On our trip through Switzerland, my family and I found ourselves in that awkward in-between meal time when most restaurants are closed. After traveling from Grindelwald to Lugano and making a quick stop at the Foxtown outlet, we needed to find somewhere to eat before heading to our hotel. Most places in Switzerland have this “break time” where they don’t open until 5 PM, which made finding food quite challenging. That’s when we happened to pass by Osteria Soldati, a local Italian restaurant in Lugano.
Turns out, it wasn’t exactly open for food orders either (more on that later), but this unexpected find turned into one of our most memorable dining experiences in Lugano!
Location of This Hidden Lugano Restaurant Gem
We were staying at the Kurhaus Cademario Hotel & Spa, which sits on a hill overlooking Lugano. Osteria Soldati is located at the foot of this same hill, making it conveniently close to our accommodation. We drove there in our rental car, but had to park a bit further away since there wasn’t any parking directly in front of the restaurant.
The place blends so perfectly into the local neighborhood that you might walk right past it if you weren’t paying attention. But trust me, you don’t wanna miss this spot!
Opening Hours: Not Quite What We Expected
Osteria Soldati operates as both a café and a bar, so it’s open from early morning until late night. However, they’re closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly.
Here’s where things got interesting for us. We arrived around 5 PM thinking the restaurant was fully open (since people were sitting inside), but after finding a table, we discovered that food orders weren’t available until 6 PM. Since other restaurants would likely have the same situation, we decided to wait and ordered drinks in the meantime.
The staff were super nice, though! While waiting, they told us we could order salads right away, so we got drinks and a salad to start.
Menu and Prices at Osteria Soldati
The menu was entirely in Italian, which… well, wasn’t super helpful for us! We had to use Google Translate to figure out what everything was. The staff didn’t speak fluent English either, but we managed to communicate without too much trouble. That’s part of the charm of Lugano, really – unlike the German-speaking northern Switzerland, this region is firmly in Italian cultural territory, so English isn’t as widely spoken.
Pro tip: The menu is divided into separate sections for main dishes, pizzas, and drinks, so make sure to check all sections before ordering. Some of the best options might be hiding in corners you didn’t expect!
Restaurant Atmosphere
The interior of Osteria Soldati was cozy and bustling with locals. Since it wasn’t dinner service time yet, most people were enjoying coffee or casual drinks. The ambiance felt authentic – not like those tourist traps that you sometimes find in popular destinations.
It was so nice seeing locals chatting away in Italian, enjoying their afternoon drinks. Made us feel like we discovered something genuine, ya know?
What We Ordered (and What You Should Try!)
We started with non-alcoholic beer for myself and a glass of wine for my sister. The house salad came first – it was generous in portion and really fresh, perfect for nibbling while we waited for the main service to begin.
Just before 6 PM, a staff member came by to let us know we could order dinner a bit early. We quickly decided on three dishes:
- Saffron Risotto with Veal: The saffron-infused risotto had a rich, savory flavor that was pretty impressive, and the portion was more than enough. The veal that came with it was… honestly just OK, nothing special. But that risotto? Worth ordering just for that golden goodness!
- Carbonara Spaghetti: The carbonara tasted familiar but was a bit thicker than what I’m used to. If the sauce had been slightly thinner, it would’ve been perfect. Still, it was satisfying in that homestyle Italian way.
- Margherita Pizza: We went with the most basic pizza option, and it didn’t disappoint. Crispy crust from their wood-fired oven gave it that authentic Italian taste. Sometimes the simplest things really are the best, aren’t they?
While the food wasn’t mind-blowingly amazing by Italian restaurant standards, it was definitely satisfying considering we found it in a pinch. The friendly staff made the experience even better, helping us end our day’s journey on a positive note.
Is Osteria Soldati Worth Visiting?
Honestly? Yes! Not because it’s the absolute best restaurant in Lugano (I’m sure there are fancier options), but because it offers that perfect combination of convenience, authentic atmosphere, and solid food that makes for a memorable travel experience.
Sometimes the restaurants you stumble upon by chance turn out to be the ones you remember most fondly. That was definitely the case with Osteria Soldati for us.
If you’re staying near Cademario or exploring the hills around Lugano, this place makes for a great dinner stop. Just remember to check their actual food service hours… or be prepared to enjoy some drinks and salad while you wait!
