La Tavola

The story

La Tavola, Laveno – Seasonal Fine Dining by Chef Riccardo Bassetti

On the lakefront in Laveno Mombello, La Tavola is the fine-dining restaurant of Il Porticciolo hotel. The dining room looks out over Lake Maggiore, where the blue of the water meets the green of the mountains. Here, chef Riccardo Bassetti translates his extensive experience into a seasonal menu that reflects both his French training and Italian roots.

Bassetti, born in 1982, began his career at three-Michelin-starred Al Sorriso and later worked at the Four Seasons Milan under Sergio Mei. A formative period in Paris followed: he helped open the Atelier de Joël Robuchon on the Champs-Élysées, where the restaurant earned two Michelin stars within six months, and spent his free time in Yannick Alléno’s kitchen at Le Meurice. He then moved to the Mandarin Oriental Palace, working with Thierry Marx at Sur Mesure, where another Michelin star arrived.

In 2012, Bassetti returned to his family’s hotel in Laveno to pursue his own vision of cooking. The recognition came quickly: the Espresso guide named him one of twelve young talents in Italian cuisine, he reached the national finals of the Bocuse d’Or in 2016, and in 2017 La Tavola earned its first Michelin star. Today, the restaurant continues to hold a Michelin Recommended distinction.

One of Bassetti’s signature dishes, “Gambero rosso ispirato a Valentino,” won the Sina Chef’s Cup Contest in 2018 and remains on the menu. The cooking stays closely tied to the seasons, drawing on the lake and surrounding landscape. The wine list is carefully selected, and the atmosphere — whether at lunch on weekends or dinner from Thursday to Tuesday — is one of unhurried refinement.

La Tavola is closed on Wednesdays. Lunch is served Saturday, Sunday, and on holidays; dinner is available Thursday through Tuesday.