Roberto

Restaurant Roberto opened in September 1945 at the foot of Geneva’s Old Town, in the Madeleine district.

Working alone in the kitchen of what was then just a small family-run café-restaurant, Roberto Carugati began by preparing dishes that would go on to become signature items—and remain on the menu to this day—such as ravioli, osso buco, and saltimbocca.

Success came gradually; the kitchen team grew, the menu expanded, and in 1975, the restaurant relocated to Rive—a bustling hub in the heart of Geneva. It remains there today, surrounded by mirrors and woodwork mellowed by the passage of time.

From the very beginning, Restaurant Roberto has maintained a deeply traditional, family-oriented structure. As early as 1880, Roberto’s grandfather served as the personal chef to the King of Italy during the monarch's stays in Milan. Roberto’s father founded one of Geneva’s first Italian restaurants in the early 1900s. Since the opening of Restaurant Roberto in the Madeleine district, a brother-in-law, a daughter, and grandsons have all joined the effort—keeping the family legacy rising continuously across five generations.

The philosophy has remained unchanged from the start: to discover and showcase the excellence of produce from the Italian peninsula, a region boasting one of the world’s richest and most abundant culinary heritages. Prosciutto di Parma, buffalo mozzarella from Campania, risotto from the Po Valley, sun-dried and aromatic tomatoes from Sicily, Tuscan olive oil, Culatello di Zibello, Gragnano pasta, and—like a diamond in the peninsula’s crown—the white truffle of Alba...

Not to mention the wine—spanning from Piedmont to Calabria and the sun-drenched islands—which makes the soul dance and reveals the very essence of Italian spirit.

We offer these wonders of Italian cuisine—or perhaps we should speak of Italian *cuisines*, given how distinct each region is in its character, craftsmanship, and *terroir*—throughout the seasons, allowing you to discover their fascinating variety.

Artisanal tradition.

Our cuisine is deeply rooted in artisanal tradition. The know-how inherited from ancestral family kitchens is reflected in our dishes. Our fresh pasta is handmade, and the ingredients for our risotto remain unchanged—from the beef broth and saffron threads to the Parmigiano Reggiano. All our desserts, including our ice creams and sorbets, are homemade.

Timeless classics.

Our timeless classics—the signature dishes that built our reputation and have graced our menu for over fifty years—continue to delight our guests. Among these best-sellers, we can highlight the osso buco, veal Milanese, various ravioli made fresh daily (braised beef, vegetable, squash—Mantua-style—etc.), risotto prepared with homemade stock, vitello tonnato (a classic of Piedmontese cuisine), fresh egg tagliatelle, saltimbocca alla romana, Venetian-style veal liver, and more. Come and discover them!

The Gault & Millau guide awarded a score of 15 to the Roberto restaurant.