Grotto near Lugano
 

Hello all,
does anybody know a nice Grotto near Lugano. We speak perfectly Italian, so if it is 'for the locals' even better.
Grazie mille,
T.

Please, ThomasG, tell us what you mean by a "Grotto."

A grotto, in English, is a cave, basically. Visiting caves doesn't normally require knowledge of any language...

A grotto is a type of restaurant in the Ticino, the part of Switzerland that Lugano is in. It has a rustic decor and often specializes in risottos if I'm not mistaken.

Sorry, don't have any recos though...

Andre

Andre, thank you for the information.

But since I would never go to Switzerland again, not even if wild horses dragged me, I am unlikely to make use of it.

But thanks anyway!

Andre,

a grotto was used for storage of food like cheese, salami and wine. They use to have benches and tables of granite under chestnut trees. On weekends e.g. the owners invited friends for a rustic meal. Usually they played a sort of boccia, or it ended up with dancing and music. But you are right, nowadays they use to serve risotto (and often fish).

Unfortunately not everything which is called "grotto" is really a grotto.

ThomasG,

One of the best I came across was the grotto right on the other bank of the lake vis-a-vis from Gandria (Cantine di Gandria). Only accessible by ferry from Gandria or Lugano. The lates ferry goes back to Lugano at 10 pm if I recall correctly (at least in summer). Very traditional ambience and food.

A grotto for the locals is located in Cureglia, some km north of Lugano direction Origlio.

My guide book recommends Grotto Riviera in Agno, especially coniglio con polenta and the vino della casa, "Vin Cenzo".

Oops, I almost forgot one of my favourites: Grotto Pan Perdü in Carona - absolutely fantastic, both ambience and food.

thanks so much for the info, Ingo.

Grotto Pan Perdü sounds great. Am a bit afraid of the Gandria one, for that if you have to take a boat, it sounds like is going to be terribly touristy...

For Eloise: sounds like you didn't have a good experience in Switzerland. Sorry about that. Should have gone to Ingo's Grotti, I guess. :-)

Believe it or not, Gandria is not that touristy at all, it's very very small village/town, and great to walk around thru their quaint streets.