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Salotto in Lehel is one of my favorite Italian restaurants. It has a beautiful, very central location, ideal before or after a walk around town or a shopping trip, and the food is simply delicious. It's about 5 meters from the "Lehel" subway entrance and its fantastic location alone makes it a great choice.
In summer it is also very fun to sit outside – depending on your sensitivity to cold, with a blanket already on the chair – at St. Anna Square (approx. 30-35 seats), to chat, watch people strolling and enjoy an ice-cold – and extremely tasty – Hugo.
But the interior of Salotto is simply wonderful and stylishly furnished. Dark walls, heavy lilac curtains, beautiful wallpaper, subdued lighting, and the rather narrow, elongated shape of the dining area create a fantastic ambiance. I always enjoy lingering in Salotto longer than just until I've finished my meal and ordering another drink or two.
The main courses, such as the pizzas, are delicious. They are prepared in a stone oven, have a thin but not overly dark or crispy crust, and can be enjoyed with a variety of fine toppings. The salads are also beautifully presented and filling. (Highly recommended: Caesar salad with shrimp skewers!)
The absolute highlight – and the reason for most of my visits – is the truffle pasta (for €15). They don't skimp on the truffles, the portions are generous, and the price is therefore reasonable. Once, the truffle pasta was a bit too oily for my taste, but otherwise, I've had nothing to complain about at Salotto so far.
The desserts are excellent. The tiramisu is served in a small glass in layers and tastes fantastic – even with a second or third Hugo.
Card payments are accepted, but the staff prefer cash. Unfortunately, last time I noticed that the waiter had rudely rounded up the bill himself – despite my tip – to €49 instead of €47.20 or so. I found that somewhat inappropriate – but I can't say for sure whether he had made a mistake.
Making a reservation is generally advisable. The Salotto is often very busy. If the waiters recognize you, they'll find a table for you; otherwise, you might have to wait a little while – but it's worth it.
I'll be back: Yes, if I wanted to enjoy delicious pizza and very fine truffle pasta in a pleasantly chic atmosphere. No – that doesn't exist.
Place visited: Salotto
Address: St. Anna-Str. 11, 80538 Munich
Website
Pictures:
Arne Styra
Dear Bianca,
Following your enthusiastic recommendation of the truffle pasta 😉, the three of us went to Salotto a few weeks ago with a table reservation. To cut to the chase, we were all really disappointed with our pasta orders.
First and foremost, the truffle pasta was a disaster, from which my companion pulled out a large sprig of rosemary (what was that doing in truffle pasta???). It was so heavily flavored with rosemary that the actual truffles were completely overpowered. Even the simple carbonara failed to impress. I myself ordered pappardelle with venison ragout. Unfortunately, the sauce had been mixed with lingonberry jam, so it tasted like jam instead of the venison ragout sauce.
Since I'm a fan of honest criticism, I voiced my concerns. Unfortunately, in the restaurant industry, criticism is, at least in my experience, treated extremely dismissively; that is to say, it's acknowledged, but that's about it. At Salotto, after the feedback, a gentleman came over, apologized, and treated us all to an espresso. Of course, this didn't undo what had happened, but at least there was a reaction, and that's truly rare. I eat out a lot and have only once experienced a situation where, after giving justified criticism, the meal wasn't charged.
Best regards, Arne Styra