The story
Just outside the centre of Lugano, in a quiet garden, Grotto della Salute has been guarding the authenticity of Ticinese tradition since the late 1800s. Today, that identity lives on in a contemporary kitchen that respects the quality of its raw ingredients.
The restaurant’s name — “Grotto of Health” — hints at its origins as a traditional Ticinese grotto, a rustic stone cellar where locals would gather for wine and simple food. The setting remains intimate, with elegant rooms and an outdoor space that feels secluded, a short walk from the city.
Chef Fabio Barbaglini started working in kitchens on Lake Maggiore at 14. He refined his skills in Switzerland and in several international Michelin-starred restaurants before opening “Caffè Groppi” in Trecate at 23, earning a Michelin star in 2003. Since 2022, he has been Executive Chef at Grotto della Salute, leading a kitchen that brings a contemporary vision to Ticinese tradition. His cooking is rooted in the classic dishes of the region, but the execution is precise and modern — the kind of thoughtful, ingredient-driven work that earned the restaurant a Michelin Bib Gourmand, recognising good quality, good value cooking.
The menu is built around seasonal ingredients and Ticinese staples. Antipasti include a classic vitello tonnato, Cantabrian anchovies with roasted peppers, and a beef tartare with black truffle and grana. The primi section features ricotta and buckwheat gnocchetti in a fondue of alpine cheeses, tagliolini with a white ragù of luganighetta sausage, and casoncelli — a stuffed pasta typical of the region. Secondi range from a seared tuna loin with tomato, spring onion and chilli, to braised beef cheek in red wine with polenta from the Mulino di Maroggia, and calf’s liver prepared according to the grotto’s tradition.
The cellar holds over 350 labels, with a strong focus on Ticino, Italy and France. Local producers sit alongside the great classics, and the list is built for pairing with the kitchen’s contemporary Mediterranean cuisine.
Grotto della Salute also hosts art exhibitions — in 2024, the works of Marco Tamburro were on display — and offers private dining rooms for events, making it as much a local gathering place as it has been for over a century.
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good quality, good value cooking
Just because it says "Grotto" doesn't mean it has to be a traditional one. This is already evident from the cars parked haphazardly in the alleys in front of the "Salute": Porsches and Rolls-Royces, Ferraris and Lamborghinis all make an appearance here. True, the vast restaurant with its stepped terraces, located somewhat away from central Lugano, does feature a few classics on the menu: brasato with red wine sauce and polenta. XXL portions of meatballs with gravy and mashed potatoes. Torta della nonna for dessert. But Lugano's wealthy, beautiful, and high-society patrons come above all thanks to chef Fabio Barbaglini, who knows how to do things differently. For instance, with his skillful reinterpretation of two classics: the "Fegato di vitello secondo tradizione del Grotto," which is essentially paper-thin veal liver carpaccio served with a refined egg and mustard sauce. Or the "Capretto," a trendy hamburger served with zucchini fritters. The real hit on the menu, however, is the "Casoncelli del Grotto": ravioli in the Bergamo style, elegantly presented, stuffed with meat and sausage, and topped with diced pancetta and Parmigiano. Host Gianalberto Meregalli curates the venerable wine cellar: "We have moved away from big-name labels and now focus on small producers from Ticino, Italy, and France.
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