Ed_M

Can anyone recommend some good restaurants in Lake Maggiore/Stresa? We will be spending three days there in May. Many thanks.

bobthenavigator

It has been some years, but we fondly recall a place named Papagallo in Stresa.

SkipHudgins

Ristorante Grotto Sant'Anna about a mile or so up the river from Cannobio. Cannobio on the west side of Lago Maggiore is worth visiting. This restaurant is just out of town next to some first class waterfalls. Very good food. Not much English spoken. You need reservation.

willowjane

We enjoyed Al Buscion for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers. There is a fun little outside area and the choices of wine is wonderful! The owner was very willing to recommend restaurants to us and we were very pleased. I tried to look back at my notes and now cannot find my notebook! Sorry! If I do find the names I will post them for you.

willowjane

Well, I looked on googlemaps and i do remember that Il Vicoletto was a wonderful meal for our party of 5. We did need reservations. Everything was very fresh and so nicely prepared. The seafood ravioli was perfect. I seem to remember that it is run by a very small staff, maybe a mother and daughter out front? Everyone in the party was happy with the food. I am not sure if you already have hotel reservations but we were most pleased
Hotel Residence La Luna Nel Porto - great staff, service and amazing views from the immaculate rooms. Have a great trip.

pctraveler

We were in Stressa four years ago, and so our recommendations might be a bit out of date. Stayed at the Hotel Des Iles Barromees (sp?) Lovely property! We ate at Pappagallos and had a good meal. During our tour of the islands, we ate at Bar Miralargo on Ile Pescardori and sat on the waterfront. It was a nice experience. We had dinner one night at Ristorante La Botte (Via Mazzini 6/8) and had a filling and satisfying dinner.

One night we had pizza and wine at La Piazzetta (Pl Cadorda) in Stressa; it was a typical outdoor dining facility that was fun. I wish I had some more timely recommendations, but these are all the notes we have.

StCirq

OK, my recommendations are also out of date, but is the place called Papagallo the one sort of on the northern outskirts of town with the parrot? If so, we loved it. We also loved taking the small road up northwest into mountains and eating in the chalet-type place that was maybe a km out of town on the left as you climbed the big hill.

I realize this sounds vaguely silly, but it's been awhile.

sandralist

The name of the restaurant is Pappagallo. Spelled with 3 p's. It has a parrot because pappagallo is the Italian word for parrot.

I must be the only person who had a poor meal there and I found it incredibly touristy. In my recollection, it is the only place I have ever eaten in Italy that had plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling.

The only restaurant in Stresa I liked was L'Idrovolante, which is on the waterfront near the cable car that goes up to Mottarone. I especially disliked the fancy restarurant Verbano on the Isola dei Pescatori.

sandralist

PS: L'Idrovolante is very informal, as much a taverna as it is an eatery. But they make their own pasta, and eating waterside is pleasant both at lunchtime and in the evening. It's one of the few places with that feature you can get to without a car. You can reach it by walking along the lakefront promenade, in the direction of Baveno.

PamL1

We just ate at pappagallo and loved it. Food and service were great. Desserts are a must.