The debut of Massari at Palazzo Wimmer marks a distinguished milestone for international gastronomy on Lake Garda, unveiling a fine dining venture steered by two-time Michelin-starred chef Alessandro Proietti Refrigeri within a celebrated Belle Époque landmark in Gardone Riviera.
The opening represents the culmination of a prestigious twenty-five-year concession granted by the Municipality of Gardone Riviera to the Massari family company, led by world-renowned master pastry chef Iginio Massari alongside his children Nicola and Debora. The multi-tiered waterfront complex unites high pastry craftsmanship with contemporary fine dining, positioning Gardone Riviera once again as a flagship destination for culinary excellence in northern Italy.
Michelin Star Pedigree: Chef Alessandro Proietti Refrigeri
To steer the gastronomic restaurant situated on the palace’s upper floor, the Massari family entrusted Roman-born executive chef Alessandro Proietti Refrigeri (born 1988). Proietti Refrigeri brings an exceptional international culinary background, having refined his technique through high-pressure tenures as sous chef at René Redzepi’s three-starred Noma in Copenhagen and Heinz Beck’s legendary three-starred La Pergola at the Rome Cavalieri.
Proietti Refrigeri achieved his first Michelin star in 2019 at Villa Naj in Stradella (Pavia), followed by a second Michelin star in 2023 at La Coldana in Lodi. In Gardone Riviera, his culinary direction oversees an exclusive 40-seat dining salon overlooking the lake. The menu pairs rigorous Italian gastronomic fundamentals with Nordic fermentation techniques, highlighting the microclimatic wealth of Lake Garda: wild lake fish (carpione, lavaret, and arctic char), native Casaliva extra virgin olive oil, mountain pasture cheeses from the upper Brescian valleys, and citrus harvested from historic lemon houses.
From Austrian Kurhaus to Municipal Casino and Cinema
The architectural setting of Palazzo Wimmer carries over a century of cultural and social history. Erected in 1909 as the Grand Hotel Kurhaus, the palace was designed to accommodate the aristocratic and cosmopolitan winter resort clientele who established Gardone Riviera as an internationally acclaimed health retreat (Kurort) in the late Austro-Hungarian era. The building hosted grand symphonic concerts, society galas, and, during the early 1920s, a licensed gaming casino that was subsequently closed under national fascist regulations.
Following World War II, the property was transformed into the communal cinema of Gardone Riviera, remaining an active cultural gathering point for residents and visitors until its closure in 2004. Between 2015 and 2021, the Municipality executed a painstaking multi-million-euro restoration of the Liberty-style building, preserving its expansive stuccoed ceilings, monumental lakefront loggias, and wrought-iron balustrades.
Haute Pâtisserie and Fine Dining Integration
The spatial architecture of Palazzo Wimmer has been structured to deliver two complementary culinary encounters across distinct levels:
• Ground Floor Pasticceria Boutique: Dedicated to Iginio Massari’s internationally celebrated pastry creations, traditional sourdough panettoni, artisanal pralines, and refined morning breakfast service overlooking the lakeside promenade.
• Upper Floor Ristorante Gastronomico: An intimate 40-seat fine dining restaurant helmed by chef Proietti Refrigeri, offering seasonal tasting menus accompanied by an extensive cellar showcasing the finest vintages of Valtènesi, Franciacorta, Lugana, and classic European terroirs.
Opening Timetable and the Gardone Riviera Cultural Circuit
The official public opening of the restaurant and pastry salon is scheduled between late September and early October 2026. The launch enhances an extraordinary cultural corridor along Gardone Riviera’s shoreline, located just uphill from Gabriele d’Annunzio’s monumental estate, the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone Riviera.
Guests visiting the area can combine fine dining experiences with architectural visits across the bay to the Duomo di Salò, explore benchmark luxury resorts featured in our guide to Michelin Keys 2026 on Lake Garda, and plan seasonal autumn vineyard visits via Lake Garda in Autumn.
