Ristorante Vecchia Malcesine

"A refined dining experience in the charming village of Malcesine, perched just above Lake Garda with lovely views both over the lake and the picturesque castle framed by a tree-lined path that leads up to the restaurant. The service was truly attentive throughout the evening. The restaurant offers two tasting menus as well as à la carte options with the flexibility to build a two- or three-course meal and add dessert, which is what I opted for. The meal began with amuse-bouches: a tomato in trompe-l’œil style that was actually a fish tartare in jelly, and an artichoke-based bite. Both were visually intriguing and pleasant in taste, although they could have been pushed slightly further to truly awaken the palate. As a starter, I chose homemade tortellini with shrimp and snails, accompanied by pesto. The pasta was excellent — delicate and fresh — and the seafood well-prepared, though the shrimp might have benefitted from a slightly shorter cook for a more tender texture. The pesto had a nice flavor but was a touch oily for my taste. My main was catfish, served with a broccoli preparation, mushrooms, and a sauce. The fish itself was flavorful but just slightly overcooked, with a firmer texture than ideal. Still, the dish was satisfying and well-executed overall. Before dessert, a creative pre-dessert in trompe-l’œil style arrived — I recall mandarin among the flavors, and it was a nice and refreshing transition. For dessert, I selected the “apple” — another visual illusion — composed of various fruit elements. It wasn’t the most memorable in terms of flavor intensity, but it showcased great technical skill and was enjoyable. To finish, the restaurant offered a selection of biscuits accompanied by a sabayon — a warm, comforting and indulgent finale. All in all, this is a high-level restaurant with evident culinary craftsmanship. The price point may feel slightly elevated for the overall value, but the Michelin star is certainly justified. The chef briefly came to the dining room to greet guests, which was appreciated, even if the interaction was brief. One small area for improvement: the restrooms could use higher-end hand towels or cloths instead of simple paper, to better match the overall standard of the venue."

"Thanks for a wonderful dinner. The service is excellent as well as course is well thought. Chef de cuisine welcomes you personally. It's simply a pleasure."

"I recently had the pleasure of dining at a restaurant with a breathtaking view of Lake Garda. The food was locally inspired and perfectly paired with exquisite local wines. Highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area!"

"Absolutely amazing, nothing that could be improved. Setting beautiful, classic with eclectic accents, formal but relaxed, chef walking around and engaging with his guests the whole evening, knowledgeable and friendly staff, and then the food. We got the 10 course menu which was a little much, but wouldn’t have wanted to miss any course. There were an additional two appetizers and dessert as well. A real journey of different tastes, combinations and textures. Some surprising some more recognizable but all excellently prepared and beautifully presented. They were very flexible and adapted some dishes for my gluten-free intolerance, without making me feel difficult or having me miss out on anything. Highly highly recommend, great value for money and will definitely be returning! Grazie per una serrata perfetta!!!"

"Superb location, breathtaking view to Lago Di Garda. Creative fine dining, perfect service, friendly staff. This elegant place, a hidden gem of the area was perfectly matched with our expectation."

"I went their with my boyfriend for his birthday. The location was very nice on a little hill overlooking the lake. The service and food were just outstanding, we enjoyed everything we tried. The chef came to our table to greet us and even explained some of the dishes which was very cool and made our day. We highly recommend :)"

"Found this place in the Michelin guide and we had 2 different dinner sets. We had a table by the window with the late setting sun. The food was inventive, each dish had layers of flavors and textures, recommended wines were excellent. We loved it and will come back again. For a 1 Michelin star restaurant, the price for the set dinners were reasonable for the quality and service."