We found ourselves here twice during a week stay in Lugano. Valini is located on the busiest square in downtown Lugano alongside several other restaurants. This is the heart of the city and where you'll often find concerts, festivals, the Christkindlmarkt and such. The flowers pour over the window boxes and you can catch a glimpse of Lago di Lugano a block away. If arriving from the train station, it's a ten minute walk down the hill.
Valini has been around for decades and serves up gelato, chocolates, light appetizers, crepes and a variety of coffee drinks. Our particular visits included cappuccinos, wine, and affogato. The staff was friendly and the setting is ideal. You'll notice that they pretty much dominate the block of adjacent shops with one offering gelato, the next a chocolate shop and then the cafe with a large outdoor seating area that is always bustling. The costs are on the higher end but not surprising given that A.) you're in Switzerland; B.) you're on the square. Ideal positioning for people watching and soaking in the Lugano Jazz Festival. read more