Ristorante Vecchia Malcesine In Malcesine

Booked here as a solo traveller staying in Malcesine for 2 nights. Opted for the 10 course Qcina menu. I wasn't drinking alcohol so the lovely hostess prepared a large glass of a refreshing fruit based drink. Every course was art on a plate and tasted exquisite. There were items I had not tasted before but had every faith in the chef that they would be beautiful. That faith was repaid with wonderful flavours and textures. The bread selection provided with the anchovy butter was again outstanding. The ladies serving made the whole evening an event by explaining all courses and making the experience memorable. They are a credit to the restaurant. The setting, slightly up hill overlooking the lake, perfectly completed what was a memorable evening. Highly recommend a visit to this beautiful restaurant to experience some of the finest food you will find. You will not be disappointed.

Lovely food. Very friendly. Lots of interesting flavours. Stunning views across the loch

A well deserved Michelin star holder! We had their Classic taster menu and every course was delicious. Service was spot on and charming. If you want to celebrate over food in the area this is the place to go.

En udenærket oplevelse, men maden levede ikke oppe til forventningerne eller prisen. Som andre har beskrevet, uproportionelt tunge saucer der fylder og overskygger rettens formål. Fisk der burde være smør mørt var tørt og ligeledes kødet i bau bollen. Vi har spist på over 30 europæriske Michelin restauranter og de kommer desværre til kortet her. Servicen var god, og venlig. Chefen fyldte dog meget i rummet og talte meget højlydt med andre gæster 20-30 min af gangen. Der var for varmt i rummet og ingen aircondition eller åbne vinduer. Det er svært at nyde mange retter i den varme desværre. Vi kommer ikke igen :-)

Booked here as a solo traveller staying in Malcesine for 2 nights. Opted for the 10 course Qcina menu. I wasn't drinking alcohol so the lovely hostess prepared a large glass of a refreshing fruit based drink. Every course was art on a plate and tasted exquisite. There were items I had not tasted before but had every faith in the chef that they would be beautiful. That faith was repaid with wonderful flavours and textures. The bread selection provided with the anchovy butter was again outstanding. The ladies serving made the whole evening an event by explaining all courses and making the experience memorable. They are a credit to the restaurant. The setting, slightly up hill overlooking the lake, perfectly completed what was a memorable evening. Highly recommend a visit to this beautiful restaurant to experience some of the finest food you will find. You will not be disappointed. Can only upload 10 photos to review so can't do all course or full experience justice.

Excellent view and the food incredible

We celebrated my father's 60th birthday at this wonderful restaurant. The view is magnificent, the food divine, and the service excellent. We were even given a candle and a glass of wine each for our birthday. Excellent in every way, thank you!

Truly outstanding — one of the best Michelin one-stars I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. We tried both tasting menus, and the dishes across both were consistently creative, surprising, delightful food delivered with great skill, real mastery over texture, flavor, and presentation. The wine pairings were also excellent. It was a pleasure to chat with the chef himself who spent lots of time with all tables. We also greatly enjoyed meeting his handsome large cat Due.

A refined dining experience in the charming village of Malcesine, perched just above Lake Garda with lovely views both over the lake and the picturesque castle framed by a tree-lined path that leads up to the restaurant. The service was truly attentive throughout the evening. The restaurant offers two tasting menus as well as à la carte options with the flexibility to build a two- or three-course meal and add dessert, which is what I opted for. The meal began with amuse-bouches: a tomato in trompe-l’œil style that was actually a fish tartare in jelly, and an artichoke-based bite. Both were visually intriguing and pleasant in taste, although they could have been pushed slightly further to truly awaken the palate. As a starter, I chose homemade tortellini with shrimp and snails, accompanied by pesto. The pasta was excellent — delicate and fresh — and the seafood well-prepared, though the shrimp might have benefitted from a slightly shorter cook for a more tender texture. The pesto had a nice flavor but was a touch oily for my taste. My main was catfish, served with a broccoli preparation, mushrooms, and a sauce. The fish itself was flavorful but just slightly overcooked, with a firmer texture than ideal. Still, the dish was satisfying and well-executed overall. Before dessert, a creative pre-dessert in trompe-l’œil style arrived — I recall mandarin among the flavors, and it was a nice and refreshing transition. For dessert, I selected the “apple” — another visual illusion — composed of various fruit elements. It wasn’t the most memorable in terms of flavor intensity, but it showcased great technical skill and was enjoyable. To finish, the restaurant offered a selection of biscuits accompanied by a sabayon — a warm, comforting and indulgent finale. All in all, this is a high-level restaurant with evident culinary craftsmanship. The price point may feel slightly elevated for the overall value, but the Michelin star is certainly justified. The chef briefly came to the dining room to greet guests, which was appreciated, even if the interaction was brief. One small area for improvement: the restrooms could use higher-end hand towels or cloths instead of simple paper, to better match the overall standard of the venue.

As far as I know, it's the only Michelin-starred restaurant you can visit with your dog. It's been one of the best restaurants on Lake Garda for many years and has rightfully been awarded a Michelin star for many years without interruption.