Are you looking for the best restaurant in Lugano for fine dining, fresh fish or the most deliciously cooked pizzas for dinner? then you’ve come to the right post. We have gathered up, from our own experience eating out in Lugano as well as from locals, the best restaurants in Lugano!
So whether you are looking for a place for good Italian pizza, for a juicy burger or for a freshly caught fish dish, read on to see our suggestions. Plus we’ll be adding new locations and restaurants when we discover them!
Lugano Restaurants
1. Spaghetti Pomodoro
For typical but deliciously wood-fired-oven cooked pizzas, then Spaghetti Pomodoro is the place to be. You can choose from many pizza choices, all cooked with the fresh dough and arriving at your table with the fluffiest crust.
If you want a suggestion, I can personally recommend my favourites diavola (spicy salami) pizza or prosciutto ham with mushrooms.
It’s a place that you’ll nearly always find a table at without having to reserve on a weekday, despite it being always delicious. But for peak weekend times, you may have to wait!
2. Lanchetta Lounge Bar & Pinsa
A great place just a little outside of the city centre, they don’t have a large menu but if you want a delicious pinsa’s with a cocktail, it’s the place to be.
Their outdoor seating is the perfect location, with view right next to the park area and lakeside. From the terrace you can easily see the Lugano boats before docking.
They often have live music here with a singer, so if you also enjoy that during dinner, consider checking when and reserving a table. It is very popular all year round so we do advise booking ahead regardless, especially for the terrace area.
3. Acqua e Farina
The Acqua e Farina restaurant provides unique pizza options, that even an Italian person would be impressed with.
The restaurant’s relaxed but cosy atmosphere is the perfect place for those travelling alone, with loved ones or families. It’s guaranteed a great night out with the pizzas on offer here, but make sure to be hungry for some starters or dessert too. They have their own house beers, which are also delicious.
If you want to visit, we recommend making a reservation regardless of what day it is. As the place is always crowded. Else you might be in for a long wait!
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4. Mary
For a meal out with all dinner choices, find a table (or reserve in advance) at Mary. Located on the lakeside of Lugano, its a lovely little spot with indoor and outdoor seating. Making it a great location for when you want to enjoy a late Summer’s evening with dinner.
Their menu is quite a list, such as 4 pages of pizzas, but don’t let that discourage you. With multiple visits, they’ve been nicely cooked every time. For something different, try the seafood risotto. The portion sizes are also decent in alignment with the Swiss prices too.
5. AnaCapri
Close to the central station of Lugano, this restaurant is perfect for a fresh meal with a view over the city. They have indoor and outdoor seating, with reservations required for busier periods.
It’s a little fancy so definitely a smart but casual dress code is best. The restaurant view towards the city and Monte Brè is quite special.
Regarding the food, you can pay a decent price for delicious choices. A personal favourite is the beef and side vegetables, cooked to perfection with seasonings.
6. Tango Riforma SA
Located right on the Piazza della Riforma, restaurant Tango is the ideal location for a bite to eat. They always seem to be busy, maybe firstly due to location, but likely secondly due to the variety of food choices.
Like many other places, they have indoor seating (which can be quite cosy in an evening) or outdoor seating for those warm Summer evenings.
The variety is Italian focused, with cuisine such as pastas, pizzas and seafood. A personal recommendation, take the Tango Burger – it was fresh, juicy and the perfect toppings combined with fries.
7. Osteria Trani
For a special night out, Osteria Trani is a great choice. They have creative, contemporary style Italian dishes served in a cosy restaurant setting. The highlight of the restaurant is the extensive wine menu.
It is definitely rather expensive compared to the rest of the restaurants on our list, but we think the price is well aligned with the dishes provided.
Our personal visit was with a 2 course meal, with a courgette soup for starter followed by grilled baby beef tenderloin with vegetables for myself while Dawid took turbot fillet with potatoes. We’d definitely return for these dishes again!
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8. Osteria Salotto Brè
One of our latest favourites located in the picturesque village of Brè, is the Osteria Salotto Brè. This small fine dining restaurant has a small but delicious menu, with a few dishes inspired by Argentinian specialities. Check their menu here!
They have a little outdoor garden and seating area for if it’s a warm summer’s evening, else indoor seating with pretty white clothed tables.
We both ate something different, entrecôte for myself and ravioli for Dawid, both great choices with a good combination of sauces and vegetables. We’re not one for deserts, but couldn’t resist the options and they were delicious. I had the sweet pancake and Dawid enjoyed the Coppa “Gaby” (Vanilla ice cream, coffee, Baileys, macerated fruit, cream and a drizzle of chocolate). So make sure to save some space for one of them!
A restaurant we will definitely return to!
Summary
We hope some of these recommendations inspire you to check them out yourselves. We really enjoyed these, hence highlighting them here!
We will continue to expand the list with more restaurants once we’ve tried them and feel they are worth adding. There are so many to choose from that you will definitely find your own ‘best restaurants in Lugano’ favourite during your stay!
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