Boutique Hotel Elisabetta

The story

Ristorante Al Braciere, Locarno | Gault & Millau Recognized Italian-French Dining

The Kitchen and Its Creator

Chef Luca Fabbro directs the kitchen at Ristorante Al Braciere within Boutique Hotel Elisabetta, where his approach to Italian-French cuisine blends personal history with disciplined technique. After a two-year global journey between 2016 and 2018, he returned to his family property in Ronco near Locarno to transform a modest pension into a focused dining room. He now layers those international observations onto classic regional practices, keeping every preparation grounded in familiar methods. This steady evolution secured fourteen points from Gault & Millau in their 2026 guide.

Plates That Define the Menu

The salmon tartare arrives raw and precise, resting on toasted focaccia alongside pickled onions and a tangy sour cream base. Guests often follow with radiatori pasta carrying a rich Luganighetta ragout finished with fresh garden herbs. A second course might feature the veal backstrap served with a dense morel cream sauce and triple-cooked crispy potatoes. This approach to Italian and French cooking balances structure with seasonal ingredients, while the apple millefeuille closes the meal with sour cream ice cream and delicate honeycomb shards.

Views and Dining Space

Large windows frame the slopes leading down to Lake Maggiore, turning every table into a quiet observation point. The interior keeps lighting low and materials warm, creating a setting that feels polished without being stiff. An extensive wine list runs alongside the menu, offering both local Ticino selections and broader European labels. Diners typically reserve the outdoor terrace during warmer months to match the regional Italian and French cooking with the lake breeze.