Osteria Rivelin — Restaurant in Peschiera del Garda

We came here based on TripAdvisor reviews, and the first impression was very good, with a beautiful location and friendly staff. The starters were truly delicious, and the Valpolicella wine was excellent.

However, things started to slip a little with the first course. My daughter asked if the pasta dish could be made without ricotta, but this was not possible because the truffle and cheese were combined in one sauce. Of course, we respect the chef’s choices, so we ordered the dish as it was. Still, in the 15 years I have been coming to Italy, it was the first time a chef did not want to prepare a simple pasta for one of my children — something as basic as pasta with olive oil and truffle. As my daughter eats a full four-course meal, she occupies a full place setting at the table. While the tagliatelle with duck sauce was excellent, her pasta was overwhelmed by ricotta and truffle, masking the flavor of the pasta itself.

Everyone else’s dishes, both first and main courses, were very good, with generous portions and overall a fair price-to-quality ratio. Unfortunately, what truly let the evening down was the second glass of wine. It contained a large amount of fine cork. When the waitress came to clear the plates, she asked what was wrong, but there was confusion as they initially thought I meant there was cork in the food. Another staff member came over, understood the problem, apologized, and offered a new glass. Even so, I noticed some disapproving looks from behind the counter, and when the replacement glass came, I was shocked to find it was likely poured from the same bottle and had not been checked. It also contained cork. I chose not to make a scene and set it aside.

Despite the fact that several staff members noticed this, no one addressed it further. At the end of the evening, when the presumed owner asked each table if they had enjoyed their meal, there was little conversation in my case. It was a missed opportunity. I was not angry, and as a family we had a pleasant evening overall, but the wine and the way it was handled were a real disappointment. The customer is not always right, but if someone says there is cork in the wine and it smells of cork, at the very least it should be checked, especially at €7 a glass, nearly €50 a bottle.

A beautiful location with good food, but the service fell short on this occasion. Next time, I...

Rivelin: we made a reservation for 9pm and were told directly that the reservation was for 9:30pm. This was simply not true, but was quickly clarified and the reserved table was then available. Next, there was a small greeting from the kitchen. 2 small sandwiches with meat. Since my partner and I eat vegetarian, we had to return this small dish. Given the restaurant's standards, it would be advisable to ask in advance whether meat should be brought or not. The greeting from the kitchen was then modified, consisting of 2 pieces of cheese and jam. It was very tasty. The waiter then told us about the restaurant's standards without being asked. Literally: „we are different. There is no ketchup here like in other restaurants“ and so on. Yes, that's why we went here, was my answer. We had pasta with truffle and tagliatelle con sugo di largo. Both were okay but not stunning. During the whole time the service didn't manage to bring oil, pepper and salt. They also didn't ask if everything was alright. All no problem - but as I said - they told us their own high standard claim without being asked. I found the service and the food to be average. Prices are okay. If you want to eat properly and be served quite good, I recommend the other l'osteria in the center...

Stumbled upon this osteria on our first night in Peschiera. It was quite late in the evening but they fit us in without a booking but I feel this may be a place that would normally need a reservation. It was really busy! The wait staff were friendly and informative about the menu. The osteria itself, named after the type of building it occupies (related to the city's fortifications), was really cosy and atmospheric. It was done out really well and felt inviting. We weren't super hungry so didn't go all out Italian and just opted for a first plate but couldn't resist a dessert. For the first plate I had Bigoli pasta with leeks and guanciale, and my partner had the tagliatelle with duck sauce. The pasta was very clearly freshly made and was perfectly cooked. Both dishes were delicious and full of flavour. I was a bit envious of the steak coming out of the kitchen though - they were huge, looked good and smelt even better! Maybe next time! For dessert, my partner had a Panna Cotta which was really refreshing and I opted for the Artemisia cake which was light and not overly sweet. Both desserts were home made and really finished the meal off well. I'd definitely go...