Restaurant in Costermano, Italy
La Casa degli Spiriti
290ptsRegional cooking, serious wine, easy to book.
About La Casa degli Spiriti
A nearly 30-year-old family-run farmhouse above Lake Garda with a Michelin Plate kitchen, two dining formats, and 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.
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, and the combination of a Michelin Plate kitchen, a 1,300-label wine cellar, and 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, and 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
- Google Reviews: 4.5 from 866 reviews , a large sample for a rural Veronese address, suggesting genuine repeat and tourist traffic
- 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 |
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Compare La Casa degli Spiriti
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Casa degli Spiriti | The Chignola family has been welcoming guests in this beautiful, restored farmhouse – a luxurious residence with one of the best views of Lake Garda – for almost 30 years. The ground-floor restaurant occupies a veranda surrounded by greenery facing the lake, where young chef Filippo (following in his father’s footsteps), together with his brother, sommelier Lorenzo, offers his guests an enjoyable dining experience with its roots in the cuisine of the region. The first-floor terrace is home to the Osteria Spiritino, which is more informal in both its cuisine and atmosphere. The remarkable wine cellar is housed in a room adorned with 18C frescoes and boasts more than 1 300 labels, with a particular focus on champagnes.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | €€€€ | — |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Dal Pescatore | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Osteria Francescana | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Quattro Passi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Reale | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Costermano for this tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Casa degli Spiriti good for a special occasion?
Yes, and it's one of the stronger cases on Lake Garda for exactly that. The restored farmhouse setting, veranda overlooking the lake, and 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, and the value proposition holds if you're combining food, wine, and 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, and 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, and 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.
Can I eat at the bar at La Casa degli Spiriti?
The venue database does not confirm a standalone bar or counter dining option in the main restaurant. The more informal alternative on-site is Osteria Spiritino on the first-floor terrace, which operates with a lighter menu and a less formal atmosphere. That's the practical option for guests who want a shorter, more spontaneous visit rather than a full-length dinner in the veranda restaurant.
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.
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