Lake Garda is always beautiful, and it continues to be a preferred destination for foreigners visiting Italy. It’s worth scheduling an immediate culinary experience. If possible, leave the car in the hotel parking lot or near one of the many ferry boat stations. Besides the benefit of getting away from the car, taking a hydrofoil or boat provides a chance to disembark in the heart of small towns, explore them at your leisure and rest your feet in a “Garda-view” restaurant, some of which are literally on the water, so you can enjoy feeling what the French call “pieds dans l’eau.”
Lake fish: always a good choice
Our top ten list was chosen based on location and the gourmet offerings in both food and wine. The clear leader is the Brescia coast, historically the most developed, and increasingly so in recent years. In addition to the ten eateries we recommend, we’d like to note another group of places to visit that feature local products and offer the right value for your money. Try the lake fish, of course: sardines, perch, freshwater whitefish and chub. Be advised that trout, while good, comes from farms around Trento as they have essentially disappeared from Lake Garda. There are places that, unlike our gallery of choices, might not be worth a visit on their own merit, but still have many fans.
Valtenesi and Lugana
On the Trento coast: La Terrazza in Torbole and Al Volt in Riva del Garda. On the Verona coast: Osteria al Pescatore in Brenzone Porto, Alla Fassa in Castelletto di Brenzone e Da Oreste in Lazise. On the Brescia shore: Cantina del Baffo in Limone, La Miniera in Tignale, Locanda del Benaco and Osteria dell’Orologio in Salò, Dalia & Fagioli in Manerba, L’Osteria H2O in Moniga, La Dispensa in San Felice del Benaco, La Lepre and Alla Stella in Desenzano, La Speranzina in Sirmione. Lest we forget: whatever may be on your plate, it should be accompanied by a few glasses of wine from Valtenesi or Lugana, prized wines of the Garda area which have had outstanding harvests in recent years.