Il Desco

For more than 40 years, this refined, elegant restaurant housed in a Renaissance-style palazzo in the heart of Verona and embellished with beautiful works of art has been the city’s “drawing room”, making it the perfect choice for a special occasion. The menu showcases renowned classic recipes created by talented chef Elia Rizzo, who has now been replaced by son Matteo in the kitchen. Most of the dishes are created by Matteo and have a light, fresh flavour (the scallops in a Mediterranean tandoori masala are superb), although there are also many of his father’s signature dishes on the menu, such as the memorable butter and mascarpone mousse served with bread at the beginning of the meal. The interesting “Capitolo 4” tasting menu explores traditional, regional flavours and includes some of the restaurant’s iconic dishes spanning the period from when it opened in 1982 to the current day.