25/08/2025: Following the Michelin Guide, I visited Aqua in Riva del Garda.
Ambience & Location
The restaurant is located directly on the water and impresses with its large window front and a pleasant color scheme of blue and white tones. The atmosphere is calming. However, the tables and chairs wobbled a bit, and the seating is exclusively designed for round four-seaters, which limits flexibility.
Service
Unfortunately, the service was not up to the standard one would expect from a restaurant of this standard. Although only three tables were occupied, we sat at our tables for 10-15 minutes without a greeting, menu, water, or any other kind of attention. Even the pre-booked option of a decorated table—which is offered via the website for an additional charge—was not implemented. This seems unprofessional and disappointing.
The service was generally slow: sometimes served from the left, sometimes from the right, dishes were sometimes announced, sometimes placed without comment. We had to refill our own water several times. Particularly irritating: The selected vintage champagne was repeatedly referred to as "wine" and served in a red wine glass – a clear lack of service training here. Finally, there was also an error on the bill, which was only corrected after a request and a long wait.
Cuisine
The cuisine, however, was convincing: The 9-course menu was very harmonious in terms of flavor, expertly prepared, and attractively presented on high-quality china. The amuse-bouches were also harmoniously integrated. The expected culinary standards were met here.
Conclusion
While the kitchen delivers on its promises, the service falls significantly short of expectations. For a restaurant with this level of service, the service should be more professional, structured, and attentive. Overall, the evening was not a complete success. The competition is fierce – and that's precisely why more emphasis should be placed on a strong service experience.
24/08/2025: Michelin-starred restaurant. This is the perfect place if you want to dine in a modern and refined setting, with a pleasant lake view and very attentive service. The dishes in the tasting menu (vegetarian and seafood) won us over—and at times surprised us—with their beauty and flavor. The portions were minimal, as expected, except for the pasta with meat sauce, which I ordered for my toddler, and which was a huge hit!
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