"This lovely little *Garden Tavern is located in the heart of Morbio Inferiore, a village situated in the hills overlooking Mendrisio and Chiasso, in the southern part of Ticino near the border with Italy. Once surrounded by vineyards and other agricultural activities, today Morbio Inferiore is a residential suburb for the affluent 'ticinesi ' working in the nearby cities of Chiasso or Mendrisio. The tavern is in what presumably was once an ancient residential home, next to the main square, the village council building and the ever present village church. The discrete setting is therefore ideal for a romantic tête à tête, a dinner with friends or family, even why not? a luncheon among colleagues or with clients. The menu is complete, with starters, firsts, seconds and desserts. For each, there is a choice of 4 6 dishes, all seasonal and all rigorously homemade. For seconds, on top of meat or other seasonal dishes, there is a selection of polenta (a corn flour staple in Ticino and northern Italy served with the typical 'brasato ' (pot roast , 'funghi ' (porcino mushrooms , or a hearty slice of gorgonzola cheese. Vegetarians need not worry, as the menu has several non meat dishes. (The evening I went there they didn 't serve risotto, but I am quite sure they do on a regular basis, it being other staple food in the region together with polenta. The wine card is rich and, in my opinion, well balanced between local wines (Ticino produces mainly red Merlot and Italian ones, even 'important ' reds such as Le Grive (Piedmont or Peppoli (a well known chianti from Tuscany , to name just two that caught my attention. I had a starter and a main course, followed by dessert and a glass of local red. The portions are not large, neither small, suitable therefore for the gourmet and for the gourmand alike. If you are a gourmet, you can go with the full 3 course meal, plus dessert, and still leave the place on your own two feet. If you 're a gourmand, well, you can always as for extra polenta... I will certainly visit again this cute and friendly restaurant, where homemade cuisine is one of its trademarks, the others being the good service, well presented dishes, and the discrete rural with a modern twist atmosphere."