Madonna Della Fontana in Ascona

Spectacular. Family lunch, two adults and a child. We found excellent quality of food and excellent hospitality. Friendly and impeccable service. We will definitely be back

Nice grotto for spending time with friends, the Ticino dishes are all there, in the summer it's cool, and in the mid-seasons you like to be outside, it also has rooms with fireplaces which create an excellent atmosphere, come and visit them you won't regret it

We went one evening as a couple to eat the saddle, booking a couple of days in advance. Our table had been remedied with a garden table in the corner of a room in which there were 3 tables of at least a dozen people each. Talking to the waiters or conversing with each other was impossible due to the loud shouting. We liked the saddle a lot and also the spatzli, unfortunately the rest of the side dishes less so, the portion in our opinion rather small for the price (only one service with a small final top-up of two small pieces of meat and some spatzli counted). It was not the place for a quiet dinner. There are also places that, for a slightly higher cost, offer a better environment, quality of products and portions of dishes. However, we thank you for your hospitality even though it did not meet our expectations.

The landlord is very well placed and his menu corresponds to his personality. In addition to the usual Grotto dishes, there is also a large number of delicious "gamberetti" at a friendly price. A reservation in the evening is recommended.

Super well eaten and very nice to return

Great service, the food is always excellent, we'll be back

The dish of the day is something to count on. This day it was fabulous. The pasta however was less impressive and heavy to boot. Would we visit again? Definitely.

Special place to eat game at great prices.

Simple as in the good old days. cold and fresh meals. excellent on summer days for the coolness

We were here for the first time and would love to come back. Everything was perfect, food, service, ambience.

Nice, charming and excellent location!

The food was ok but the service was the worst i've ever experienced. Absolutely disgraceful.

AWFUL service. The rudest I’ve come across in a long time.

Eat well-padrone loud and too smug. A little cleaning wouldn't hurt here

We went asking if there were all-you-can-eat ribs, calling an hour in advance. After a disproportionate wait, they brought us 3 ribs, after half an hour they brought us a (!) refresher rib, we felt like thieves asking for another round, the waiters and the grill manager avoided us entering the bar, after another half hour another (1!!!) rib, we left hungry and contradicted, as after another half hour no one had asked us anything, and indeed they wanted to bring us the bill to make us leave, Sin!

We were able to visit his storage cellar with the owner, which was very impressive. Everyone was super nice, you felt right at home! The food was wonderful as always!

Excellent Ticino dishes and a friendly atmosphere on the large terrace... not super low prices but good quality! Thank you

Excellent personal experience at the top

Cool and quiet place. The food was good and the service was up to par. Highly recommended

That's what people say in southern Germany as good-bourgeois. This is where people from the surrounding area come to eat and get a lot of food on their plates. It's lively and... very civil. The service is professional and on point. Eat Nonna and later go down to Madonna and say thank you

The food is very good and everyone is very friendly

Courteous and efficient staff, considering it was a public holiday with some crowds. Quality dishes, reasonable prices. The level of external furnishings could be improved.

It's a blast in the summer, though

Good saddle but disappointing service! Once the one ride was over, in the next half hour of chatting between diners, no one thought that perhaps we would have liked a dessert or coffee... taken elsewhere!

We booked a table for two, they placed us in a corner at a long table at both ends and in order to talk to each other we had to raise our voices a little. Halfway through dinner the room fills up and from there it was impossible to have a conversation due to the noise... a shame because the saddle was truly exquisite but we couldn't wait to leave. Plus the table was right in front of the wine cellar so every time someone ordered a bottle I had to pass it to the waiter.

Very nice service from the staff (all family!?)! Very good price/performance ratio! We will be back!!

Located downstream from the sanctuary of the same name, it is composed of a main building of modest dimensions and a beautiful and large terrace. The menu is interesting and varied, prices are normal for 4* restaurants, but still a grotto. The Baden-Baden saddle is beautiful and good, the meat is poor compared to other restaurants, everyone is waiting for the classic second round which, however, is not offered again. The table behind ours complained, they were offered grape sorbet... but we found out about it later. In short, for 59.- chf (+ 7 for the chicory) we expected them to at least ask if we wanted the classic encore, given that the dishes were not prepared at the table (where you can see the food you are entitled to) but in the kitchen. It's really a shame.

Great place, located outside the city, towards the woods, in tranquility The food is very good, the service is very fast, in this period game dishes dominate, such as saddle of roe deer which I must say is the best! The managers and waiters are very nice, we will be back soon to taste other specialties!

Very well eaten & friendly service

The setting is idyllic. Going there by car is not very practical because there is not enough space. We ate the ossobuco and the roti with polenta. The meat was undercooked and the polenta was not special. I wouldn't eat the same thing twice. The waiter was not very motivated, we had to ask him twice what was for dessert. The Panna cotta was bland and bathed in the raspberry cooking juice

Abundant dishes. Prawns with Venere rice to try!

Very good risotto ai porkini. Staff was a little stressed.

We were quite usual customers and we returned after Covid and found a very neglected place. Plastic tablecloths that stuck to the legs, cigarette butts on the floor, an indescribable exposed storage room. The dinner wasn't bad, although I had pointed out that there was too much ricotta in the cannelloni which made the dish bitter, as was also noted by the staff. I was hoping they would at least offer me a digestive, but instead a grappa for fr. 8.oo. It may be a cool place in this heat, but a little extra care wouldn't hurt.

Beautiful grotto with unfortunately a bit of a lack of attention to detail. Food was great and service was fine. However, there is a lot of old stuff lying around, and there is also a very old and rusting swing for children. That's a shame, because the potential is there. Nevertheless, a generous 4 points thanks to the very fine food (Ticino specialties).

Beautiful garden in the forest, fine regional cuisine, friendly service - recommended!

We have been coming to this beautiful grotto for over 30 years now and have not been disappointed once. Bravo!

Excellent cuisine, fast service in a super family environment (little fire lit). Generous portions. Highly recommended! The terrace is also beautiful during the summer. The game is delicious!

Great restaurant!!! All the dishes are excellent and homemade! High class.

I have been frequenting this grotto for years, regardless of the fact that I am a friend of the manager. I find myself in an environment that is still, fortunately, Ticinese. With typical dishes (excluding French fries) having previously read negative receptions, I ask myself, What do THEY eat at home? Greetings and go there, we're doing well.

Excellent Ticino cuisine with an authentic ambience, fine food and friendly service. So happy

Always happy to come here... Good meat and pleasant atmosphere

Excellent! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Excellent dishes, kind and competent staff, excellent service and good choice of wines 🍷🍾

Great grotto to sit outside and enjoy the dolce vita. Great menu with Ticino specialties.

Something very simple grotto with a lack of attention to detail. Service and food were okay, our dog was welcome, but prices were a bit high in comparison. There is better in the area!

The risotto was excellent and plentiful. Polenta and gorgonzola were good but the cheese wasn't creamy so it didn't blend with the unfortunately lukewarm polenta. Restaurant prices (see invoice in the photos). Fireplace lit and typical environment. I didn't know the grotti and it was a pleasant discovery.

Beautiful place with excellent polenta and braised meat

Saddle of venison...it couldn't be better. Wow!

Excellent place to eat with family, food is really good, service is quick. Only positive emotions

I've been there a couple of times to eat, excellent food.. the staff really makes you feel at home, I recommend it to everyone..

Good food but didn't go there for the smile of the unfriendly waitress

Favorite grotto in and around Ascona. Sensational food, regional and traditional cuisine, fair prices. A must on all of our holidays in Ticino.

Well, not bad but not really good either. The ravioli were good, the open fendant too, but the tagliatelle didn't see any salt and the bread was certainly fresh... From what we experienced, not necessarily recommended

Super fine food! Homemade tiramisu a must at the end. Highly recommended grotto, where many locals also come.

The food was very tasty and the portion was generous. Price is right. Service friendly. Unfortunately slow and rather overwhelmed.

Great food, friendly service. Gladly again…

Homemade ravioli with TOP Porcini Mushroom sauce

Great! Great discovery. Typical Ticino Grotto serving sublime ravioli away from the lakeside crowds and in a natural setting to recommend!

Very nice service and the food was very excellent and the prices are very acceptable, I can only recommend it, I would be happy to come back

Very fine food and fast service. In winter by the fire in the warm room and in summer outside on the terrace.

Simply Perfect! Best place, best food. Grazie

Wonderful, authentic grotto! Excellent food and warm, courteous service. Lovely again!

The risotto here is in a different league and I'm always happy to come back

Great food. The service also speaks German.

sella di capriolo non più come una volta, difatti diversa gente non si è trovata bene ultimamente, servizio veloce, castagne dure e spätzli secchi.. non so se è colpa del covid ma se vanno avanti così lavoreranno solo con i turisti

Service is very impersonal and cold. After dessert we were basically “forgotten”. The food is good. Unfortunately, you don't know whether you're welcome or a nuisance.

Food was good. Service friendly. The seating inside was cramped. 30vm distance from the neighboring table...and that in Corona times.

Cadre sympathique sur la terrasse extérieure et bonne nourriture. Service agréable et vastes tables en granit. Petite carte mais bons mets locaux.

I honestly don't know if we were just unlucky. Forgotten in a corner, without a glass of wine requested twice, served after several other people arrived later, etc.etc. I certainly can't give a better rating and I don't feel like recommending it.

A real Ticino Grotto frequented by Ticino residents

Decidimos ir a esta gruta después de ver las críticas decentes en Trip Advisor y porque estábamos buscando auténtica cocina Ticina.El restaurante se encuentra a 15-20 minutos a pie del centro de la ciudad. Hay una gran terraza en el exterior, con mesas y bancos de piedra. Agregaron mesas y sillas de plástico, que eran incómodas y tenían agujeros. La relación camarero - mesa era 1: 10 en el mejor de los casos. Los baños de hombres no tenían jabón, lo cual es una idea genial cuando hay una pandemia global.El servicio fue extremadamente poco profesional.Esperamos 20 minutos para llamar la atención de los camareros, 20 minutos para nuestras bebidas, 30 minutos para ordenar, luego, después de una hora, el camarero se acercó para decirnos que se les acabó lo que pedimos. Después de ordenar nuevamente, una hora y media después de llegar, obtuvimos nuestra comida.La comida era mala. Teníamos el plato de gambas y patatas y el plato de carne de caza. El plato de gambas era normal. Llevo cinco años en Suiza y puedo decir honestamente que nunca he probado un plato de carne de caza tan mal hecho. La querida carne no estaba lo suficientemente cocida, estaba prácticamente viva, preparándose para patinar en el Laggio Maggiore con Thumper el conejo. La mitad de los hongos bolet se quemaron, por lo que todo el plato tenía un sabor a quemado. Ah, y creo que se olvidaron de la salsa de vino con el trozo de carne, ni siquiera estaba bien condimentado.Para empeorar las cosas al final, agregaron una copa de vino que no teníamos en la cuenta.Considerándolo todo, un establecimiento poco profesional y de mala calidad. Iré tan lejos como para decir que probablemente fue la peor experiencia que he tenido en un restaurante en Suiza.

Come tanti ...chi troppo vuole poi lavora male, personale stressato di corsa che ovviamente non puo' servire bene, ancora con l'aperitivo da finire e gia' ti arriva tutto il menü....

Dopo aver atteso 45 minuti la seconda portata (si presume che una sella sia servita due volte anche considerando che sul primo piatto c’erano tre pezzi di carne miseri miseri), abbiamo chiesto alla cameriera se arrivava, eran quasi le 9 e siamo arrivati alle 7 (tra l’altro tavolo riservato anche quello lasciamo perdere), lei ci risponde che stavano preparando il piatto! Arriva il piatto e come si vede nella foto patate mischiare a spätzli ... e tutto appena appena tiepido e buttato la! Scherziamo? Mi alzo vado verso il signore che mi sembra il responsabile ... gli dico del piatto mi si avvicina un tipo e dice ... se loro continuavano a insistere e reclamare ho fatto quel che potevo ..... SCHERZIAMO?? E dulcis in fundo non ci han tolto un centesimo! Tutto questo per la modica cifra di fr. 118.—VERGOGNOSO

Mittend in Ascona und doch ausserhalb gelegen ist dieses Grotto für einen Besuch sehr zu empfehlen. Freundliches personal und eine reichhaltige Auswahl von italienischen, Tessiner Spezialitäten. Eine Reservation ist zu empfehlen.

Vorzūgliches Essen in gemütlicher Grotto-Atmosphäre. Einfache aber sehr leckere Karte und sehr effizienter und freundlicher Service.

Not for the last time, more visits will follow. A beautiful grotti in the forest.

Very nice grotto in a quiet location. Even with a small playground. The ravioli della Nonna were super tasty. The service was very friendly but quite rushed. When we ordered the salad it took 2 minutes and it was already on the table. Less than 5 minutes later the ravioli landed on the table. It's definitely not for everyone but I liked it

Sono stata molto delusa da questo grotto. Vengono accolti troppi clienti rispetto alle capacità della cucina e del personale. Lunghi tempi di attesa, cucina da ristorante di media qualità e scarso rispetto delle norme igieniche (la cameriera ha leccato il dito ogni volta prima di collocare sul tavolo le tovagliette di carta e in generale tutto il personale portava la mascherina abbassata o continuava a toccarla).

Prima cosa sembra di essere al mercato del pesce,uno dei responsabili che chiede il numero di persone gridando dall'altra parte del piazzale rivolgendosi ai clienti all'ingresso, seconda cosa la polenta è asciutta niente a che vedere con altri grotti,terza cosa 8 piatti di cui 4 in ritardo di quasi 10 minuti rispetto ai primi, quarta cosa lasagna bollente appena tolta dal forno data a una bambina di 6 anni che mentre era intenta a mangiare si è bruciata il braccio. Tutto questo in un martedì sera, manco fosse sabato in pieno turismo.

Rascher und freundlicher Service. Fein und zart gekochtes Fleisch mit schmackhafter Sauce dazu. Typische Grotto-Spezialitäten auf der Menuekarte. Etwas nerviger Handorgelspieler, der zwischendurch besser mal eine Spielpause einlegen sollte.

Trippa is available here if you like it

Das Grotto wird überbewertet. Auch wer den Charme von Volksküchen und die einfache tessiner Küche zu schätzen weiss, wird sich eingestehen müssen, dass Bedienung und Küche zu lieblos sind. Das zeigt sich nicht nur daran, dass das Personal die Corona-Maske eher wie einen Kinn-Schutz trägt. Die Nasen sind jedenfalls alle frei, beim Chef auch der Mund.Wo Anstands- und Abstandsregeln missachtet werden, sind dann auch die Gäste auffällig zahlreich, denen nie Tischmanieren beigebracht worden zu sein scheinen. Eklig.

I really like Grotto and a lot of family friendliness

Wir waren das erstmal vor Ort und hatten Glück mit dem Platz, war echt voll, trotz großem Platz Angebot! Super schneller Service und wirklich tolle Tessiner Gerichte. Essen einfach serviert, aber dafür gut! Und relativ preiswert! Kommen gerne wieder!

The food was very good, the service was friendly and quick ;-)

Ausgezeichnetes Tessiner Grotto! Sehr freundliches Personal, super gutes Essen. Perfekt auch das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis. Wunderschöner Platz im Schatten des Waldes. Ich kann es sehr empfehlen. Komme gerne wieder.

Absolut nicht zu empfehlen! Essen schlecht, Ambiente schlecht und Bedienung alles andere als gut. Wir waren 7 Personen. Konnten kaum die Vorspeise essen, haben sie uns die Teller weggenommen. Die Hauptspeisen Massenabfertigung. Polenta hat nach irgendwas geschmeckt. Rindsfilet war voller Sehnen, Zäch und sie haben nicht gefragt wie man es gerne mag. Die Schweinerippen die uns empfohlen worden sind, waren alles andere als empfehlenswert. Plastikstühle und Uhralte Stoff-Werbe-Sonnenschirme haben das Grotto Ambiente kaputt gemacht. Die billige Chilbi Beleuchtung hat da auch nicht geholfen. Obwohl wir lange Voraus reserviert haben, sind wir irgendwo dazwischen gequetscht worden. Fremde Leute waren praktisch bei uns am Tisch. Als wir am Schluss den Kellner darauf aufmerksam gemacht haben, hat er uns nicht wirklich ernst genommen und wollte sich nicht auf das Gespräch einlasen. Vermeidet diese Lokal!

Good authentic Ticino cuisine. Express service. Price-performance completely fine

Very authentically fine Ticino local food

Essen wahr super schnell und unkompliziert.Da alle tische res.wahren..trotzdem tisch erhalten . Schnelles und unkomp. Serviceteam. Essen war fabelhaft.

Beautifully located in the cool forest. There are lots of parking spaces right next to the restaurant and additional ones a little further up. Food was very good (Ravioli Hubertus, cheese plate, salametto, costini and especially the risotto). The daily specials in particular are highly recommended. Price/performance ratio very good. Service is friendly, flexible with orders and fast.

Sehr schön gelegen unter grossen Bäumen, freundliches Personal, viele einheimische was ja immer ein gutes Zeichen ist. Nach dem Mittagessen eingekehrt, Etwas kleines gegessen und einfach den Schatten genossen. Die sanitären Einrichtungen sind sehr sauber, Desinfektionsmittel ist vorhanden. Wir empfehlen dieses Grotto gerne weiter.

Fantastic experience ! Very welcoming and friendly staff, very good food and I believe we were the only non-local :)

Simple grotto, as it should be, with good Ticino cuisine and quickly accessible by car from downtown Ascona. Located on the road and still in the middle of trees. Price-performance was very good. We will go again.

Beautiful typical grotto with cozy shaded areas. Very good Ticino specialties, friendly service and large portions, too big for older people or those who are not hungry.

Nous nous sommes rendus hier soir dans ce grotto au charme pittoresque, sur conseil de familiers. A notre arrivée, bien que nous avions téléphoné le matin pour réserver, pas de table pour nous. Nous avons été mis dans un coin de la terrasse sur une table en pierre remplie de déchets d’arbre que nous avons dû nettoyer nous-mêmes, notre serveuse n’ayant pas envie de nous la préparer. La nourriture et le vin étaient bons. Spéciale mention pour le risotto, juste incroyable ! Le lieu est vraiment charmant, malheureusement le service a été catastrophique. Nous avons eu très rapidement entrée et plat, toutefois la serveuse parlait très vite en italien. Nous parlons français et un tout petit peu italien, mais nous arrivons toujours à nous faire comprendre. Ici, impossible et du coup, elle nous répondait en allemand. C’est vrai que ces deux langues sont très proches. Alors que nous avions fini notre plat depuis plus de 45 minutes, notre serveuse, sympa comme une porte de grange a enfin daigné nous proposer un café et un dessert. Précisons qu’elle avait au préalable servi les desserts à l’entier de la terrasse, même à des tables arrivées plus de 30 minutes après nous, sans jamais nous jeter aucun regard. Nous sommes donc partis sans prendre de dessert et sans laisser de pourboire, car sa prestation honteuse et déplorable n’en méritait pas !

Zuvorkommender Service, super Ossobucco mit Polenta. So stellt man sich ein Grotto im Tessin vor. Immer wieder.

Casualmente, abbiamo tardato, e abbiamo deciso di andare a mangiare in questo Grotto, il menù era molto buono polenta e ossobuco, e prima insalata mista, qualità prezzo molto buono ci torneremo.

Ci siamo stati oggi,buona accoglienza un po’ come stare a casa, abbiamo mangiato molto bene, con una scelta di pietanze variata. Prezzi veramente onesti....ci torneremo sicuramente bravi

Wir bekamen das Sonntagsmenü mit kalten Vorspeisen, Salat, Hauptgericht und Dessert für 42 CHF pro Person. Gute Qualität für Geld. Hauptgericht war gebratenes Kalbfleisch, lecker. Vertraute Atmosphäre, freundliches Personal, Kamin in der Mitte des Raumes. Es fühlte sich wie zu Hause an.

Food ok to good. But nothing more. Cool atmosphere, rushed service.