Lugano
This Michelin-starred restaurant at the exclusive lakefront Villa Castagnola is Lugano’s culinary star. Chef Frank Oerthle does remarkable things with…
Must-see restaurants in Ticino
Ticino
Super-chic Ecco flaunts two Michelin stars and dining here is an event. Chef Rolf Fliegauf runs the stove and works wonders with carefully selected…
Lugano
One for special occasions, Metamorphosis is housed in Lugano's futuristic Palazzo Mantegazza, right by the lakeshore. Chef Luca Bellanca walks the…
Ticino
Slip up a cobblestone side street to find this cracking little trattoria, brimming with warmth and bonhomie. The brick-vaulted interior is inviting for…
Lago di Lugano
The plushest restaurant in town, Da Candida has been awarded a Michelin star for its refined ambience and menu playing up French-Italian flavours. The…
Ristorante le Bucce di Gandria
Lago di Lugano
Climb the steps of Gandria's old town and you'll be rewarded with gorgeous lake views from this hillside restaurant. The menu keeps things regional and…
Locarno
Hidden up a flight of steps, Osteria Chiara has all the cosy feel of a grotto (rustic Ticino-style inn or restaurant). Sit at granite tables beneath the…
Lugano
Huddled down a backstreet near Piazza della Riforma, this convivial, rustic restaurant rolls out extremely tasty Ticinese home cooking. You might begin,…
Locarno
Elegant rusticity sums up this smart restaurant, with its beamed ceiling, crisp white tablecloths and open fire, as well as a smattering of pavement…
Locarno
Down by the lake, this is a top culinary address, turning out creative fusion dishes like pigeon served two ways with green curry and lime, and panna…
Lugano
Bold artworks grace this contemporary gourmet haunt, while Francis plies you with such season-infused taste sensations as scallops and caviar on a bed of…
Ticino
Seasonality is the name of the game at this Michelin-starred temple to good food, housed in a slickly converted palazzo in the old town. Creations such as…
Ticino
Spilling onto a flower-strewn garden in summer and with a log fire blazing in winter, this grotto (rustic Ticino-style inn or restaurant) is an…
Lugano
Follow the cobbled steps down from Via Cattedrale to this enticing little osteria. The candlelit, brick-vaulted interior is a wonderfully intimate setting…
Ticino
Luca Braghelli takes pride in local sourcing and makes the most of whatever is in season at this smart, intimate osteria. Be it homemade pasta or autumn…
Lugano
Doing pretty much what it says on the tin, this cute little place near Cattedrale di San Lorenzo has a pocket-size terrace for digging into fresh home…
Lugano
Favoured by Lugano's downtown banking brigade, this place has a season-driven menu, with ever-changing lunch and dinner options scrawled on the blackboard…
Lugano
With an atmosphere that's both refined and relaxed and attentive service, this sweet little restaurant opposite Lugano's lakefront serves up classic…
Lago di Lugano
Bearing Mario Botta's distinctive hallmark, the 'Flower of Stone' is a striking new addition to Monte Generoso. It houses a restaurant where chef Luca…
Grottino Ticinese di Bellinzona
Ticino
It's worth going the extra mile to experience convivial Ticinese-style dining in a grotto. This one is the real deal, with a tree-shaded terrace, warm…
Ticino
Sizzling and stirring since 1685, this restaurant stays true to the best of Ticinese traditions, with a rustic, vaulted interior and a large terrace for…
Locarno
One for oenophiles, this bottle-lined wine bar and bistro has a convivial vibe and simple but spot-on dishes such as asparagus salad with parmesan, steak…
Ticino
Taking pride in local sourcing and keeping things as seasonal as possible, this buzzy bistro is a good option close to the train station. Besides pizza,…
Ticino
With a cracking view of Foroglio's wispy falls from its terrace, this osteria is simply lovely. Sit at one of five timber tables by the fireside for…
Lago di Lugano
Housed in a restored, stone-vaulted 17th-century palazzo, Atenaeo del Vino matches seasonal fare (think asparagus, mushrooms, seafood, game) with top…
Lago di Lugano
A rustic, beamed dining room with an invitingly old-fashioned air sets the scene at this restaurant, with a lovely terrace right by the lake. Service is…
Ticino
Fresh produce from Alpine cheeses to fresh bread, salumi and fruit is sold at the Saturday morning market in the lanes of the historic centre on and…
Ticino
If you're craving the rustic warmth and simplicity of a Ticinese grotto, this is your place. There's an attractive garden for summer day dining and a menu…
Lugano
In the best of grotto traditions, this cheery place up on a hill has a huge terrace shaded by trees and chipper staff. Go for the house specialities like…
Ticino
Giardino attracts a faithful local following for its pizza – thin, crisp and delicious. The house special B'zona comes with parmesan, cured meat, tomatoes…
Ticino
At off-the-beaten-track Grotto Val d’Ambra in Personico, try brasato (beef braised in red wine) with home-produced wine in the chestnut-shaded garden…
Ticino
From the terrace you can look out to a waterfall darting over a wooded cliff face at this delightful little grotto. The polenta and costine (spare ribs)…
Ticino
It’s not often you get the chance to eat inside a Unesco World Heritage Site. The medieval castle setting alone is enough to bewitch. Seasonal…
Ticino
For the best view of Bellinzona’s illuminated castles, book a table on the vine-strewn terrace of this atmospheric vaulted cellar for dishes such as…
Lugano
Set back from Lugano’s sailing club, this is the place for local fish and Ticinese dishes like polenta crostini with porcini. The terrace overlooking the…
Locarno
This classy, light-filled cafe is right at home in Locarno's old town with some outdoor tables on the lane, free wi-fi and a small but light menu that…
Lugano
Up the steps on Via Cattedrale, this hole-in-the-wall gelateria is a great place to grab a cone, with flavours ranging from classic strawberry to chilli…
Lugano
With a prime people-watching terrace on Piazza della Riforma, Vanini is a firm favourite among locals for its quality gelato. Grab a cone to go or take a…
Locarno
Even locals rave about the crisp, flavoursome takeaway pizza at this hole-in-the-wall snack spot. Delizioso!
