Porto Pojana Ristorante Terminus

A historic locale, happily nestled in Riva San Vitale between land and lake in the small hamlet of Pojana, has been returned to gastronomy lovers shining in a new light. After more than a year of refurbishment, today the reopened “borough of taste” is modern, stylish and inviting: a haven for the modern wayfarer in search of gastronomic delights. It is the new “Porto Pojana – Ristorante Terminus” that spoils gourmets, thanks to refined cuisine specializing in seafood, beautiful dining rooms suitable for every event, a smoking lounge with cigars and spirits, a cellar that conserves exquisite and well-known wines, several dining tables on the terrace overlooking the lake, and gardens that can be used for small events and aperitifs.

Porto Pojana offers spacious parking for those arriving by car, while those arriving by public or private boat can use the convenient berths available.

The restaurant is housed in a structure full of history and tradition which has been rediscovered and improved upon. Built at the end of the 1800s as a stopping station for stagecoaches that passed between St. Gallen and Varese (hence the name Terminus), the building has gradually become larger and, in the 1980s, was transformed into a restaurant with accommodations for staff and patrons.

Based on several unique characteristics — a pink façade, a wooden herringbone façade, the prevailing typical gray color of the Terminus — the architects Gaffurini Pagani Tresoldi Associates developed a project that seeks to respect the existing structure without affecting the delicate relationship within its setting, all while seeking to create harmony between the different elements of what can be called a “small borough”. Being a seafood restaurant, the underlying theme of the project uses ceramic materials as the basic element to maintain an effective yet innovative design.

A safe walkway leads pedestrians from the parking spaces and berths across the road to the ground floor, ideal for lunches and business dinners, with family or friends. Crossing into the impressive entrance one immediately sees a modern glass showcase where the daily catch is on display and, then turning, one notices the chefs at work in the open kitchen. Behind the beautiful display of fish, adjacent to the service bar with a brick vaulted ceiling, is the first dining room as well as the beautiful cellar along the mountainside which can accommodate wine tastings thanks to a decor designed down to the smallest detail. Drawing on the tradition of fishmongers, the revisited modern style plays with the shades of thousands of very unique tiles that cover the walls, but the impression felt going up the stairs or elevator to the first floor is truly different: the dining room with a fireplace, beautifully-laid round tables, a large oval table and sofa for 10 people. The large windows with a view to the lake, as well as the adjacent room with round tables and fabric-covered sofas, encourage guests to enjoy the finest dishes in complete relaxation.

An intimate atmosphere is also found in the smoking lounge with a fireplace and leather sofas where guests can combine a good cigar with spirits, or sip a coffee or an aromatic tea.

Two fully equipped meeting rooms are located along the loggia, allowing businesses to organize their own retreats at Porto Pojana; a terrace facing Brusino inspired the creation of a greenhouse which takes advantage of the large windows facing the lake and the transparent roof with a view to the mountain providing unparalleled contact with the dual nature of the lake and woodland setting.

Porto Pojana is a real gastronomic oasis, thanks to the creation of several duplex and apartments.

The pillar of the restaurant’s culinary philosophy is a chef with proven experience who has guided the management of Porto Pojana at every stage and during every design detail. A professional like Andrea Levratto who inherited a passion for cooking from his parents and who, after the Hotelier School of Finale Ligure, worked in renowned locales such as the Palace in St. Moritz, the restaurant Da Candida in Campione d’Italia, the Cipriani in Venice, the Billionaire in Porto Cervo and Metamorphosis in Lugano.

At Porto Pojana, guests are welcomed in a polite and courteous manner by trained personnel who act as guides along a journey through the flavors of the Mediterranean. The culinary philosophy of the restaurant is based on the constant search for the best ingredients and culinary techniques to enhance the genuineness of the products. High-quality products are chosen according to the slow changing of the seasons. The gastronomic offerings focus on seafood, but recipes based on lake fish and meat are also available.

The wine list offers equally exquisite Ticinese and international labels.