6 GaultMillau restaurants in Lugano

"Arté al Lago": pure romance

During a dinner at "Arté al Lago" you can look out directly over Lake Lugano. Seasonal menus with Mediterranean influences are served. The interior is also sensitively staged, so that nothing stands in the way of a very special evening for two in this fine restaurant in Lugano.  

The "Arté al Lago" is one of three restaurants at the Grand Hotel "Villa Castagnola" and, according to the GaultMillau restaurant guide, the best: 16 points stand for excellent cuisine with a high level of skill and ingenuity. From the soups to the sauces to the wine list, everything is just right. 

"The View": fine dining with a view of Lake Lugano

In the high-altitude gourmet restaurant "The View" in the boutique hotel of the same name, you have a wonderful panoramic view of Lake Lugano from the terrace. In the kitchen, head chef Diego Della Schiava knows how to transform seasonal delicacies from Switzerland and the Mediterranean region into dishes with perfect flavors.

The Michelin star and the 16 points in GaultMillau were earned by the artist at the stove with the delicious scallop tartare with sesame oil, nasturtium and porcini mushroom pâté or with a zander served as ceviche with lime sorbet, apple and nasturtium. 

"I Due Sud": the seductive cuisine of the south

The chef at "I Due Sud", Marco Veneruso, comes from southern Italy - and you can tell immediately from the small but fine gourmet restaurant on the shores of Lake Lugano. Once you try the pasta, you'll know why you didn't cook this supposedly simple dish in your own kitchen.

The chef's cuisine was awarded a Michelin star for his linguine with scampi and anchovy sauce during his time in Beijing. The top restaurant in Lugano, which is located in the "Hotel Splendide Royal", achieved 16 points in GaultMillau.

Reasons include the Wagyu cuts, skewered on a sprig of rosemary and served fresh from the grill. Influences from Asia and Peru (char ceviche) run through the entire menu. You can choose between three different menus or order à la carte. 

"Badalucci": the best from the sea

If you like really good fish, seafood and shellfish, you should visit the "Badalucci" in Lugano. The 16 points awarded by GaultMillau are the result of scampi with peach and marshmallow or polpo in three variations: grilled, as a praline and ice cream, freshly prepared from the Milan market.

Some meat specialties and vegetarian dishes round off the selection. While you eat at "Badalucci", you sit at the center of the action, in elegant lighting. The white, rough walls are decorated with works of art. This historic restaurant in Lugano with Italian roots appeals to all the senses. 

"La Luce": Haute cuisine at the "Villa Principe Leopoldo"

The "Villa Principe Leopoldo", a Relais and Chauteux with a gourmet restaurant called "La Luce", is located just outside the town, but in a very beautiful setting. From the veranda you can look out over the lake and the mountains - and of course the magic on your plate.

The restaurant's 16 GaultMillau points in Lugano stand for exceptional cuisine with fish and meat dishes made from local and Mediterranean products. Some bestsellers, such as the branzino fresh from the waters of Brittany, which is cut from the salt crust directly at the table, are always on the menu.

The wine list scores with selected and exquisite items. These include the Vino Villa Principe Leopoldo, a limited production of just 1,300 bottles and 100 magnums per year. It is based on Merlot with an annually changing proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, directly from the surrounding vineyards.