. Some dishes were original (mozzarella three ways), others were rather normal (fish). While the food experience was not on the cutting edge of fine dining, it was a perfectly satisfying meal.

4. Restaurant Osteria Antico Brolo, Michelin listed

About

This is the only dining spot we visited that was not on the lake, and you have no water views either. However, its setting is highly presentable too. Osteria Antico Brolo is located in Gardone Sopra. This is where the actual historic town center is situated. And it convinces with colorful houses, densely vegetated balconies and lovely squares.

Antico Brolo is helmed by Enrico and Marcello, two friends and associates, the latter since 2010. This was when the Osteria opened in a historic house from the 1700s in the old town. And for a few years now, there have been some guest rooms on site too.

What to expect at Osteria Antico Brolo?

The location amidst the historic old town of Gardone Riviera is nice, especially so the courtyard.

As to its interiors, there are three small dining rooms of a rather modest appearance – it is probably not much different in here compared to its origins in the 17th century. A highlight is the tiny balcony where only two guests can have a seat. The ambiance here is rustic and relaxed.

When it comes to food, you get regional cuisine with seasonal quality ingredients at Osteria Antico Brolo. There is a focus on fish yet meat dishes are also available. And the offerings are surprisingly affordable. On our visit, there were two tasting menu, All Truffle (four courses for 65 €) and Freshwater (four courses for 46 €). A la carte is available too, starters from 18 to 21 €, first courses (especially pasta & gnocchi) from 16 to 23 €, mains from 23 to 26 € and desserts for 9 €.

How was it?

This laid-back restaurant is a good addition to the other three by the lake, which are all more on the elegant side. While Enrico worked the front of the house, I suppose Marcello was in the kitchen. Service was friendly, efficient and down-to-earth. We felt well at ease here. As to to food, we opted for the Freshwater tasting menu. The feast started with citrus marinated trout and continued with pasta paired with char. The main was pike with polenta, and the end made a lemon sorbet accompanied by a fruit salad.

Everything we had was well prepared and tasty. As to food presentation, there was rather a no frills approach. And the portions were generous, especially the pasta dish. When it comes to pricing, you get here very good value.

Overall Michelin Restaurants in Gardone Riviera

While the “hotel restaurants” (Il Fagiano at Grand Hotel Fasano and Restaurant at Villa Fiordaliso) provide an elegant white tablecloths setting, the two other offer a more casual fine dining experience. As to the former two, Il Fagiano is more on the creative side, Villa Fiordaliso on the classic one. Out of the latter two, Lido 84, is the more upscale one, with Italian cuisine that is partly experimental yet always delicious. Whereas the individual dishes were convincing, I did not like how the menu (that was proposed to us) was put together (too much starchy food and no vegetables). As to Osteria Antico Brolo, it is the most down-to-earth eatery of all the Michelin restaurants in Gardone Riviera with regional and seasonal food.

Looking back and forward

This is the last post to the Italian part of a 14-day journey through north Italy and west Switzerland. It started in South Tyrol (Merano and Bolzano area) and continued to Lake Garda – the last post was about a luxury hotel here, Grand Hotel Fasano, the current one about all the four Michelin restaurants in Gardone Riviera.

The final blogpost of this mini-series covers the two only Michelin starred restaurant in Montreux, the lovely town on Lake Geneva. This place boasts – as Gardone Riviera – a Mediterranean-like climate, which lets grow plants that you usually not encounter in these latitudes.

Date of visits: September 2023

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