Il Giardino di Cannero - Ristorante con pizzeria — Restaurant in Cannero Riviera

We visited this charming Italian restaurant with a party of 12 and no booking—no small feat. To our delight, they managed to seat us promptly (although one setting was initially missing, and quickly remedied), setting the tone for what became one of the best meals we’ve had in Italy.

Ambience & Atmosphere The energy was instantly amplified by the live music—beautifully tuned and pleasantly integrated into the evening’s flow, it transformed dinner into a memorable experience.

Service The service was a mixed bag—but in an understandable, human way. Our waitress, though initially caught up in the bustle, took the time to attend to us more fully once the restaurant eased up. Communication was occasionally a challenge, but honestly? That’s on us—our imperfect Italian likely played a role. It felt fair-minded and respectful to recognize that, and not expect everyone to speak English.

Food & Value The food was worth every euro. Elevated, flavorful, and executed with care, it exceeded expectations—enough to justify its higher price point. Considering we spent about €350 for 12 people (including dessert for six children, with no kids’ menu offered), it felt like a hearty but delicious splurge, and the quality more than lived up to the cost.

Final Thoughts & Recommendation In balance, the positive aspects—live music, excellent cuisine, flexible seating despite a large group, and responsive service—far outweighed the minor hiccups. For anyone seeking an authentic and lively dining experience in Italy (especially in a moment when booking wasn’t an option), this place comes highly recommended. Just plan ahead, bring your Italian phrasebook (even if it’s a few key words), and soak in...

We went for dinner two times here now. Tonight we went with four persons for dinner as a walk-inn, same as previous time at around 19:30. Both of the times we were seated immediately! :) As for this evening, I really loved the food and atmosphere was great.. Accompanying with a little breeze of air. You can tell they paid a lot of attention to their dishes according to their e.g. the dish presentation and table lay-out. Went to many other restaurants in Cannero, but this one stands above most of them! This is definitely WORTH the visit! Price range is average. Pizza's are cheap as most other restaurants, but other dishes are more worth trying. The gnocchi as a starter with beet is the best gnocchi I've ever tasted. As a main a had the mixed fried seafood. Tried a few new things such as octopus and it was delicious.. Service is great, the staff enjoyed their work and therefore creating a positive guest experience. A point of improvement is to focus on empty glasses, it can be definitely a way to create more turnover. Both of our visits we had to ask for it ourselves when they served the dishes for example. Other than that we are happy to return someday! Thank you and would recommend a visit!!

Joost...

A remarkably excellent traditional yet sophisticated Italian cuisine in an informal comfortable garden setting. Excellent service with multilingual charming staff serving home made pasta and pizza, as well as a wide variety of creative dishes. I've eaten all over Northern Italy for the past 30 years and this family run restaurant is a little gem. The house red us awesome, seafood lasagna rabbit pork ... no really just go there. Call for reservation just in case because it does fill up after 8pm. This is what Italian cuisine is all about: excellent food, relaxed atmosphere (my dog was very welcome), and...