The story
Locanda Orico, at via Orico 13 in Bellinzona, holds one Michelin Star (2026) for a Mediterranean kitchen that blends Italian and French habits. Chef-owner Lorenzo Albrici has run it since 1998.
Albrici worked in grand hotel kitchens in the Engadine and other Swiss cities, and was part of Frédy Girardet's brigade. He describes his cooking as light, built on very fresh products and flavors left unaltered. The à la carte changes completely with each season, and the tasting menu is renewed every month. Gault&Millau gives the restaurant 16 points (2026).
A recent tasting menu opened with raw Mediterranean purple prawn and melon, then moved to roasted monkfish in a Livornese-style stew. Durum wheat agnolotti came filled with goat cheese from the Muggio Valley, with marinated beetroot carpaccio. Veal loin was cooked pink and served with chanterelles and wild garlic purée. Alpe Bonello formagella with strawberry and rhubarb jam closed the savory courses. Since the menu turns over monthly, expect different plates on your visit. At midday, a business lunch adds a more modest way in.
The dining room is split in two, with soft light and exposed ceiling beams. The larger room seats up to 21 guests at six tables, and the smaller holds up to 10 at four. Sommeliers guide the wine list, which covers local and international bottles, and half bottles are available. Wine you cannot finish can be packed to take home.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
The "Locanda Orico", just a few meters from the Federal Criminal Court on the edge of Bellinzona's old town, is one of the finest gourmet destinations in Ticino, and Lorenzo Albrici is a quiet star. For over a quarter of a century, the Girardet-trained chef has been pairing Italian sensuality with French refinement within the elegant palazzo. The steamed chicory was harmoniously combined with delicate scampi and a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce, while the tortellini stuffed with goat cheese from the Muggio Valley atop pea purée tasted wonderful – enhanced by a butter emulsion with Maggia pepper. To the pan-seared red mullet served on glazed fennel and root vegetables, Albrici harmoniously paired a saffron zabaglione and a champagne foam. For the ultra-tender Pata Negra pork chops, he perfectly matched black garlic, spring vegetables, and Bintje potato rounds topped with braised Tropea onions. A seasonally appropriate rhubarb variation brought the heavenly conclusion.
Location
Instagram