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La Casa degli Spiriti
Modern Cuisine · Costermano
Restaurant in Costermano, Italy
Book with PearlThe Read
Lakeside Farmhouse Regional Table
Price
€€€€
Dress
Formal
Why go
A nearly 30-year-old family-run farmhouse above Lake Garda with a Michelin Plate kitchen, two dining formats, a 1,300-label wine cellar that justifies the €€€€ price tag on its own. Easier to book than its reputation and setting suggest, making it a practical anchor for any Lake Garda itinerary where wine matters as much as food.
About La Casa degli Spiriti
Verdict
La Casa degli Spiriti is easier to book than its setting and reputation suggest. The Chignola family has been running this restored farmhouse above Lake Garda for nearly 30 years, the combination of a Michelin Plate kitchen, a 1,300-label wine cellar, a veranda facing the lake puts it in a tier that regularly books out weeks in advance at comparable addresses. Here, for a €€€€ price point, you get two distinct dining options under one roof; the main restaurant downstairs and the more relaxed Osteria Spiritino on the first-floor terrace; which makes it a flexible choice for travellers who want quality without a fixed ceremony.
What to Expect
The ground-floor restaurant operates from a veranda surrounded by greenery with Lake Garda visible from most seats. The atmosphere is calm and considered rather than hushed or formal, think a well-run family dining room with serious cooking, not a stage set for a tasting-menu performance. Chef Filippo, who trained under his father and now leads the kitchen alongside his brother Lorenzo (the sommelier), keeps the menu rooted in regional Veronese and Lombard ingredients. The cooking earns a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, which signals consistent, accomplished technique without the theatrical ambition of a starred kitchen.
The wine programme is a genuine differentiator. More than 1,300 labels, with a particular focus on Champagne, housed in a room lined with 18th-century frescoes, this is not a backup wine list built to complement a strong kitchen. It is a destination in itself. For a guest who travels partly for wine depth, this alone justifies the trip over similarly priced Lake Garda contemporaries. If you are booking primarily to drink well, ask Lorenzo to guide the pairing; his involvement is a structural advantage that most restaurants at this price point cannot match.
Osteria Spiritino upstairs runs on a different register: lighter dishes, a more informal atmosphere, lake views from the terrace. If the main restaurant is fully booked or if your group wants a lower-commitment evening, this is a practical alternative rather than a consolation prize. The two-venue structure within one address is what makes La Casa degli Spiriti work for explorers and itinerary planners, you can calibrate the formality of your evening without changing your reservation.
Who Should Book
This is the right choice for food and wine travellers on a Lake Garda itinerary who want regional cooking with serious wine access and a view that most city restaurants cannot offer. It is not the address for someone chasing stars or avant-garde technique, for that, Osteria Francescana in Modena or Le Calandre in Rubano are the right moves. But for a long lunch or an unhurried dinner where the wine list is as important as the plate, La Casa degli Spiriti delivers disproportionate depth for a lakeside venue. Couples and small groups of four or fewer will get the most from the veranda setting.
Ratings & Trust Signals
- Michelin Plate: 2024 and 2025, consistent recognition for quality cooking without starred-level pressure
- Wine Cellar: 1,300+ labels with an 18th-century frescoed room, verifiable and documented
- Family operation: Almost 30 years at the same address under the Chignola family
Booking & Practical Details
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. The main restaurant warrants a reservation, particularly for weekend evenings and peak summer months when Lake Garda tourism is at its height. The Osteria Spiritino upstairs may offer more flexibility for walk-in or last-minute bookings, though confirming in advance is advisable. No phone or website data is available in our records, check current contact details via Google or a hotel concierge on the ground. The address is Via Monte Baldo 28, Costermano sul Garda, Verona.
| Venue | Price Tier | Booking Ease | Michelin Recognition | Wine Programme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Casa degli Spiriti | €€€€ | Easy | Plate (2025) | 1,300+ labels, Champagne focus |
| Dal Pescatore | €€€€ | Harder | 3 Stars | Strong Italian cellar |
| Quattro Passi | €€€€ | Moderate | 2 Stars | Southern Italian focus |
| Reale | €€€€ | Moderate | 3 Stars | Progressive Italian |
| Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli | €€€€ | Moderate | 2 Stars | Veneto focus |
Explore More
- Our full Costermano restaurants guide
- Our full Costermano hotels guide
- Our full Costermano bars guide
- Our full Costermano wineries guide
- Our full Costermano experiences guide
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- Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence
- Piazza Duomo in Alba
- Enrico Bartolini in Milan
- Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico
- Frantzén in Stockholm
- Maison Lameloise in Chagny
Planning details
- Location
- Via Monte Baldo, 28, 37010 Costermano sul Garda VR, Italy
- Website
- casadeglispiriti.it
- Phone
- +39 045 620 0766
The take
The Take
The Vibe
La Casa degli Spiriti sits like a restored farmhouse perched above Lake Garda, its thick walls and frescoed interiors bearing the quiet authority of long use. The family-run house — welcoming guests for nearly three decades — feels both cultivated and unforced: mature greenery frames a ground-floor veranda that opens onto sweeping water views, and the approach through olive groves and dry-stone terraces sets a pastoral tone. The result is a rustic-classic charm that reads as serene and intimate rather than theatrical, a place where northern Italian refinement meets the unpretentious materiality of an old country house.
Best For
This is a destination for evenings when the setting matters as much as the food. The restaurant’s fine-dining posture and Michelin Plate recognition make it well suited to date nights, special occasions and business dinners that call for a composed, scenic environment. Groups and celebratory parties also find footing here, thanks to the roomy farmhouse layout and terrace that frames the lake. The house’s focus on regionally rooted produce and lake fish means dinners lean deliberate and seasonal, so evenings are best spent lingering over multiple courses and local wines.
Ordering Tips
The menu leans on Lake Garda’s pantry, so prioritize the seafood signatures highlighted in the description: Sensazione di Mare, the Gran fritto di dieci tipologie di pesci e crostacei, and the linguine trafilate al bronzo with Alghero lobster. Expect dishes that showcase freshwater fish, local olive oil and Monte Baldo herbs; pairing with Valpolicella and other local wines amplifies the regional thread. Given the kitchen’s serious standing in the regional fine-dining conversation, ordering courses that trace the lake-to-table narrative provides the clearest sense of the restaurant’s culinary intent.
Venue details
Ambiance
Elegant and refined with a sophisticated veranda overlooking the lake; warm, welcoming service creates an atmosphere that balances formality with genuine hospitality.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
View
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Formal
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Formal
- Meal Pacing
- Extended Experience
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
- Sensazione di Mare
- Gran fritto di dieci tipologie di pesci e crostacei
- Linguine trafilate al bronzo con aragosta di Alghero
Planning details
Location
Via Monte Baldo, 28, 37010 Costermano sul Garda VR, Italy · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler; Italian, Creative, €€€€
- Dal Pescatore; Italian, Italian Contemporary, €€€€
- Osteria Francescana; Progressive Italian, Creative, €€€€
- Quattro Passi; Italian, Mediterranean Cuisine, €€€€
- Reale; Progressive Italian, Modern Cuisine, €€€€
Restaurant context
At €€€€, La Casa degli Spiriti sits in the same price bracket as some of Italy's most decorated kitchens, but it is not competing on Michelin star count. If you are building a northern Italy itinerary around starred cooking, Dal Pescatore in Runate (three Michelin stars) is the clear benchmark for Italian contemporary cooking at the top tier, Osteria Francescana in Modena remains the reference point for creative progressive Italian. Both are harder to book and demand more planning. La Casa degli Spiriti's advantage is accessibility; rated Easy for booking difficulty; and the wine programme, which neither of those addresses matches in terms of sheer label depth or the cellar experience itself.
Within the lake and Veneto region, Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli in Verona is the sharper choice for guests who want a two-star kitchen within an hour of Lake Garda. It outranks La Casa degli Spiriti on kitchen prestige. But if the view, the setting, the sommelier-led wine experience are priorities, La Casa degli Spiriti delivers something Casa Perbellini cannot. Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone (two stars) and Reale in Castel di Sangro (three stars) are both further south and a different trip entirely; better suited to dedicated culinary travel than a Lake Garda holiday with a serious dinner.
The bottom line: book La Casa degli Spiriti if regional cooking, wine depth, a lakeside farmhouse setting are your priorities. Book Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico if you want creative Italian cooking with a strong sustainability credential. Book Dal Pescatore if star count is the deciding factor and you can secure the reservation. La Casa degli Spiriti wins on atmosphere, wine access, ease of booking; which, for many Lake Garda travellers, is exactly the right combination.
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Compare La Casa degli Spiriti
| Venue | Awards | Price |
|---|---|---|
| La Casa degli Spiriti | 2026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2026 Michelin Plate2025 Michelin Plate2024 Michelin Plate | €€€€ |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #92026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 Michelin 3 Stars2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #202025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #362025 The Best Chef Three Knives2025 Michelin 3 Stars2025 La Liste Top Restaurants | €€€€ |
| Dal Pescatore | 2026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Michelin 3 Stars2025 OAD Classical in Europe Ranked · #162025 Michelin 3 Stars2025 Relais Chateaux Award2025 La Liste Top Restaurants2024 OAD Classical in Europe Ranked · #12 | €€€€ |
| Osteria Francescana | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #212026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 Michelin 3 Stars2025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #27Chef's Table Featured Restaurants · 20252025 Michelin 3 Stars2025 The Best Chef Three Knives2025 La Liste Top Restaurants | €€€€ |
| Quattro Passi | 2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Michelin 3 Stars2025 OAD Classical in Europe Ranked · #522025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Michelin 3 Stars2024 OAD Classical in Europe Ranked · #1162024 Michelin 3 Stars2023 OAD Classical in Europe Ranked · #128 | €€€€ |
| Reale | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #222026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Michelin 3 Stars2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #182025 OAD Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked · #25We're Smart World Top 100 2025We're Smart World Top Restaurants 20252025 La Liste Top Restaurants | €€€€ |
Comparing your options in Costermano for this tier.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Casa degli Spiriti good for a special occasion?
Yes, it's one of the stronger cases on Lake Garda for exactly that. The restored farmhouse setting, veranda overlooking the lake, a wine cellar with over 1,300 labels in a room decorated with 18th-century frescoes give the occasion genuine substance. At €€€€ pricing with a Michelin Plate (2025), it reads as considered rather than merely expensive. For a lower-key celebration, the first-floor Osteria Spiritino offers the same family's hospitality at a more relaxed register.
Is the tasting menu worth it at La Casa degli Spiriti?
If regional Veneto cooking with serious wine access is the goal, yes. Chef Filippo Chignola's cooking is grounded in local cuisine rather than chasing international trends, which makes it more satisfying as a meal and less predictable as an experience. The wine programme, overseen by sommelier Lorenzo Chignola, is the genuine differentiator: 1,300-plus labels with a champagne focus means the pairing options are well above the regional norm. Guests who want to drive the wine selection themselves will get the most from the format.
Is La Casa degli Spiriti worth the price?
At €€€€, it sits at the top of the Lake Garda dining bracket, the value proposition holds if you're combining food, wine, setting in one booking. The Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) signals consistent kitchen quality without the scarcity premium of a starred room. Compared to Dal Pescatore or Osteria Francescana, you're paying less and getting a more relaxed experience with a view those venues can't match. It becomes poor value if you skip the wine list, which is where most of the programme's depth sits.
How far ahead should I book La Casa degli Spiriti?
Book at least two to three weeks ahead for weekday visits, four to six weeks out for Friday and Saturday evenings in peak summer (June through August), when Lake Garda accommodation and dining fills quickly. The Osteria Spiritino upstairs is more accessible and may accommodate shorter-notice requests. Booking difficulty is rated Easy relative to other €€€€ venues in northern Italy, but that rating applies outside peak season.
What should a first-timer know about La Casa degli Spiriti?
The venue splits across two distinct formats: the ground-floor veranda restaurant for the full modern cuisine experience, Osteria Spiritino on the first-floor terrace for a more informal meal. First-timers who want the wine cellar and the view should book the main restaurant. The Chignola family has been running this site for nearly 30 years, so service has the confidence of a long-established operation rather than a trendy new opening. Arrive with enough time before the meal to appreciate the setting above the lake.
What are alternatives to La Casa degli Spiriti in Costermano?
There are no direct competitors in Costermano itself at this level. The nearest meaningful comparisons are elsewhere in the region: Dal Pescatore in Canneto sull'Oglio operates at a higher price point with Michelin star recognition if you want a step up in formality; Quattro Passi on the Amalfi Coast offers a comparable family-run fine dining structure but in a different geography entirely. For Lake Garda specifically, La Casa degli Spiriti holds the regional cooking and wine combination without a close local rival at the same tier.
