Best Places to Eat on Lake Garda

10 Best Places to Eat on Lake Garda

We will try in this article to advice you Best Places to Eat on Lake Garda.

The cuisine of Lake Garda highlights the high quality local ingredients of the area through fresh lake fish, produce, olive oil, cheeses and salumi, and signature dishes.

The Garda area has a very varied cuisine, as it brings together the culinary traditions of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino. The main ingredients can only be those offered by mother nature and include freshwater fish, olive oil and excellent wines.

In this article, you will find a list of typical dishes of Lake Garda, the most beloved dishes that you must try during your stay in this unique place.

Iconic and Representative Foods of the Lake Garda

Here are some of the most iconic and representative foods of the Lake Garda area:

– Freshwater fish – Fish like trout, perch, pike, and carp are caught right from Lake Garda and served grilled, baked, or in soups and risottos. Trout and char are especially popular.

– Olive oil – Olive groves dot the hillsides around the lake, producing high quality extra virgin olive oil used for cooking and drizzling. Garda DOP olive oil is a protected designation.

– Lemons – The town of Limone sul Garda is famous for its lemons that thrive in the microclimate. Lemons flavor sweets, liqueurs, and seafood.

– Polenta – Polenta made from locally grown cornmeal is a staple. It’s cooked soft or grilled into slices and topped with stews or cheese.

– Risotto – Many varieties of risotto are made featuring local ingredients like fish, cheese, radicchio, or asparagus.

– Pasta – Fresh pasta handmade with local eggs is common. Casoncelli are stuffed pasta from Brescia. Bigoli is a pasta often served in duck sauce.

– Salami – Salami and cured meats are produced using traditional techniques. Salame Garda is a protected DOP product.

– Cheese – The region produces signature cheeses like Grana Padano DOP, Pecorino, and Casolet, a medium-hard cow’s milk cheese.

– Wine – Bardolino and Lugana DOP wines come from vineyards surrounding the lake.

Grilled Coregone Lavarello

One of the dishes that best represents the cuisine of this area: coregone lavarello, a fish easily found in Garda, is first dipped in oil, flavored and then grilled, served with an excellent local wine, Chiaretto. The whitefish is grilled simply with olive oil, herbs, and lemon to highlight its delicate sweet flavor.

Sardines Grilled alla Gardesana

Sardines, with their inimitable flavor, are the ideal type of fish for a grill with a strong character. These are first breaded, dipped in oil and grilled, to be served with garlic and chopped parsley. The small fish are flavorful and eye-catching when cooked over a hot grill.

Pike in Sauce

Pike in sauce is a typical dish of Garda and Mantua cuisine based on fish. It is made by boiling pike with bay leaves, onion, garlic, oil and vinegar, which is then covered with a sauce with capers, anchovies and parsley. It is often served with slices of toasted polenta. The freshwater pike makes a flavorful fish stew.

Risotto with Tench

Tench is a fish from Garda waters, whose meat lends itself very well to making sauces. In fact, the sauce is first prepared with tench, sautéed, a little tomato sauce and cinnamon. Subsequently, it is combined with rice, which is cooked with broth to become risotto. The mild tench creates a beautifully creamy risotto.

Perch Fillets with Butter and Sage

Perch is one of the most appreciated species of Garda, as it can be used in the kitchen in various ways. Among the most delicious, there is the recipe with butter and sage, which manages to combine ingredients typical of fish-based dishes with those of the mountains. The perch is breaded and then cooked in a pan with butter and sage and left there to absorb the flavors.

It is often served with boiled potatoes and Chiaretto, the typical Garda wine.

Strangolapreti

Strangolapreti are a type of pasta that comes from the Trentino tradition. The recipe consists of gnocchi with boiled spinach, grated cheese and eggs. In some areas they are served with butter and sage. These hearty spinach and ricotta dumplings are a regional specialty.

Carpione with Grilled Polenta

Carpione is a type of fish from Lake Garda that is highly sought after, as its meat is very delicious and has a high nutritional value. It is therefore the most prized species of freshwater fish and has a very delicate flavor.

This is a very ancient recipe, originating in the Renaissance, traditional in the province of Brescia. The carpione is cooked in a pan with vinegar, onions, celery and bay leaves. It is then placed on the aolette, which are breaded and fried. Everything is then served with grilled polenta.

The Wines of Garda

The wine tradition of Garda is very old, dating back to the ancient Romans. The area, in fact, thanks to its geography, lends itself well to the cultivation of vines and, therefore, to the production of wine.

The symbol wine of Garda is Bardolino, a light red that goes well with any meal. Other typical red wines are Groppello and Garda Merlot.

The most famous rosé is Bardolino Chiaretto, mainly consumed with fish, but there is also Garda Classico Chiaretto.

As white wines, there are Bianco di Custoza and Lugana, suitable for fish dishes and Garda cheeses.

The food highlights the bounty of the lake and region – fresh fish, olive oil, produce and excellent local wines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Best Places to Eat on Lake Garda

1. What are the must-visit restaurants with lakefront views on Lake Garda?
   • Ristorante Pizzeria Bar Al Porto in Bardolino and Ristorante Catullus in Sirmione offer stunning lakefront views, allowing you to enjoy a meal with a picturesque backdrop.
2. Which areas around Lake Garda are known for their seafood restaurants?
   • The towns of Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano del Garda are renowned for their excellent seafood restaurants, offering fresh catches and delectable dishes.
3. Are there any vegetarian or vegan-friendly restaurants on Lake Garda?
   • Yes, many restaurants around Lake Garda cater to vegetarians and vegans. Ristorante Vegano Il Piccolo Mondo in Lazise and Ristorante Gardenia al Lago in Malcesine are popular choices.
4. Where can I taste authentic Italian pizza on Lake Garda?
   • For authentic Italian pizza, head to Pizzeria Ristorante Leonardo Da Vinci in Garda or Ristorante Pizzeria Belvedere in Limone sul Garda.
5. Which restaurants offer traditional local cuisine of the Lake Garda region?
   • Trattoria San Vigilio in Garda and Ristorante Al Cardellino in Torri del Benaco serve delicious traditional dishes from the Lake Garda region.
6. Are there any Michelin-starred restaurants on or near Lake Garda?
   • Yes, Lido 84 in Gardone Riviera boasts a Michelin star, providing an exceptional dining experience with creative and gourmet Italian cuisine.
7. Which towns are best for exploring a variety of restaurants and eateries?
   • Sirmione, Bardolino, and Malcesine are known for their charming streets lined with a diverse range of restaurants and eateries catering to different tastes.
8. Are there any budget-friendly restaurants with delicious food on Lake Garda?
   • Trattoria Alessi in Riva del Garda and Trattoria San Martino in Limone sul Garda are known for their affordable yet delicious Italian dishes.
9. Which restaurants offer the best wine selections to complement the meals?
   • Many restaurants in the Lake Garda region have excellent wine selections. Ristorante La Sosta in Desenzano del Garda and Ristorante Vecchio Mulino in Malcesine are popular choices.
10. Do I need to make reservations in advance at popular restaurants on Lake Garda?
    • It’s recommended to make reservations, especially during peak tourist seasons, to secure a table at popular restaurants and avoid disappointment.

In this article we tried to advice you Best Places to Eat on Lake Garda but you can also read different reviews from other specialized blogs.