Suspended between green and blue, in a position that gives peace and light, La Fontana restaurant represents the gastronomic heart of the Hotel Belvedere in Locarno. More than an in-house service, it is a recognized and appreciated address beyond the hotel walls: open year-round, every day, from 12:00 pm to 9:30 pm, it combines the versatility of a cuisine open to every occasion with the elegance of a consistent, seasonal, and never boring menu. A balance of form and substance that translates into dishes designed to welcome, tell a story, and leave a lasting impression.
The new menu is designed by Rosario Stipo, who recently took over the brigade. This internal handover is in the spirit of continuity. Originally from Basilicata, but raised in Piedmont, Lombardy, and the great Alpine cuisines, Stipo brings a personal vision of authenticity and flavor, balancing Mediterranean identity with local ingredients. "My cuisine is authentic, distinctive, and traditional," he explains. "I love starting with a few select and recognizable elements to achieve harmony.
The menu offers traditionally inspired dishes, carefully and respectfully revisited, alongside vegetarian, vegan, and special dietary options. The wine selection showcases the region, with a wide selection of Ticino and Swiss labels, alongside renowned Italian and French labels. The discreet, elegant service by Davide Ferraris and his knowledgeable team completes the experience within a simple space, with an open kitchen and a terrace overlooking the garden, where summer evenings alternate between live concerts and a relaxed atmosphere.
But the Hotel Belvedere's gastronomic vocation doesn't end in the restaurant: it extends to more convivial options, such as the "Tavolata" (table party) for sharing with friends, to evening aperitifs, and even banquets for private and corporate events, always with a focus on quality and customization. The combination creates a comprehensive offering, consistent with the hotel's identity: elegant yet accessible, practical yet open to engaging with contemporary trends.
A sign of this growing positioning came with its official entry into the S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino circuit, a leading event for international haute cuisine. After its experience at the 2024 Young Chef Night, La Fontana was the protagonist of one of the Official Nights on October 14, 2025, welcoming Brazilian chef Luiz Filipe Souza, a two-Michelin-starred chef with his restaurant Evvai in São Paulo, into its kitchen. It was a comparison of different gastronomic cultures, united by a shared sensibility for balance and creativity. "It was an important evening," Stipo commented. "Souza works with regional Brazilian ingredients linked to Italian tradition: a meeting point that feels very close to my own cuisine."
For director Michele Rinaldini, the goal is to strengthen the restaurant's identity as an integral part of a broader experience: "The hotel offers hospitality, well-being, and culture. The restaurant must be consistent with all of this. Rosario's cuisine, his way of working with the team, and his attention to detail are exactly what is needed to enhance La Fontana and guide its evolution. It's not about changing direction, but about growing with balance, listening to the local area and the needs of our guests."
In the Locarno landscape, between lake, city, and nature, you don't just come to La Fontana for food: you come to rediscover a slower pace, to be surprised by a flavor, to experience a moment of beauty. In a Ticino that still knows how to amaze.
