Restaurant in Lugano, Switzerland
Michelin star, lake terrace, serious wine list.
THE VIEW holds a Michelin 1 Star (2024) and operates a serious 800-label wine list in Paradiso, just south of Lugano's centre. Italian Contemporary cooking with a seasonal Mediterranean and Swiss lean, at €€€€ pricing. Book three to four weeks out for terrace seats in warm weather — this is one of Lugano's hardest tables to secure and one of its few credentialed fine dining options.
Getting a table at THE VIEW is genuinely competitive. This is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paradiso, just south of Lugano's centre, with lake views that draw visitors well in advance of their trips. If you are planning a visit for a weekend evening or during the warmer months when the terrace opens, expect to book at minimum three to four weeks out. The terrace is the draw in fine weather, and the leading seats go fast. If you leave this to the week before, you will likely be working with whatever remains. That booking difficulty is, in itself, a useful signal: this is not a restaurant you stumble into. It requires commitment, and based on the Michelin recognition and a Google rating of 4.2 across 327 reviews, that commitment is warranted.
THE VIEW holds a Michelin 1 Star (awarded 2024), which positions it squarely among Lugano's serious dining options and gives it a credentialed place in the broader Swiss fine dining conversation. The kitchen is led by Diego Della Schiava, whose output is described in Michelin documentation as beautifully presented cuisine rooted in seasonal ingredients, with a Mediterranean and Swiss register. The menu gives roughly equal weight to meat and fish, and the scallop tartare with sesame oil, nasturtiums, and porcini mushroom puff is one of the documented highlights. This is contemporary Italian cooking with a regional Swiss inflection — precise, produce-led, and visually careful.
For context on where THE VIEW sits in the Swiss constellation, peers earning similar recognition include Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier, Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau, Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel, Memories in Bad Ragaz, and 7132 Silver in Vals. Within that company, THE VIEW's Ticino setting and Italian-inflected approach give it a distinct identity, particularly for diners crossing into Switzerland from northern Italy or arriving via the Adriatic Italian contemporary circuit.
At €€€€ pricing, the service experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant should justify the cost not just in technical execution but in how the room is managed. Michelin's 2024 recognition covers the kitchen, but for diners weighing whether the full experience merits the spend, service polish matters as much as plate quality. The 4.2 Google score across a meaningful review sample (327 reviews) suggests broad satisfaction, though it also signals a ceiling: this is not a venue where every visit is flawless. At this price tier, comparable experiences in Switzerland — whether at Colonnade in Lucerne or L'Olivo in Anacapri for Italian contemporary benchmarking , tend to deliver tighter service consistency. THE VIEW appears to deliver well in most visits but may not match the service depth of Switzerland's higher-rated establishments. If service precision is your primary criterion, factor that in. If the combination of kitchen quality, setting, and wine depth is the draw, the price point is easier to justify.
The wine program is a substantive part of the value proposition here. The list runs to 800 selections across an inventory of 5,000 bottles, with strengths in California, France, and Italy. Wine pricing is mid-range relative to the cellar depth , there is a range from accessible bottles to premium options , and a corkage fee of $40 applies if you bring your own. For wine-focused diners, this is a meaningful differentiator against Lugano's broader fine dining set. If you are travelling with a specific bottle and want to bring it, the corkage policy makes that viable without a prohibitive surcharge.
In warm weather, the terrace at Via Guidino 29 in Paradiso is the primary reason to visit outside the dining room itself. The views over Lake Lugano and the surrounding hills are the setting Michelin inspectors would have factored into their assessment of the full experience. Book a terrace table if the forecast holds. In cooler months, the interior remains the setting, and the kitchen's seasonal ingredient focus means the menu shifts accordingly. There are no current hours on file, so confirming service times directly before booking is worth doing , Michelin-starred restaurants in Switzerland frequently operate limited service days, particularly for lunch.
Reservations: Hard to get, particularly for terrace seats in spring and summer , book three to four weeks ahead minimum. Address: Via Guidino 29, 6900 Paradiso, Switzerland (just south of central Lugano). Price range: €€€€. Wine list: 800 selections, 5,000-bottle inventory; strengths in California, France, and Italy; corkage $40. Cuisine: Italian Contemporary with Mediterranean and Swiss seasonal influences. Awards: Michelin 1 Star (2024). Google rating: 4.2 (327 reviews). For hours and booking confirmation, contact the restaurant directly, as current service schedules are not on file. See also Lugano hotels, Lugano bars, Lugano wineries, and Lugano experiences for the full picture.
Book THE VIEW if a Michelin-starred meal with a serious wine list and a lake terrace is your target for Lugano. The 2024 Michelin star is a current, credentialed signal of kitchen quality. The €€€€ pricing is steep but the wine program alone , 800 labels, $40 corkage , adds value that casual dining alternatives in the city cannot match. The service experience appears solid without being exceptional at this price tier, so calibrate expectations accordingly. For food and wine travellers building an itinerary around the Ticino region or transiting between northern Italy and German-speaking Switzerland, this is the right stop. For diners primarily motivated by service theatre over culinary depth, the spend is less obviously justified.
Also worth knowing in Lugano: Badalucci (Mediterranean), Ciani (Mediterranean), and I Due Sud (Mediterranean, €€€€).
No bar dining option is confirmed in available data. THE VIEW is a Michelin-starred restaurant with a terrace and interior dining room , the format is table service. If bar seating exists, it has not been publicly documented. Contact the restaurant directly if a more informal seating arrangement is a factor in your decision.
Book ahead , this is not a walk-in restaurant. The kitchen is Italian Contemporary with a Mediterranean and Swiss seasonal lean, holding a Michelin 1 Star earned in 2024. Prices are €€€€, so budget for a serious dinner. In fine weather, request a terrace table when booking. The wine list is a strength: 800 selections with depth in Italy, France, and California. If you are coming from Milan or the Italian lakes, THE VIEW fits well as a destination dinner; the setting in Paradiso, just south of central Lugano, adds to the case for making it an evening's focus rather than a quick stop.
At €€€€, yes , if the combination of Michelin-starred contemporary Italian cooking, a serious wine list (800 labels, 5,000-bottle inventory), and a lake terrace setting is what you are paying for. The 2024 Michelin star is a current credential, not a historical legacy. The 4.2 Google score across 327 reviews is broadly positive but suggests the experience is not uniformly flawless. Compared to Arté al Lago at €€€, you are paying a premium for the star recognition and cellar depth. If those two factors matter to your visit, the price is justified. If you want excellent food at a lower spend, Arté al Lago or Flamel at €€€ are the sensible alternatives.
Possible, but not the natural format for €€€€ solo dining. A solo visit works leading if you are a wine-focused traveller who wants to work through the list in a serious setting , the 800-label program gives you plenty of material. If solo dining at a Michelin counter with interaction is what you are after, venues with counter seating or a chef's table format would serve that better. THE VIEW's format is not confirmed as counter-friendly for solos in available data. For a solo food and wine experience in Lugano at a lower price point, Osteria Cyrano Cibo e Vino at €€€ is worth considering.
A tasting menu format is consistent with a Michelin 1 Star Italian Contemporary kitchen of this type, and the documented dish , scallop tartare with sesame oil, nasturtiums, and porcini puff , suggests the kitchen operates at a level where a multi-course progression makes sense. However, specific tasting menu pricing and structure are not confirmed in available data. Before booking with that in mind, confirm whether a tasting menu is currently offered and what it costs. At €€€€, even à la carte will reach tasting-menu spend levels for a full meal with wine.
Yes, with the right booking. A Michelin-starred restaurant with a lake terrace in Ticino is a credible choice for a significant dinner. The €€€€ price tier and the wine list depth both signal a room that is calibrated for occasion dining. Secure the terrace in warm weather; that combination of setting and kitchen quality is harder to replicate in Lugano. For comparison, I Due Sud is also €€€€ and Mediterranean-focused , THE VIEW edges it for occasion dining if the Michelin credential and wine depth matter more to your group than Mediterranean specificity.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE VIEW | Italian Contemporary | €€€€ | Hard |
| Arté al Lago | Italian, Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Unknown |
| Flamel | Contemporary | €€€ | Unknown |
| I Due Sud | Mediterranean Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| La Luce Gourmet Restaurant | Italian Cuisine | Unknown | |
| Osteria Cyrano Cibo e Vino | Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Unknown |
What to weigh when choosing between THE VIEW and alternatives.
Bar seating is not documented in the available venue information. Given the €€€€ price point and Michelin 1 Star standing, this is a reservation-first restaurant rather than a drop-in venue. check the venue's official channels before assuming walk-in bar access is an option.
Book the terrace if you're visiting in spring or summer — the Lake Lugano views are the backdrop that makes the €€€€ price feel proportionate. The 2024 Michelin star confirms the kitchen is performing at a credentialed level, and the wine list runs to 800 selections with a $40 corkage fee if you bring your own bottle. Reservations three to four weeks ahead are advisable, particularly for outdoor seating.
At €€€€, you are paying for Michelin 1 Star cooking in a lakeside setting with a serious wine list — that combination is relatively rare in Lugano. If the terrace experience and a credentialed kitchen are your target, the price holds up. If you want similar Mediterranean-leaning food at a lower price point, I Due Sud is a direct Lugano alternative worth comparing.
Nothing in the venue record rules it out, but a €€€€ Michelin-starred restaurant with a terrace-focused reputation skews toward couples and groups rather than solo visits. Solo diners who enjoy a full tasting menu format will find the kitchen credentials justify the outing; those wanting a lighter, lower-commitment meal may find it an awkward fit.
The Michelin 1 Star awarded in 2024 signals the kitchen is executing at a level that justifies a full tasting menu visit. The menu format and specific pricing are not publicly documented here, so confirm details when booking. If a structured multi-course format is your preference for Lugano, THE VIEW is the clearest credentialed option in the city right now.
Yes, particularly if you can secure a terrace table. A 2024 Michelin star, an 800-label wine list, and Lake Lugano views make this the most straightforwardly defensible special-occasion choice in Paradiso. Book three to four weeks ahead and specify outdoor seating when you reserve — the terrace is a material part of what you're paying for.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
