1. Locanda

93/100 (2025)

Dinner at Ristorante Lido 84 felt less like a meal and more like being pulled into the chef’s imagination. The tasting menus (€140–€160) are the only way to go here, and they’re full of unexpected contrasts: one moment you’re twirling rigatoni cooked inside a bladder at the table, the next you’re tasting a simple spaghettone with butter and brewer’s yeast that somehow hits harder than dishes with ten ingredients. It’s daring, theatrical, and at times challenging, but the kind of food that sticks with you long after you leave the terrace overlooking Lake Garda.

And they’re full of unexpected contrasts: one moment you’re twirling rigatoni cooked inside a bladder at the table, the next you’re tasting a simple spaghettone with butter and brewer’s yeast that somehow hits harder than dishes with ten ingredients. It’s daring, theatrical, and at times challenging, but the kind of food that sticks with you long after you leave the terrace overlooking Lake Garda.

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Pros & Cons

Pros

• Unforgettable signature dishes (the bladder-cooked rigatoni really is worth it)
• Location right on the lake, especially magical at sunset
• Wine pairings feel carefully chosen, not generic
• Service is warm but still gives space to enjoy the show
• A sense of story from start to finish

Cons

• No à la carte — you have to commit to the tasting menu
• Some flavors (like the bavette with blood and nebbiolo skins) are intense and not for everyone
• It’s a splurge, and add-ons quickly raise the bill
• Not the best fit for picky eaters or anyone with strict dietary needs

Read our full La’ Padano review.

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2.  La Speranzina