Ristorante Pizzeria Lido Sopri — Restaurant in Malcesine

We loved this restaurant when we visited a few times in 2022 and looked forward to returning this summer, 2024. We went twice this summer. The first time on Tuesday 13th August and the 2nd visit on Friday 16th August. On the Tuesday we had been pleased to recognise lots of the same members of staff from the 2022 visit.

On the Tuesday we had a good experience (the reason why we were excited to return) and the second time we went, on the Friday, we had a really poor experience.

On the Tuesday, the food was very good, the vibe in the restaurant was also good and the service welcoming too. The restaurant is in an excellent location with stonking views back to Malcesine and the beautiful lake.

However, on the 2nd visit we approached a waiter to inform our arrival which was 8:35pm for an 8:30pm booking. He cut us short as we told him who we were and said we were late because it was an 8:00pm booking. My mum did not match the waiter's rude tone but tried to explain she had asked for an 8:30pm booking on the phone. He told her abruptly cut her short again and told her she was wrong (verging on aggressively) and he said he had 'seen the booking written down so she was wrong'! I asked if there was still a possibility of a table, he walked off to a table, leaving us unclear - we decided to find out by going over the table he was standing by.

My mum is 75 and half Italian, fluent in the language. My father was 100% sure that she made an 8:30pm booking having listened to the phone call, he felt the person answering the call had been short of time / not really listening so had probably taken an 8:00 time instead - easy to do in a busy and popular restaurant - it is such a shame the waiter defaulted to rudeness, abrupt responses and certainly didn't apply basic, decent customer service.

When at the table, we felt unwelcome and considered leaving but it is easy one for one waiter to have a bad day and we hadn't encountered poor service before so we stayed on. A different waiter came to take our order. My sister whose family don't eat gluten, for health reasons, started to give an order. The waiter stopped her as she gave her pasta order. He spoke in an off manner, similar to the first waiter and said she couldn't order gluten free pasta with different sauces, we asked why. He said the chef said he/she can't make different sauces so the 3 family members had to choose 1 sauce for the 3 orders. We were keen to know why but the waiter became inpatient taking the order and demanded she choose different food or one sauce for the 3 pasta orders. It was hard to understand because the sauces did not contain gluten. We discussed if we should continue with the order, we felt our children were tired and hungry so made an order. As we questioned if we should continue after 2 instances of poor customer service, the waiter, again with little tact or skill said we could leave now.

Unconvinced, we continued with the order. The food arrived, some of it was fine, my risotto was undercooked and tasted bland. The gluten free pasta was undercooked (unlike the gluten free pasta on the Tuesday - when we were also allowed to choose whichever sauce), the undercooked pasta felt, possibly, like a point being made by the staff cooking it! We felt it necessary to mention this to the waiter and they reduced the final bill by 20%.

Overall the 2nd visit this summer was really disappointing and we had all really looked forward to returning. If the owners / management staff were asked what I'd expect to be different: it was the tone of voice and the manner of communicating by both waiters. Of course, if the chef feels he/she needs certain stipulations followed so they can deliver allergy safe food then they can be explained carefully and politely. And is it really worth rudely telling the customer they are wrong about a booking time? And being so certain a human error might not have been made at their end?! I mean, surely it's not too difficult to deal with this situation by applying more politeness and respectful...

Less than 1 star!! This was hands down one of the worst restaurants I have ever eaten in. DO NOT GO THERE!! My husband ordered the mixed grill, by the time it came it was dark, they had no lighting for tables or candles so we could see what we were eating. I used the torch on my phone half way though to look at my dinner and saw his pork was raw. We asked the waitress what meat it was to check. She took it and came back with a different meant altogether. Our friends fillet steak was so tough she could not cut through it with the steak knife. At the end I wanted to discuss the raw meat and we were shouted at by staff and were told if they cooked the pork (It was pork) any more it would be too chewy. I explained that pork can't be eater raw. I was told Italian meat is fine. Luckily my husband did not get ill however I would not risk it. When I asked to talk to the manager/owner I was told he had gone home, when intact he was sat there and didn't want...

After reading the other reviews listed here, I feel compelled to add my views.

We ate at this location the last two evenings. The location is outstanding - literally on the shoreline of Lago di Garda in a park-like setting. Quiet, extremely scenic and away from the hustle and bustle of "Centro" Malcesine.

We tried four different entrees in our experience there and there was no disappointment whatsoever. Yes, the pizza crust was overly thin, but it was certainly edible. In fact, given the number of other customers who also ordered, I would venture it is one of the most popular orders on the menu.

As to the "rude" waitresses, our experience was exactly the opposite. We were greeted with a friendly "buona sera" both evenings and the staff made sure to repeat that as we left.

I hope that others reading these reviews will balance the good with the bad and come to their own...