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Orta San Giulio

Europe

Italy

AM Bistrot, located at Via Olina, 18 in the picturesque town of Orta San Giulio, Italy, is a charming restaurant that offers a delightful dining experience. Nestled in the heart of this stunning lakeside village, AM Bistrot is renowned for its breathtaking views of Lake Orta, making it a perfect spot for both locals and tourists seeking a memorable meal. The restaurant features a menu that showcases a blend of traditional Italian cuisine with a modern twist, ideal for those looking to indulge in authentic flavors.

At AM Bistrot, guests can enjoy a variety of dishes that highlight the best of Italian gastronomy. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with options that include:

Freshly prepared pasta dishes, including gnocchi and risottos.

Seasonal specialties that reflect the local ingredients of Piemonte.

A selection of fine wines to complement your meal.

AM Bistrot is conveniently situated near several local attractions, making it an ideal stop after exploring the charming streets of Orta San Giulio. Notable nearby sites include:

The enchanting San Giulio Island, accessible by a short boat ride.

The historic Basilica di San Giulio, known for its stunning architecture.

Picturesque walking trails along the lake, perfect for a leisurely stroll.

https://www.google.com/local/review/rap/report?postId=ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURmeWRXMHZnRRAB&d=17924085&t=1

places/ChIJiwsDLNENhkcRstjdBTaqtR8/reviews/ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURmeWRXMHZnRRAB

I visited this Michelin restaurant on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2024, but the experience was utterly disappointing and far from Michelin standards.
1.	Seating Arrangement: We were seated at a table that felt very cheap, with just a tablecloth draped over it, and the table itself seemed so fragile it might collapse under slight pressure. Furthermore, one of my friends was seated with her back to a cabinet, and if she leaned back even a little, she would hit the cabinet handle. This reflects a significant issue with how seating arrangements are managed.
2.	Environment: We were placed next to a family with young children. I am not suggesting that restaurants should refuse families with kids, but the two children were running around freely and coughing while doing so. This not only ruined the dining atmosphere but also resulted in me falling ill with a fever for three days. This greatly affected the overall dining experience.
3.	Service: After finishing our bread, the table was covered in crumbs, but the staff did not clean it up promptly. Even when they saw us cleaning it ourselves, they did nothing. When we explicitly asked for help, one of the servers came over and ended up spilling crumbs on my friend. This was incredibly shocking and showed a severe lack of staff training. Additionally, I don’t want to go into too much detail, but the personal hygiene of the staff needs significant improvement.
4.	Food: The most disappointing aspect of the experience was the food. It did not reflect the quality expected of a Michelin-starred restaurant. I have tried many Michelin restaurants, but I have never been so dissatisfied with the food. While I believe the chef put some thought into the dishes, the flavors were unbalanced and entirely forgettable. The most disappointing dish was the steak: a tiny portion with terrible seasoning. It tasted like flavorless boiled beef, which was almost nauseating.

Overall, as the last meal of 2024, this was undoubtedly one of the most disappointing dining experiences of the year.

https://www.google.com/local/review/rap/report?postId=ChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURaMS1MLWFBEAE&d=17924085&t=1

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Guess I would only go there for the view again, but not for the service nor the food. We were quite disappointed as the food was not very tasteful nor were they using fresh ingredients. The croutons used in the started were from the supermarket, the bread was super cheap quality and very dry.
The gnocchi as main dish were not very tasteful, and they also only contained 3 clams, which was a bit ridiculous considering the price.
We were expecting at least some kind of dining experience, but not even 1 minute after we finished the starter, the main dish was served. After this, the service ignored us for 30 mins until we asked for the bill.
We paid more than 150 per person and had one bottle of wine, 2 starters and 2 main dishes. Considering the quality of the food and also the service, I would not recommend going there.

https://www.google.com/local/review/rap/report?postId=ChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURScDdxUVl3EAE&d=17924085&t=1

places/ChIJiwsDLNENhkcRstjdBTaqtR8/reviews/ChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSURScDdxUVl3EAE

I recently dined at our 70th Michelin-starred restaurant within the past seven years.

The tableware and plates were simply amazing and added a touch of elegance to the dining experience. However, I found the interior of the restaurant to be a bit too simple for such a prestigious establishment.

One aspect of the restaurant that I found to be questionable was their policy of allowing guests to bring their dogs, even big ones. As much as I love dogs, I don't think it's appropriate for them to be in a restaurant setting inside.

We opted for the classic tasting menu, and overall, the food was good. The bread and butter, in particular, were outstanding. However, I found the portions to be too small for a tasting menu.

While the service was adequate, I did feel that there was a lack of attention paid to our table. Considering the restaurant's reputation, I expected a bit more in terms of attentiveness from the staff.

https://www.google.com/local/review/rap/report?postId=ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUR4eE1ENnhBRRAB&d=17924085&t=1

places/ChIJiwsDLNENhkcRstjdBTaqtR8/reviews/ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUR4eE1ENnhBRRAB

The view over the lake is simply impressive. Good service, really nice food, the perfect closing for a wonderful walk across the old town and visit to the fascinating San Giulio Island. We were four guests, ordered two degustazione menu and separate dishes, with wine abbinamento a total of ca. 300 EUR all four (year 2023). This is a bistro in a hospitality restaurant & rooms boutique building with a Michelin star, located at the heart of the old town in an amazing place. A hidden jewel worth a visit.

https://www.google.com/local/review/rap/report?postId=ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUNwbm96Ym9RRRAB&d=17924085&t=1

places/ChIJiwsDLNENhkcRstjdBTaqtR8/reviews/ChdDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUNwbm96Ym9RRRAB

Ok, so this needs a complete review to understand how much is missing, from the small details to the fundamentals.

We arrived on time and we’re harshly welcomed buy a women who showed us to an elevator the staff used that smelled of sweat. When entering the bistro on the terrace the waitress just pointed at three free tables and let us pick for our selfs.

Ok so far. But then the waiting began. 30 minutes until we got a glass of water. 45 minutes until dry bread was served (probably from the hotel’s breakfast since it was dry and tasteless - still we had to pay 8€ for it). After 1 hour we finally got our wine. With no help of course from the waitress - her recommendation of wine was this: “you should drink white wine to the gnocchi”. Ok, can you recommend one? “No”. But you have one paired to the tasting menu? “I don’t know which it is.”  Jesus, then we gave up trying to get recommendations.

Maybe we shouldn’t have pointed out that one of our water glasses was dirty, because that resulted in a high sigh from the waitress and after that we have to serve ourselves with water and wine.

The wine bottle came in an ice bucket with ice and water - thank you! - but no small towel so every time we lifted the bottle we were dripping water all over the table. They took no notice and didn’t understand when we asked for a towel or serviette.

So the food? Does that make up for the lack of service? Oh no! The gnocchi mussels had four canned mussels on top and the saffron rice was dry, under seasoned and actually just a pile of yellow rice with a tasteless green sauce.

The secondi I had to send back to the kitchen. The veal was lovely, hard to fail with, but the potato mousse was so salty my tastebuds retracted into defence mode.

The squid was just squid in tomato sauce with a little taste from the freezer served with toasted bread - probably also from the breakfast buffet.

They removed the veal from the bill but still we paid 65€ for two primi and one secondi. 45€ for an ok wine.  And not to forget: 8€ for old bread and 4€ for water.

I visit a lot of restaurants around Europe and this I cannot recommend. There’s better tourist restaurants on the same street with kind and service minded staff, and fresh pasta for half the price. Nice view from the terrace though.

AM Bistrot: Luxury Dining with Stunning Views in Orta San Giulio

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Allows Dogs

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AM Bistrot in Orta San Giulio is a charming eatery that offers a delightful culinary experience with a modern twist on traditional Italian dishes. Nestled on Via Olina, it features a sun-drenched terrace with breathtaking views of Lake Orta, making it a perfect spot for food lovers seeking tranquility and exquisite flavors.

AM Bistrot

Savor exquisite Italian flavors at AM Bistrot in Orta San Giulio. Experience cozy ambiance and culinary delights. Visit us for an unforgettable meal!

AM Bistrot: Luxury Dining with Stunning Views in Orta San Giulio

Dining & Culinary Delights

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