Menu - Codeborgo

Walking from Piazza del Sole through the Via Codeborgo, a name derived from Capo al Borgo' (at the top of the village) we passed the Café Bar Codeborgo with ple... read more Walking from Piazza del Sole through the Via Codeborgo, a name derived from Capo al Borgo' (at the top of the village) we passed the Café Bar Codeborgo with plenty of outdoor seating on the beautiful Piazza Collegiata. Just because of the location we decided...to sit down here, first for drinks, then for dinner. We selected a table under the arcade, from where we could look over the square with its palazzi of patrician Bellinzona families and the renaissance front of the Collegiata church. My wife had an espresso, which was good, while I went for a Hugo', that drink from the South Tyrol, that has become so fashionable lately. Unfortunately here it wasn't that good, since the essential mint leaves were missing, then it was too sweet because there was too much elderberry flower syrup and not enough prosecco. Because of a change of waiters, we had to pay immediately for the drinks. The new waiter came shortly after that to our table to take orders, while he grabbed my Hugo', which I hadn't finished yet. Rather strange. My wife went for Spaghetti Bolognese, while I selected one of my favourite pasta dishes: Spaghetti all'arrabiata, the angry spaghetti', a speciality from the Lazio region. The pasta came in a warmed up plate and the portions were a bit small, really more meant as a starter, unlike the pizzas, which we saw served to other guests. Both dishes were quite well done though, the spaghetti al dente and my arrabiata one of the hottest I ever tasted, which was fine with me, but maybe not to everybody's liking. With both plates also came small packages of grated Grana Padano cheese, which could only be opened with a sharp pointed knife. My wife asked for a pepper mill, which didn't work, although it was full. The waiter didn't manage either, so he brought us a new one. What was ridiculously small was the napkin. With the dinner my wife had an acqua gasata, while I tried a glass of red Merlot, since we had been hiking that day on the nearby Via delle Vigne' through Merlot del Ticino vineyards. Generally I would recommend the Café Bar Codeborgo just for a coffee to enjoy the atmosphere on beautiful Piazza Collegiata.

We visited Bellinzona on a cold, rainy day. By about PM, we were cold and hungry. We popped into Codeborgo and asked if we could eat. We were told, yes. We both... read more We visited Bellinzona on a cold, rainy day. By about PM, we were cold and hungry. We popped into Codeborgo and asked if we could eat. We were told, yes. We both ordered pasta dishes and frankly, they were quite good. (Added bonus: unlike...most Italian restaurants in Switzerland, they had gluten-free pasta This is not a fine-dining establishment; it’s a bar/café. If you’re looking for fine dining, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for warm food after PM, this is a decent place to eat.