Montalbano

The story

Montalbano in Stabio: Contemporary Italian Cooking over the Vineyards

Montalbano, at Via Montalbano 48 in Stabio, is a contemporary Italian restaurant that earned 15 points from Gault&Millau in 2026. The Michelin guide lists it as Recommended for the same year.

Grill and kitchen

Chef Andrea Bertarini cooks around three Big Green Eggs, where meat and fish are grilled. The rib eye from the Big Egg comes with precise doneness and good roasted notes. Away from the grill, he serves breaded veal sweetbreads alla milanese with pickled onions, and a risotto with green asparagus, lime and crumbled cocoa beans. Dessert is an apricot parfait with crema bruciata, hazelnut and cinnamon.

Garden, cellar and host

The former fattoria sits among vineyards above Stabio, with a large garden, a covered terrace and a bright dining room. Host and sommelier Mirko Rainer oversees a wine list built on few big names and several good discoveries. He also takes pride in his raw ham, from sows that spend 16 months grazing the Alps above Airolo. Order it with an aperitif, or take a whole leg home.