Ristorante Fratelli Rosso dal 1981 — Restaurant in Baveno

I strongly advise against visiting this restaurant. The staff treated us in an inhumane way. We were waiting in line to get in, and when it was finally our turn, we were told there was no chance of getting a table today — fine, that happens. However, I asked if my mother could use the restroom. She had been holding it for a long time while waiting in line and was at a critical moment. The waitress firmly refused and denied us any help. I pleaded and even offered to pay to use the restroom, but the waitress very rudely and in a raised voice said that it wasn’t an option — the restroom is for customers only. My pleas were of no use. The waitress pointed out that there was a public restroom a few minutes away, but my mom simply couldn’t hold it for that long. Fortunately, the staff from the neighboring restaurant helped us out. Such treatment from the staff is simply inhumane and should not be tolerated in a restaurant with such a long-standing tradition. I strongly discourage visiting, and I suggest the waitress learn some manners and show a more human side.

Update: After reading the owner’s response, it’s clear that he’s rude, so I shouldn’t have expected the service to be friendly. Additionally, the owner heavily distorts the facts to his advantage, and after reading other critical reviews, I can see that he has an almost childish problem with handling criticism – I feel sorry for him. Firstly, not everyone in the line ahead of me was turned away. Secondly, not every foreign tourist understands your language and is able to comprehend your messages. It was simply about human kindness and assistance. After such a response from the owner, I don’t even need to discourage others from visiting – he’s doing a great job of...

This is my reply to the response by the restaurant. For some reason I cannot respond to them (perhaps they have it off) so here it is.

The lake fish ragu (not pictured) was extremely salty almost inedible and we didn't finish it despite trying too hard not to offend the chef. The pasta was fresh and cooked ok but the dish was badly seasoned. The gnocchi, which you see pictured below were cooked well but the sauce was difficult to eat because it just didn't taste well (mushroom and tomatoes, a combination I was already sceptical of but decide to try nevertheless). I can keep going but I didn't want to damage the reputation of the restaurant, just wanted to be honest. As I said, the three stars are for the service and for the wines. The food is utterly disappointing (at least the plates we ate, no idea about the steak, rest of the menu). Baveno isn't exactly a culinary capital so I thought something like that would be a "safe choice" alas it was not.

We had high expectations given the rating but if I have to be honest the food was underwhelming. The staff was polite and professional, the wine was good too. Perhaps we were unlucky with...

We had a wonderful dining experience at Ristorante Fratelli Rosso dal 1981 in Baveno. The dishes we ordered were beautifully presented and full of flavor and personality.

The staff were friendly and attentive, and took the time to explain the dishes — especially helpful with the fregola served in a Parmesan basket, which comes at room temperature. Once we understood that, we could fully appreciate how delicious and well-balanced it was.

Everything we tried was excellent: the carpione trio, potato quiche with smoked provola and speck crumble, gnocchi with rabbit ragù, perch fillets with butter and sage, and the Mamma Rosso meatballs with Puccia bread. All dishes were prepared with care, and each one was a hit.

We ended the meal with a delicate and delicious panna cotta — a perfect finish. As a lovely gesture, we were also offered limoncello at the end, which was a delightful touch.

The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, but the restaurant isn’t very large, so we definitely recommend making a reservation in advance — the number of tables is limited.

All in all, a fantastic experience. Highly...