Lake Garda where to eat while spending little: cheap guide

Eating well at Garda without spending a fortune

Lake Garda may seem like an expensive destination, but with the right tricks you can eat great without emptying your wallet. From hidden trattorias to agriturismi, from street food to local markets-here’s how to enjoy the best of Garda cuisine at affordable prices.

Rule No. 1: Move away from the lakefront

The first rule is universal: restaurants with a direct view of the lake, in the more tourist centers, have higher prices. Just move one or two streets inland to find trattorias where locals eat, with more generous portions and honest prices. In Sirmione, Malcesine and Limone this advice is worth its weight in gold.

Farmhouses: the best value for money

Inland Garda agritourisms are Garda’s best-kept secret. Cooking with their own products, generous portions, and prices from 15 to 25€ for a full meal (appetizer, first course, main course, side dish, dessert, and house wine). Best areas:

Valtenesi (hills behind Moniga and Padenghe): Brescian cuisine with PDO oil and Groppello wine
Veronese hills (behind Bardolino and Lazise): Veronese cuisine with Bardolino wine
Trentino hinterland (surroundings of Arco): Trentino cuisine with canederli and carne salada

Trattorias and taverns: where the locals eat

Look for simple signs, handwritten menus, and tables without linen tablecloths. Here are some area-by-area tips:

Upper lake: trattorias in Riva and Torbole offer daily menus for €10-15 with first course, second course and side dish
Brescian shore: the taverns of Gargnano and Toscolano-Maderno are less touristy and more authentic
Veronese shore: trattorias in Torri del Benaco and Brenzone serve lake fish at reasonable prices

Lunch is cheaper than dinner

Almost all Garda restaurants offer the lunch menu of the day at much lower prices than in the evening. A first course of bigoli con le sarde that costs 14€ at dinner can drop to 8-10€ on the lunch menu. Take advantage of this for the main meal and in the evening opt for an aperitif with appetizers or a pizza.

Pizza: always a good idea

Garda pizzerias offer good quality pizzas for 7-12€. Each village has its own pizzeria of reference. In Desenzano, Riva, and Arco you will find pizzerias with wood-fired ovens that satisfy even the most discerning palates.

Street food and take-out food

Homemade ice cream: 2.50-4€ for a cone. Look for ice cream shops with their own production
Flatbreads and bakeries: flatbreads, pizzas and sandwiches with local products at 3-5€
Fried fish: in some localities, fishmongers offer fried bleak for takeout
Porchetta and arrosticini: at summer markets and festivals

Markets: zero-mile flavors

Weekly markets are perfect for stocking up on local produce for a lake-view picnic:

Monday: Peschiera, Salò
Tuesday: Desenzano (one of the largest in Lombardy)
Wednesday: Bardolino, Riva del Garda
Thursday: Toscolano-Maderno
Friday: Garda, Arco
Saturday: Lazise, Malcesine, Limone

Fruit, cheese, cold cuts, fresh bread and a bottle of local wine: the perfect picnic at Garda costs less than €15 for two people.

Festivals: celebration and food for all

In summer, Garda is enlivened by village festivals where people eat well at popular prices. The most famous is the Festa del Nodo d’Amore (Love Knot Festival) in Valeggio sul Mincio (June), where thousands of people dine on the bridge with handmade tortellini. But every village has its own festival: from the Festa dell’Uva in Bardolino to the Notte delle Streghe in San Felice.

Cooking in the apartment

If you are staying in an apartment, take advantage of the markets and local produce stores for cooking. Fresh lake fish (whitefish, pike, trout), extra virgin Garda DOP olive oil, Desenzano bread, and garden vegetables are extraordinary ingredients that require little processing to become a memorable meal.