Il Fermento

Il Fermento sits right on the edge of Lake Lugano, and is part of a stylish, upscale shopping district. It's in an old building with some beautiful stone work and pillars around some of the doors, and an overall polished modern look. In good weather you can sit outside, and when it gets chilly they put up tents so that you can still sit outside if you want. Inside there's a lot of wood (floors, tables, most of the chairs, the bar, etc.) which gives it a warm feel, as well as copper for the draft system and some other things. The ceiling is decorative but I'm not sure of the material, and they have a large caramic heater and some old gas lamps that have been converted to electricity. It's really quite sharp looking, but at the same time comfortable and almost lodge-like. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately in cold weather along the lake, it can get a bit crowded.

The food is a bit limited, but quite good. Flammküchen is their main offering with several different types ranging from €13.50-18.50. I don't know why the billing is in Euros rather than Swiss Francs but I guess it's because it makes it easier for tourists coming in from Italy. My wife and I had the "Cacciatore" which is topped with prosciutto and mushroom and it was fantastic - probably one of the best flammküche I've ever had, but in competition with the best from Strasbourg, France. Beyond flammküchen there are salads (€8.50-16.50), soups (a bit pricey at €13.50), meat boards (€8.50-22.50), cheese boards (€7.50-18.50), burgers/sandwiches (€15-20), a hot dog (€9), and desserts including sweet flammküchen (€3.80-12.50). It seems a bit expensive, and it is, but that's Switzerland! Hell, just to drive a car across the border will cost you €60! But I will say that everything is of the finest quality, and they're not skimping on the portions.

As for the beers they're slightly limited as well, but not by so much. They always have the Bira Lügan, which is their house beer (there are other locations that have their own beers as well). Then there are 6 others on tap, as well as a handlful of bottles from the brewery that will probably include a few that are not currently on tap, and some select bottles from outside producers. The bottles are all 33 cl but the draft is served in deciliters (dL). The smaller 2 dL is equal to 6.76 US ounces, and the larger 4 dL serving is obviously double that at 13.52. Except for the Bira Lügan which is a little bit cheaper, everything is either €4.50 for the 2 dL or €8 for the 4. I was a little surprised by that as I enjoyed a Russian Imperial stout at 9% at the same cost as their 4.5% Pilsner. The other choices were a Euro pale ale, a red ale, an APA (at 7.5% but without enough hops to make in an IPA), and an English strong ale at 8%.

Overall I enjoyed my visit, and I'd recommend it for anyone in the area but I wouldn't suggest it as a destination.