Locanda Perbellini Ai Beati: Informal High Cuisine with a View Over Lake Garda
The euphoria following Giancarlo Perbellini’s third Michelin star is still palpable the moment you step into the Locanda on Lake Garda. "Just an hour after the third star arrived for 12 Apostoli," the dining room team proudly recounts, eyes brimming with emotion, "we received two hundred bookings." It is a testament to how deeply shared success is within the Bovolone-born chef’s expansive empire: approximately 120 employees across eleven venues, including seven restaurants, a pizzeria, a tapas bar, and two pastry shops. Opened in May 2021 in Garda—on the Venetian shore of the lake—following outposts in Milan and on Sicily’s Bovo Marina beach, Locanda Perbellini Ai Beati (or simply Locanda al Lago to friends) is less than a forty-minute drive from Verona.
The Venue & Ambiance
A short climb from the center of Garda leads to an ancient stone oil mill dating back to the 1400s. It sits on a terraced slope hosting the restaurant’s dehors, which overlooks a gentle olive grove cascading toward the shimmering turquoise waters of Lake Garda. Restored by architect Silvia Bettini with rigorous respect for its original architectural integrity, the venue features four distinct rooms with exposed stone walls and antique terracotta floors. Vintage pieces—like an antique glass cabinet for stemware—blend seamlessly with modern touches, such as a dramatic oversized mirror, bridging past charm and contemporary style.
The atmosphere is warm, emanating hospitality and inspiring conviviality, thanks in part to a smooth, unpretentious service style. There is no need for theatricality: the distant view of the lake creates all the magic required.
The genuine, spontaneous welcome—along with the restaurant’s general management—has recently been entrusted to Tuscan-born Filippo Cancogni, whose background includes Bistrot in Forte dei Marmi and various front-of-house roles across Perbellini’s portfolio, including Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli.
The Kitchen Concept
Leading the kitchen is 32-year-old Veronese chef Michele Bosco, joining from Al Capitan della Cittadella. His culinary direction mirrors the core concept shared by the Milanese and Sicilian Locandas: recoding traditional regional Italian recipes within a contemporary framework—lightening them while elevating them with exceptional local ingredients, such as freshwater lake fish.
The resulting dishes are harmonious, meticulously executed, and immediately approachable. The modern alternative to faded, formulaic fine dining does not have to be a crude, retro trattoria or an isolated four-seat pop-up where a chef cooks albino deer offal over a campfire built with wood chopped that morning. High cuisine can comfortably exist in an informal key, drawing inspiration from local recipes to elevate them through solid technique and stellar ingredients, radiating pure culinary well-being.
Highlights from the Tasting Menu
Pumpkin Risotto: Delivered with a professional-level umami boost thanks to a porcini mushroom mayonnaise and shaved black truffle.
Fried Artichoke & Lentils: Wrapped in a smooth, velvety Mornay sauce that coats the palate with comfort and elegance.
Lake Trout Tataki: Lightly seared and served as part of a turnip and radish salad, finished with the bright, aromatic freshness of a wild fennel sauce.
Deconstructed Vitello Tonnato: Served in lightly seared cubes ready to be dipped into an ethereal tuna foam that is airy in texture yet vibrant in flavor. Accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes, a touch of rich jus for deep savory notes, and bright drops of parsley oil.
Bread, Chocolate & Hazelnut: The dessert demonstrates the chef’s skill in finding true sophistication within simplicity.
