Grotto Castagneto — Restaurant in Lugano

This was one of the most special meals my husband and I ever had. Stop here no matter what.

We arrived at 515 pm and were greeted by a warm “hallo” called from an upper window in the grotto despite our very early dinner arrival time. The other reviews described it exactly- the atmosphere is like being invited into their home, which it is! Truthfully, I’m an introvert and the thought of being invited into someone’s home for dinner sounds…overwhelming. Let me share with you that I was so, so wrong. Roberto has a way with people that puts you at ease and it made us feel like we never wanted the evening to end. He shared the lovely history of the grotto, and all about the food to us. We dined inside due to the weather in a cozy (but not cramped) dining room with great art and decoration.

The atmosphere was incredible especially because it was the garnish 😉 to the best food I’ve had. We started with a fresh cheese plate with homemade yellow pepper jam, had Ticino lasagne and wild garlic pesto gnocchi followed by pork cheeks with polenta. Roberto recommended a local red wine from Ticino that made the food shine. For dessert we had chestnut cake and I think Roberto could tell I was torn about choosing and brought us a slice of the chocolate salami anyway (after convincing me it was going to be real salami 😂).

For transportation we had planned to hike up from Lugano but the rain had other plans- it was a very easy bus ride there and back, very close to the bus stop. Thank you, Roberto and Cristina for sharing your little spot of...

This is a charming, family run Grotto in proximity of Monte Brè.

Each time I stay in Lugano, I trek up by public transport to once again experience this wonderful location. The food is made onsite by the family - your taste buds will experience delicious, authentic Italian and Ticinese cuisine: Formaggino ticinese, ricotta gnocchi, osso bucco and polenta, and the salads are so fresh. Homemade ice-cream is also available in the summer.

This is a location that is appreciated by locals and the avid traveller that enjoys warm hospitality and flavorsome local food.

When you arrive at the main bus stop, in front of the church, you need to walk 5 mins downhill to find this hidden gem. There is a small car park right next to it too. The Grotto is protected by the chestnut trees, which provides welcome shade and also allows the sun to pierce through.

The hosts greet each guest warmly and ensure that all generations who are enjoying the meal have a wonderful experience. The owner speaks Italian, French and English. The restaurant and facilities are impeccably clean.

After your meal, take a walk through the beautiful town of Brè, and you can catch a beautiful glimpse of Lake Lugano. You can walk up to Monte Brè in 25-30 mins, where you can have a fabulous view of Lake Lugano. From here you can also take the steep Funicolare Monte Brè back down to Lugano.

Definitely include this Grotto to your...

Overall 10/10 would recommend! Really lovely place. We had what we felt was a very authentic and welcoming experience.

First, the food was outstanding. I had what One may call a religious experience with the ravioli. There were multiple flavors to choose from. I had one that had what I think was sweet potato/sage/butter. It was heavenly. My husband had an excellent beef dish with risotto. Great portion size for a hungry man. I am sorry I don’t have a picture! We were just so in the moment and happy with how delicious the food was that I forgot. We also had the the tiramisu for dessert. my lord the creamy mascarpone with coffee was the perfect combo. Finished by having my first limoncello. Then, to top that off we got some croissants to go as parting gift from the owner. So so sweet ! We couldn’t eat them that day we had them the next day and they were so fresh and yummy even a day later!

Thank you so much for such a wonderful experience.

A few notes:

New owners took over this place about a year ago so if you are reading older reviews, keep this in mind

We took the Mont Bré funicular up then walked over, ate, took the bus down. If we had to do it again we would take the bus up, eat then hike over to the funicular. This is because there was quite a wait by the time we got to the funicular station (around 12). The bré paese stop is so close to...