Awards Candidates 2019

15/06/2025: Very, very delicious food and a wonderful view. If you're going with more than two people, definitely make a reservation, as it gets very busy.

13/06/2025: Great views over the lake, very busy restaurant because of the amazing quality of food for reasonable prices. 100% worth the narrow street up from the lake.

01/06/2025: I have just been to La Zucca restaurant in Arola and I have to say it was a delightful experience! The place is welcoming and warm, with an atmosphere that makes you feel at home straight away. The food was simply excellent, with a variety of dishes that will surely satisfy all tastes. But what really made the difference was the cheese and dessert trolley, which was simply exquisite! A real treat for cheese and dessert lovers. The service was friendly and professional, with staff who were very attentive to the needs of the customers. I would highly recommend La Zucca in Arola to anyone looking for a high quality culinary experience in a welcoming and pleasant environment.

01/06/2025: Elegant family atmosphere, excellent service, high quality food. If it were possible, I would give one more star.

13/06/2025: The Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees is a beautifully preserved gem—a place that feels more like a small museum than a modern hotel. Its opulent décor, classic furnishings, and grand architecture evoke a timeless elegance that will appeal most to adult couples and mature travellers. It’s not the kind of place that caters to younger guests looking for buzz or trendiness, but that’s precisely its charm. We stayed in two rooms: the Imperial Suite and the Junior Suite vista lago. The Imperial Suite certainly had more space—including a second toilet and a large sitting area—but in truth, we found the extra room unnecessary. The real standout feature was the spacious terrace, which offered a serene setting to enjoy the outdoors in privacy. Service throughout our stay was generally excellent. Staff were professional, attentive, and polished. That said, among the more senior members, there were moments where confidence bordered on arrogance—a very fine line in hospitality. Still, it didn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. We had dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Il Borromeo. The meal was good, well-executed, and presented with care, though the food itself didn’t leave a particularly lasting impression. It met expectations for a hotel of this calibre but didn’t exceed them. In all, this is a stunning property for those who appreciate old-world luxury, quiet refinement, and a slower pace. We enjoyed our stay but probably not return.

22/04/2025: The food was only okay for a 5-star hotel! Service was good, but it felt more like being ripped off. It felt like a mass-production operation! In the bar, you're bombarded with piano music that's way too loud. A relaxed atmosphere with quiet conversation? None of that! It's better to drive a little further out (5 minutes from there) to the 5-star Villa Aminta.

19/06/2025: We got a table for two without a reservation on a Thursday evening (at 7 p.m.; the restaurant was full a little later). A very pleasant atmosphere, good service despite the busy times, and excellent food. Excellent, modern, upscale Mediterranean cuisine—we would happily eat there again next time we're in Stresa.

02/06/2025: This is clearly not a michelin table. For anyone used to french michelin table (I'm not talking about stars or anything) please don't be fulled. When a client is asking for a non alcoholic drink and the only thing you have to propose is sprits without proposing anything else when the client is not interested, this is not a michelin. The menu is made of paper sheets, decorated with oil drops 👌 this is not a michelin. The quality of the starters, well, there is no balance in the tastes, the salade is thrown in the plate the sauces are too acidic. For the plate, you don't put aluminium paper around a potato in a michelin table plate, nothing is neat, from the poor salad leaves that are lost in the plate, the stuffing is grossly cut, no balance in the tastes. This is really the level of an average braaserie you'll find in france, and that you'll forget about. Let's skip the dessert cause it is of the same level really. I was scared of another tourist trap, well I should have thought twice before going there.

25/06/2025: Good location, small, nice, clean rooms. Friendly staff. The coffee (fully automatic) at breakfast isn't tasty, which is a shame. I also don't think that's okay, especially since breakfast is included.

02/06/2025: Ausgezeichnetes Preis-Leistungsverhältnis, aber gewisse Abzüge in der kulinarischen Ausgestaltung. Das Lokal ist sehr schön, die Bedienung sehr aufmerksam und freundlich. Ich habe das vollständige Degustationsmenü gewählt. Vorweg: Es ist seinen Preis wert. Und trotzdem hat es mich nicht vollständig überzeugt. Häufig ist in den einzelnen Gängen etwas zu viel.. sei es an der Menge (z.B. beim Gruss aus der Küche oder beim warmen Voressen oder dann an der Menge an Brot - das grenzt an Lebensmittelverschwendung...) oder an den verschiedenen Fleischkonstellationen (z.B. beim warmen Voressen). Der Blaukäse war toll, aber so intensiv, dass er bis in den süssen Nachtisch hinein präsent war (Zabaione). Dieses wiederum war hervorragend, falls man es auf das Zabione aus der Pfanne begrenzt hätte (all das bunte Süsszeug auf dem Teller war eigentlich unnötig und hat von der Essenz des Zabiones abgelenkt). Ähnlich war es beim warmen Voressen... der Apfel in den Voltini (oder was es war) hätte einen saureren Geschmack haben dürfen. Noch einmal: Das war ein sehr schöner kulinarischer Abend und er war es wert. Aber ich wünsche der Küche mehr Fokus auf den reinen Geschmack...

14/06/2025: Excellent restaurant in the center of Domodossola. If you love fish, the paella is very good.

13/06/2025: Do not order bottled beer very expensive

10/06/2025: A really tasty meal on the terrace with a memorable view

09/06/2025: The best thing is the location of the terrace practically in the lake. Good food in line with other restaurants frequented in the area, price a little high. However it is there

27/06/2025: Pleasant outdoor atmosphere with a beautiful view of Lake Maggiore. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive. The waitress advised us on our dinner selection, wine, and dessert. Everything was fantastic. Top Top 🤩

27/06/2025: Super friendly service and excellent food. A small menu but made with love, quality, and heart.

25/05/2025: Everything perfect what else to say... Well done excellent quality and fair price We will be back. No I asked the names of the couple who runs the place he at the coal oven and she among the customers but they are really good

18/05/2025: We stopped by chance...a real discovery!!! Excellent products and special combinations, even the welcome of the same flavor....true and healthy!!! To return to try other dishes.... The desserts are to die for!!!

03/07/2025: Great food, with a wide variety, from sandwiches to composite dishes. Very good meat and so are the fried calamari. Young and informal atmosphere. The very honest prices and good service complete the offer. Definitely recommended!

28/06/2025: Great value for money! Delicious meat!

25/05/2025: 5 stars Stumbled in for a coffee early Sunday morning after a night of camping—what a gem! The staff were incredibly friendly, full of good vibes, and the fact that the bar opens at 8:30am is a total game-changer. Perfect place to kick off the day before hitting the rocks for a climbing session. Great coffee, great energy, and exactly what you need to fuel your adventure. Highly recommend!

01/05/2025: Excellent experience at this beautiful place found along the road towards the Toce waterfalls. There were 4 of us and we shared 2 appetizers of mixed cured meats and cheeses of excellent quality and quantity. We then had 4 first courses, including cheese gnocchi, ravioli with radicchio and I had tagliolini with venison ragout, all very good and in adequate portions, half a liter of house red wine, 1 liter of water, 4 coffees all for 83 euros. Punctual service with very friendly and competent staff, welcoming environment, what can I say... thank you and see you next time...

04/07/2025: During my travels along the Sempione state road, to and from Switzerland, a charming place to stop for lunch or dinner is the Osteria del Gallo Nero. The cuisine is delicious, characterized by local, zero-mile products of excellent quality. Last night I stopped for dinner. I shared a platter of cured meats and cheeses from the Ossola valley, absolutely delicious, accompanied by various types of bread, honey and a mandarin compote. To follow I had a deer tartare, seasoned just right, rich and delicate at the same time, superb! Finally, a zabaglione dessert, remarkable and not excessively caloric. The environment is very well-kept and the impeccable service is, at the same time, very friendly and attentive. An experience to do.

04/07/2025: We had lunch for the first time one noon this week. We found a modern building very beautiful architecturally. A very welcoming staff. A very good meal. We will gladly return.