Eating between Germignaga and Caldè
The short answer: this is the stretch most guests drive straight through – which is exactly why dinner here is calmer than on the waterfront in Luino. For wood-fired pizza go to Il Boschetto in Germignaga, for dinner with a wine list to Al Cortiletto in Brezzo di Bedero, for children and dogs to the farm at La Betulla, for lake fish with a view to Montesole in Porto Valtravaglia – and if you want to sit right on the water, drive the extra ten minutes to Caldè.
Seven addresses along the twenty kilometres south of Luino – a working farm, two trattorias, wood-fired pizza and one place right on the harbour at Caldè.
By town: Just past Luino: Germignaga and Brezzo di Bedero · Porto Valtravaglia · Right on the water: Caldè
Just past Luino: Germignaga and Brezzo di Bedero
Eight to eleven kilometres from Maccagno – a short drive, not an outing.
Ristorante Pizzeria Il Boschetto
Germignaga, Via Goffredo Mameli 14 – wood-fired pizza and fish
The best-rated place in Germignaga by a clear margin. What reviewers praise most is the dough – thin, light, easy on the stomach – and the fritto misto. There is a park with a playground next door, which makes an evening with children considerably calmer. Parking is not an issue. Google Maps
Ristorante al Cortiletto
Brezzo di Bedero, Via Roma 43 – Italian, long wine list
Number one in the village and steadily rated that way for years. Classic Italian-Mediterranean cooking, and a wine selection that is unusual for a place this size. Closed Sundays. Phone 0332 530 151. Google Maps
Agriturismo La Betulla
Brezzo di Bedero, Via Belmonte 50 – farm kitchen
A real farm with cows, goats and a horse, free parking and dogs expressly welcome. On the plate: handmade ravioli, lasagne, pizza and goat-milk ice cream. Ratings are more mixed than for the others here – you come for the place, not for the stars. With children it is the best afternoon on this list. Google Maps
Porto Valtravaglia
About 14 kilometres from Maccagno, a good fifteen minutes. The town has its own station on the line to Laveno.
Ristorante Montesole
Viale Repubblica 85 – lake fish and pizza, with a view
Open since 1985 and the busiest house in town – more than six hundred guest reviews say as much. The focus is fish from the lake, with pizza alongside. Service and the view get the praise. Phone 0332 549 542. Google Maps
Trattoria Del Maglio
Via Enrico Girelli 19 – trattoria
Small, family-run, with its own cured meats and desserts that reviewers credit to the signora by name. Portions are generous in the literal sense. If you want northern Italian country cooking rather than a lakeside promenade, this is it. Google Maps
Trattoria Il Ritrovo
Via della Parrocchia 2 – a simple lunch
The cheap, unfussy lunch option: set menu, big plates, no pretence at more. Under new management since 2024, and recent reviews are mixed – we list it because it is the honest midday choice in town, not because it would be the best evening. Google Maps
Right on the water: Caldè
The hamlet of Castelveccana with the small harbour, the pebble beach and the old lime kiln – about 17 kilometres from Maccagno.
Soul Kitchen
Piazza Lago 1, Caldè – fish and pasta, on the harbour
Right on the harbour square; you cannot get closer to the water on this stretch. Octopus, gnocchi and generous portions get the praise; service at peak times occasionally gets the criticism. Closed Wednesdays. Pairs well with an afternoon on the beach at Caldè. Google Maps
What to know about this stretch
- We are not paid by any of these places. No commission, no partnership, nothing in return.
- An older restaurant guide lists two houses here that no longer exist in that form. On Piazza Imbarcadero in Porto Valtravaglia, where Andreas used to be, there is now the Bistrot Imbarcadero – whether it is the same business under a new name, we do not know. And Level Concept Sushi in Brezzo di Bedero no longer appears in any current listing. We therefore recommend neither.
- You will not find opening hours here. They change too often, and even more so off season. Call ahead or check Google Maps.
- Closing days, as far as we know: Al Cortiletto on Sundays, Soul Kitchen on Wednesdays.
- The shore road is winding. It is under twenty kilometres from Maccagno to Caldè, but the SP69 curls along the hillside. Allow more time than the distance suggests, particularly in July and August.
- Germignaga, Porto Valtravaglia and Caldè all have railway stations. The Luino–Laveno line stops everywhere – so you can get there and back without the car if wine is on the table. Check the timetable first; evening services thin out.
Questions about the shore south of Luino
How far is Porto Valtravaglia from THE CAMP?
About 14 kilometres south of Maccagno on the same shore, a good fifteen minutes by car along the lake road. Porto Valtravaglia also has a station on the Luino–Laveno line.
Where can you eat right on the water south of Luino?
At Soul Kitchen, Piazza Lago 1 in Caldè, a hamlet of Castelveccana. It sits directly on the small harbour. Closed Wednesdays. You cannot get closer to the water on this stretch.
Is there a restaurant here that suits children and dogs?
Yes – Agriturismo La Betulla, Via Belmonte 50 in Brezzo di Bedero. A working farm with cows, goats and a horse, free parking and dogs expressly welcome. For children the farm itself is the entertainment. Il Boschetto in Germignaga is also family-friendly, right next to a park with a playground.
Which restaurant between Luino and Laveno has the best ratings?
Ristorante al Cortiletto in Brezzo di Bedero, Via Roma 43, at around 4.4 out of 5. It is the clear number one in its village. Closed Sundays, phone 0332 530 151.
Does Andreas Ristorante in Porto Valtravaglia still exist?
At Piazza Imbarcadero 2, the address of the old Andreas, you will now find Bistrot Imbarcadero – a bar and bistro with breakfast, aperitivo and a kitchen. Whether it is the same business under a new name we could not establish. We do not list it as a recommendation.