Top Restaurants In Lugano, Switzerland

Lugano, located at the shores of Lake Lugano, has plenty to offer: stunning views, mountains and amazing food. With a fusion of Italian and Swiss cooking, traditional Ticinese cuisine and international flavors, there’s plenty in Lugano to enjoy. We list the 10 best places to start with. Buon appetito!

Arté al Lago

Part of the Villa Castagnola‘s five-star offerings, the Arté al Lago restaurant holds one Michelin star. The Head Chef, Frank Oerthle creates magnificent dishes that particularly focus on lake food and seafood. Try the sole brick with calamansi lemon, shellfish reduction with cumin and couscous with broccoli. The restaurant is directly connected to an art gallery, and is across the road from the hotel.
Piazza Emilio Bossi 7, Lugano, Switzerland, +41 91 973 48 00

Santabbondio

This lovely, cosy restaurant in Lugano is relatively new and brings the Mediterranean to your table. Santabbondio prides itself on tempering traditional recipes with innovative twists; try the standout pappardelle with porcini mushrooms. You can choose to dine in the beautiful, rustic villa or al fresco in their green terrace. The wine list is well-loved by frequent diners at the place and has an excellent collection of wines to sample.
Via Fomelino 10, Sorengo, Lugano, Switzerland, +41 91 993 23 88

Antica Osteria del Porto

As the name suggests, this is an old and highly atmospheric tavern by the Cassarate river and opposite the Parco Civico-Ciani. Dine al fresco overlooking the lake, while sampling dishes made with local ingredients such as fish, fresh from the lake. There are a variety of traditional Ticinese dishes that you can sample too, such as the polenta crostini with porcini. The wine list is comprehensive.
Via Foce 9, Lugano, Switzerland, +4191 971 42 00

Ristorante Al Portone

A cozy gourmet restaurant serving sublime Franco-Italian food, this little haunt in Lugano also has a special meat-free menu for vegetarians. The restaurant itself is small and intimate, with silver, lace, and traditionally quaint layouts. The chef, Francis Carré, takes great pride in his unusual and festive creations, and the dishes stand testament to this. The home-made agnolotti filled with ricotta cheese and black truffle is memorable.
Viale Cassarate 3, Lugano, Switzerland, +41 78 722 93 24

La Cucina di Alice

A cheerful, quirky restaurant by the waterfront, La Cucina di Alice does trendy and casual with remarkable effortlessness. The dishes are contemporary and unique, such as the Matcha green tea tagliatelle pasta served with cream of yellow tomato and tofu. Needless to say, there’s something for everyone, and vegetarians are sure to find the restaurant a refreshing and fun change for the palate.
Riva Vela 4, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland, +41 91 922 01 03

About the author

Pratyusha Prakash

Pat, as she is otherwise known, is currently studying for an MA Honours in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. Her passions include poetry, travelling, wit, and cooking. She has a perfectionist’s attitude to coursework and essay-writing and wants to write hers as artistically and exquisitely as possible. She is always open to learning more about new ideas, opinions, cultures and lifestyles. She would like to continue studying literature for a few more years and eventually branch out into academia and/or researching and presenting documentaries, as both allow her to share the things she’s learnt with the world.