La Tinèra

Just dropped by for a quick lunch with friend , the atmosphere wasnt great at the start as we arrived a little early, it was a little old schools and was really quiet. BUTT!!!! Food was surprisingly good! We had the fish risotto, beef filet and the country style chicken, all were delicious and the portion was generous. The dessert was a 💯. The tiramisu was so far the best that I had in Europe and the foamy dessert with vanilla gelato was amazing 🤩 After awhile it went full house and it becomes a lively lunch place. Staffs were not very fluent in English but they are funny and attentive. Wasn’t the cheapest but pricing were decent, we spent ard 250+ for 4 pax. The overall experience was great and would definitely recommended

My girlfriend and I visited this amazing local restaurant last month, while traveling through Italy and Switzerland. The locals suggested it for great reasons... the food, the service, and the ambience! Perfecto! We are still talking about it to our friends.

We had such a great meal at La Tinera. We had the choice to eat upstairs outdoors or downstairs at the main restaurant. We liked the traditional decor and feeling of the basement, not the mention the very comfortable, cool temperature in the summer. Service was polite and attentive. We got the veal knuckle with polenta and the pork cutlet with veg. We also added a side of risotto. Everything was very tasty, well-seasoned. We loved the wine options with many different sizes at different price points. The Ticino merlot is the best, by far. 2 dl is perfect for dinner. We finished with homemade tiramisu. This dinner was a complete 180 from the previous nights disappointment at an osteria on the steps up to the top of the town. Much more flavor and better service. We are surprised this restaurant is not slammed full. It's definitely the place to go while visiting Lugano.

We had an incredible dinner at La Tinera. I'm very happy that I could find vegan options as the pasta doesn't have egg so I ordered a Penne alla arrabbiata. Very abundant, tasty and served fast. I would also like to highlight how kind everyone was at the venue. We will be back! :)

Had dinner here last night with my family. Although the restaurant is tucked away in a small side street, it was well worth a visit. What a hidden gem it turned out to be. Loved the informal, homely yet rustic ambiance. Loved that the owners take great pride in their restaurant and make you feel at home. The service was excellent and personal, and the food was authentic and delicious. Everything was good. From the antipasti to the main courses and the desserts. The Perch Fillet with Risotto was excellent. The choice of local wines were great too. Highly recommend this restaurant, a must visit when in Lugano.

Small eatery tucked in the basement of a quiet building. The place was packed on a Saturday evening, so a reservation is recommended. We booked for 9 PM and was perfect. Our order was rather simple, and I loved every dish.

This is exactly the kind of place that they refer to when they say step away from the crowded square with the tourist trap restaurants. Literally a 20 second walk out of the square, if you look hard, you will find this very quaint hidden, locals only restaurant. After locating it on Google maps, we literally followed locals to the entrance and enjoyed one of the best meals we've had on our trip. The lamb ossobuco with polenta was incredible and the sausage and risotto was much more than you would expect. The servers were very friendly and helpful. It was surprisingly slow for a weekday lunch, but as some of the reviews say, I imagine you could need a reservation on busy weekend nights.

Had the perch and risotto and it was v good and more affordable. The risotto was flavorful and refreshing. Appreciated how wine forward it was without overwhelming the dish. The perch was okay! Tiramisu was good. Service was great. Thank you to the kind old gentleman who kindly pointed out the local dishes for us in english. Recommend sitting ourside as inside is abit stuffy.

We didn't have reservations so were seated at a big round table with 3 sets of other people. It ended up being nice meeting them. Two of us ordered the Osso buco with polenta. It was very tender and tasty. One of us ordered the risotto with porcini and he enjoyed it. We had salads that were average and had too much dressing. The crème caramel was also just okay. The ambiance is nice and the service was very good.

Verstecktes Restaurant, das Essen gut aber der Inhaber mürrisch und unfreundlich, wir wurden mit Kleinkind und Hund an den hintersten Tisch gesetzt und achtung die Tessiner Tazzinos (Weinbecher) werden einem mit 30 Franken verrechnet (sind online für 4 Fr. verfügbar) wenn man sie nicht sachgemäss benutzt z.B. um dem halb verdurstetem Hund Wasser zu reichen - daraus ist zu schliessen, dass die Hygiene zu wünschen übrig lässt und das Geschirr nicht richtig gewaschen wird. Inhaber und Kellner sehr unzufrieden und kundenunfreundlich! Nicht zu empfehlen und nie wieder...!

While visiting Lugano we stopped in for lunch. The restraunt is situated just north of 'piazza della reforma' a rather large piazza with multiple café options along south and west sides. We chose la Tinera for two reasons, 1.) Strong reputation for Osso Buco, 2.) Basement dining room was a welcomed respite to the oppressive heat and humility. We ordered Osso Bucco, side salad, and tuna salad. Food was good, ossobuco was served with a rather starchy pasty risotto, meh.... The sauce was tasty would have been great if there was just a bit more of it. The service was exceptional, very attentive, Check came with a few pieces of swiss chocolate.... I recommend!

The restaurant was kind to accept us almost near their closing break for dinner! The food was so delicious, and the ambience of the restaurant was superb. Service was marvellous as the staff attends to all requests swiftly. Will certainly recommend anyone to visit this little hidden gem in the heart of Lugano! (You might think you're lost while searching for the restaurant - just look out for the stairs leading to the basement!)

Just outstanding cellar for dinner.

Great delicious food with superb server service. Dish may look simple but taste is terrific. We finished everything off the plate. :)

We got sent here by some locals and were very happy for the recommendation. It's authentic, delicious, and Swiss-reasonably-priced.

Can be difficult to find since its off a side street in a basement in the center of town. However, it's worth looking for: very attentive staff, generous portions, and reasonable prices (for Switzerland). They offer some cool seasonal menus, and being the start of autumn they featured a number of venison dishes which were an interesting mix of Swiss-Italian, representative of the unique region and culture of Lugano.

Located on a basement, this place might be easy to pass. However thanks to Yelp I tried it and I am glad I did. The atmosphere is very friendly and the brothers running it make sure you are well waited. I was surrounded by locals enjoying dishes like polenta with fungi or ossobuco. The taste and quality was very good and the suggested wine paired well with the food. Prices are fair but it is easy to get carried away and order too much (I did). Best place I have tried in Lugano and without too many tourists. Try it!

This was our favorite restaurant in Ticino. Owned by two enthusiastic and personable brothers the food is outstanding and not outrageously expensive for the quality. After our first visit ordering the Osso Bucco, we went back two additional times. They paired us up with an American couple each time which added to the experience. If you go there, tell them Mauricio sent you. It'll get a laugh.