ristorazione — Malcesine · Veneto
Malcesine, on the Verona shore of Lake Garda, keeps one of its quietest stretches for the Paina district: here since 1988 a restaurant-pizzeria has grown up on the water, with the Castello Scaligero (Scaliger Castle) watching from a distance and the lido's sun loungers laid out on the lawn.
Two hundred metres from the historic centre of Malcesine, Lido Paina is reached on foot along the shore, amid the rustle of water and cypresses. The building brings together restaurant, pizzeria, bar and private beach in a single stretch overlooking the lake: a lakeside vocation that has lasted since 1988.
The dining room extends outdoors to tables set almost on the water, with a view that takes in the gulf, the Castello Scaligero and the Isola dell'Olivo (Olive Island). The family-run character shows in the service: warm and attentive without being intrusive, as guests who return season after season to Garda consistently note in their reviews.
The kitchen works with fish from both lake and sea: very fresh crudi, linguine with clams, scialatielli allo scoglio (pasta with mixed seafood), octopus. Among the most talked-about dishes are tagliolini with pistachio cream, diced tuna and lemon-scented ricotta. Alongside, wood-fired pizza — served non-stop — completes the circle with a light touch.
From terrace to plate, Lido Paina tells the story of Garda with simplicity and precision. The full page is a click away.
