Grotto Efra

A cozy mountain restaurant in Ticino with breathtaking views and delicious local food. The atmosphere is peaceful and authentic, with friendly staff and traditional Ticinese dishes like polenta and braised beef. Perfect for a relaxing lunch or dinner after exploring the Alps. A true hidden gem in the Swiss mountains!

We went there several times now because we love the concept of zero kilometers products and they boycott products who harm the environment , first time we did not make any reservations so we have to wait for about 10 min, and stay out side with waterfalls view, but then we made reservations the next time and we got the inside also amazing rustic architecture & interior design with an amazing view toward the mountains. Luca is an awesome waiter. The chef cook an excellent meal ( ask for menu of the day out side of the menu) . The nostrano red wine ( from Ticino ) was excellent! Homemade dessert. If you want warm food they serve only in lunch time 12.00-14.00 and sometimes dinner between 18.00-20.00. Make sure you call to know their working hours. We love everything there. And the walk to the waterfall and back . Huge kids park for our children nearby where they can play bobosco ( the locally made wooden game with wooden ball ) . Our kids loves it. You must try once if you are in Valley Verzasca.

OMG, This place is a MUST visit, if you are in this area. Service is extremely friendly, helpful and speak English. Inside is beautiful and outside you have this amazing views and nature sounds. Brazato, Palenta, local wines in small local cups. Everything was great. I’m sure I will come again with my friends.

This place is beautiful. It’s definitely worth eating at. Hopefully you get a different waitress than we had. Our waitress was impatient and literally told us “she didn’t have time to answer questions about the menu”. Basically she was too busy and didn’t have time for us. Our questions were very simple. Had I been anywhere else with other options I would have left. Other than that the food and atmosphere were amazing.

Stunning location and wonderful outdoor seating under leafy trees. The setting is right out of Lord of the Rings. Stay long enough and you can easily imagine a hobbit emerging from one of the numerous stone houses. I had to pinch myself to confirm that such a beautiful place exists.

The food is absolutely delicious, the service is excellent, and the surroundings are simply spectacular. I’ll definitely be back! Many thanks to the entire Grotto Efra team!

Stopped by here for a coffee and gelato. Both were excellent. Service was top notch. The weather was not great but that meant it wasn't as busy. They have parking but we had walked from the town's main parking lot. This won't cost any stars but a few suggestions: 1. If you have an allergy to cats, they had a cat or two roaming around the restaurant freely, so take precautions. I have a cat allergy but was fine. They don't bother you. 2. Take CHF cash or a Visa/Mastercard and you should be fine. I noticed the receipt (posted) said they would also take 8 EUR - which is obviously a favorable exchange rate. When I tried to pay with EUR, the server indicated that they "preferred" CHF. I offered to pay by Amex (they have an Amex logo on the door), but the server said they did not accept it. This was misleading. In the end, they did take EUR but charged 8.80 (at par), not 8.00 as indicated on the receipt. Still a slightly favorable rate, and I wasn't going to make a stink about it.

This is a great find about 1 hour’s drive from Locarno. It is well worth it. Don’t just come for the waterfall because you’ll miss out on fine regional cuisine and friendly Ticinese service. I had the special of the day which was braised pork jowls served on a bed of polenta. It was delicious. We also shared a cheese platter with 7 local and varied cheeses served with an amazing fig jam spiked with spicy horseradish. Superb. Be sure to try the local wines too. (Some friendly advice - don’t park in the parking lot if you’re not planning to drop in. It’s private parking only for customers, despite appearances.)