Every seat at the long tables under the pergola thickly entwined with vines is occupied and yet it is surprisingly quiet. Every now and then a “mmmhhh” or a happy murmur – otherwise, gluttonous silence reigns. Silvia and Renato serve 20,000 portions of porcini risotto every year, because hardly anyone who comes here orders anything else. After all, it would be a sin to spurn the Gobbis risotto. It is considered the best risotto in Ticino. It’s just right, has the right bite and yet is creamy and smooth. How this perfect consistency is achieved is a family secret that is not revealed despite pleading and begging. Renato and Silvia’s father, who was actually an electrician but a passionate hobby cook, brought the recipe from Piedmont and tinkered with it until it was perfect. Everything else in the Centovalli house is also pretty close to perfection. The old house, now run by the third generation of the Gobbi family, was renovated a few years ago without losing its charm: The stucco and the old columns are still visible and in beautiful harmony with the modern artworks by artists from the region. The ten rooms are modern and tastefully furnished, some with their own terrace. So it’s not only worth coming here to eat risotto.
6652 Tegna/Ponte Brolla
phone: +41 91 796 14 44
mon + tue closed
wed - sun 12.00 - 1.30 pm + 6.30 - 9.30 pm
