Piccolo Lago Restaurant

The best Michelin experience of my life, anywhere in the world. I’ve had the privilege of dining in top restaurants across the globe, from Tokyo to Paris to New York, but Piccolo Lago stands in a category of its own. It’s not just about technique or presentation (which are both flawless), it’s about soul. This is a restaurant where the Michelin stars aren’t the main attraction, the people are. Family-owned, family-run, and deeply rooted in love for both food and hospitality, you can feel the passion in every interaction and in every dish. The experience is intimate, elegant, and profoundly human. Each plate was a story, each ingredient intentional. The views over the lake were breathtaking, but honestly, they were just the backdrop. The heart of this place lives in the kitchen and in the warmth of the team. Piccolo Lago isn’t just the best Michelin restaurant I’ve been to, it’s one of the most special places I’ve ever had the joy of discovering. I’ll be thinking about this meal for a long time. -Tyler

We were here for a wedding. Stunning location, amazing food, great service! Highly recommended.

BEAUTIFUL!!! The location is beautiful, and the view from the restaurant is heavenly! We had their historic dishes (set menu) with 3 wine pairings, and some of the dishes were unbelievable - for me, the flan was one of the best dishes I’ve ever tasted. The bread was homemade, and melts in your mouth. Nothing I write can describe how epic the experience was - a truly immersive experience!

As a vegan, it can be difficult to find fine dining establishments that are willing to create a vegan menu. But Piccolo Lago rose to the challenge!! The menu was whimsical and delicious. The wine pairing was fantastic. The service was warm and friendly. I highly recommend a visit! Email ahead to request a vegan tasting menu!

My wife and I were expecting great things from this restaurant and it was very good but slightly below expectations. We opted for A La carte rather than one of the tasting menus. The starter of smoked trout was one of the best dishes I have tasted in a while. Amazing texture and flavour with bursting taste bombs from the accompanying caviar. Main was a beef dish on the menu as a special, which was good without being exceptional. The accompanying “roast” potatoes were bland and not at all crispy. My wife had char (fish) which was small but tasty (it was probably a middle course rather than a main size to be fair). Dessert was tiramisu, which was disappointing. The sponge was covered with a coffee gel and the mascarpone was served separately. It also had cardomom in it. A case of trying to be too clever and detracting from what can be a very nice dessert I’m afraid. Service was excellent and the setting is absolutely beautiful next to the lake overlooking the village of Mergozzo - hard to beat. The price was also reasonable for the quality of the establishment. We would definitely go back and maybe have two of the trout dishes next time!

A great experience indeed. We were there on a package that included one night in their cosy hotel Verbano, on the Isola dei Pescatori on Lago Maggiore, with a magnificent view over the Isola Bella. At 7.00 PM a private taxi boat brought us to Carciano where a taxi brought us to the restaurant. My wife has celiac desease and needs gluten free options, and we really appreciated the 8 courses "Piccola Spirale" menu, standard for me and customized to my wife needs and the superb wine pairing to accompanied the various interesting and very creative dishes. Creativity sometimes could be too daring for our taste buds, but this was not the case at Piccolo Lago. At the end of the dinner the same taxi and taxi boat brought us back to the quaint little Island. Expectations were obviously high but were meeted if not exceeded.

We had a lovely evening at the restaurant for an hour last night of our European trip. We first had a cooking class, learning to make gnocchi. After that, our meal was served overlooking the lake with an amazing group of people. I can't recommend Piccolo Lago enough. The staff was wonderful, the food was delicious, and the ambiance made it and out of this world experience.

Excellent spaghetti with “gambero rosso” with a Ronco delle Mele sauvignon from Venica vineyard. Then a wonderful very tender Fassona porterhouse steak. Atmosphere with the sunset was magic!

A restaurant that sits in the stillness of the lake.... The view here is spectacular. Did I mention that it's Michelin two star rated? Definitely worth the experience. Two person Chef table encased in glass just steps away from the kitchen where you can see the Masters at work. This place is amazing: food, service, atmosphere. Truly something special. Don't forget to watch the sunset from the terrace with a bottle of wine. Salute!

We went as part of a conference so we didn't have the standard menu but the location is stunning, the staff were nice and I am fascinated by the squid ink black sponge bread :)