The story
Nestled on the western shore of Lake Garda in Gardone Riviera — where camphor trees and olive groves frame the beginning of the legendary "Riviera dei Limoni" — Lido 84 occupies a charming old building that was once a family beach club. In 2013, brothers Giancarlo and Riccardo Camanini acquired this storied space and transformed it into one of the world's most celebrated Italian cuisine destinations, opening its doors to guests in 2014.
Born in 1973 in Bergamo, chef Riccardo Camanini trained alongside some of the greatest names in gastronomy — Gualtiero Marchesi at L'Albereta, Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, and Jean-Louis Nomicos in Paris, a lineage that connects directly to Alain Ducasse. This rigorous formation gave rise to a culinary voice that is unmistakably his own: one where technique is always in service of poetry, and where the rawness of an ingredient is honoured as much as the imagination that transforms it. Within just six months of opening, Lido 84 earned its first MICHELIN Star.
Riccardo's Italian cuisine draws deeply from the surrounding landscape. Raw mountain milk churned into gelato at the moment of service, Bagòss cheese folded into tortellini, freshwater sardines, eel, local oil and lemons — the meeting point of mountain and lake provides the pantry. The evolving tasting menus, offered under the name OSCILLAZIONI in seven or nine courses, invite guests to surrender to a succession of unexpected dishes, oscillating between past promises and future visions.
The most iconic expression of this Italian cuisine is the Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe en Vessie: pasta cooked inside a pig's bladder, assessed only by touch, its juices shaken by specialist cooks to form a silken emulsion with cheese — a dish both ancient in spirit and thrillingly avant-garde in execution.
In the dining room, it is Giancarlo who sets the tone — a warm and attentive host who ensures every guest feels genuinely cared for. True to the philosophy of the house, it is the cooks of the brigade themselves who bring dishes to the table, sharing the stories behind each creation, the ingredients chosen, and the techniques employed. Whether seated in the luminous glassed salon or on the open terrace directly overlooking the lake's tranquil waters, diners are invited into a conversation — not merely a meal.
Lido 84 first captured international attention in 2019 with The World's 50 Best Restaurants' One To Watch Award. It debuted on the full list in 2021 at No. 15, claiming the Highest New Entry Award, before climbing to No. 7 in 2023 — a swift and luminous ascent that mirrors the restaurant's own restless pursuit of excellence.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
At Al Lido 84, the experience begins long before the food arrives: Lake Garda enters the dining room as a living presence, filtering through the architecture, the gestures of service, and the rhythm of the kitchen. Riccardo Camanini continues to guide one of Italy’s most distinctive restaurants, with a concept that combines technique, elegance, and a profound sensitivity to raw ingredients. The menu, titled “Oscillations,” is divided into two paths: the “surprise” tasting, recommended for those already familiar with the chef’s cuisine who wish to discover new creations, and the selection of classic dishes, which we honestly always enjoy immensely. Both can be ordered as seven or nine courses (€140 and €160). A shorter tasting option called 4 and ½ is also available. The signature dish, Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe served in a bladder, can be added to any menu. Overall, all the first courses are particularly interesting, reflecting the chef’s meticulous work on cooking techniques. The dining room, masterfully managed by Giancarlo Camanini, is an essential part of the experience: attentive hospitality, perfect pacing, and a noteworthy, high-level beverage list. The setting, situated between garden and water, adds a lasting dimension to the visit. A destination that continues to evolve while remaining true to itself, reaffirming its central place in Italian fine dining.
High quality cooking
What makes it special?Lido 84 serves quintessentially Italian food – just not as you know it. Years of research into local ingredients, old recipe books and international cooking techniques, combined with a penchant for art in all its forms and a deep-held belief in putting the customer first, have turned Riccardo and Giancarlo Camanini’s restaurant into a masterpiece. A view to remember:The restaurant is perched over Lake Garda in a charming old building that was once a lido – in Italy, a beach club for vacationing families. The Camaninis bought the building in 2013 and transformed it into a restaurant, with the dining room now dotted with eclectic pieces of art. When the weather is good, tables are set up on the terrace outside, directly overlooking the lake’s tranquil waters, with Giancarlo as the warm host ensuring each client feels looked after. The signature dish?Riccardo, the chef half of the duo, is known for constantly adding new dishes to the tasting and a la carte menus based on his latest findings. However, a few recipes have gained semi-permanent status, the most famous of which is the Rigatoni Cacio e Pepe en Vessie. An almost poetic ode to craftmanship and the highest-quality products, it sees the pasta cooked in a pig’s bladder in a process that must be assessed blindly, touching the bladder to judge whether it may be ready. The bladders’ juices, gently shaken by specialist cooks, form an emulsion with the cheese, lending perfect creaminess to the final dish. Swift rise:Lido 84 made its mark on the global culinary scene in 2019, when it was chosen to receive the One To Watch Award. It then debuted on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2021 at No.15, picking up the Highest New Entry Award. In 2025, it’s in the No.16 position.
Location
Facebook
Instagram
X