Iris’s story is the story of two contemporary fairytales. The first begins when, as a child, Bruno Soave used to hang out outside an ancient neo-Gothic building in the city center that inspired him. Starting out as a delivery boy, he founded a successful fashion logistics company and, after selling it, began to unleash his passion: revitalizing forgotten buildings, giving them an artistic soul.

The second fairytale is that of chef Giacomo Sacchetto, originally from Vallese di Oppeano, in the province of Verona. Thanks to his enormous passion and talent, he became sous chef to two three-Michelin-starred restaurants: first Norbert Niederkofler and then Giancarlo Perbellini. And it was at Casa Perbellini that Bruno Soave became a loyal customer, and the two stories intertwine.

Iris and Palazzo Soave are an act of restitution of history, passion, and 2000-year-old traditions to the city of Verona.

In 2018, Bruno purchased at auction the very building he had admired as a child, dating back to the 15th century, and, moved by great mutual respect, proposed to Giacomo Sacchetto that they begin a culinary adventure there.

And it is here that the fairytale reaches its happy ending: together they create so much beauty: at the table, in the restoration of the building that takes its name from its patron, and in the close-knit team they manage to assemble, achieving a Michelin star in just its second year of operation in 2024.

And Iris is just the first step in Palazzo Soave’s hospitality project, which now also houses the Velvet cocktail bar, located next to the restaurant, and the splendid Talise Spa on the first floor. These are the building blocks of what will become the city’s new 5-star hotel in 2026, with 30 splendid frescoed suites.

The restaurant’s name, Iris, derives from Verona’s typical wild flower, a tribute to the region’s history. This focus on sourcing producers who provide raw materials that enhance Verona and the Veneto region, from the vegetables, eggs, and flours from Azienda Agricola Trètener, with which the chef is developing a dedicated vegetable garden for the restaurant, to the red meats from the Sartori butcher shop in Verona and the Black Angus from MrBeefy.

To allow guests to experience the full beauty of Palazzo Soave’s history, each lunch or dinner begins upon entering, arriving by elevator through a candle-filled vaulted corridor, in the palace’s 15th-century wine cellar, one of the most beautiful within a restaurant in Italy. It houses about ten tables, exactly as many as the main dining room.

Here, amid ancient vaults and shelves containing over 1,000 wines, the amuse-bouche is served. Enter sommelier Andrea Puliga, who has carefully selected small producers and great classics that have shaped history and made certain wine regions famous, to accompany the various courses, perhaps starting with a glass of champagne.

Guests are then escorted to the restaurant’s main dining room, where they are captivated by the neo-Gothic forms carved into stone and marble, Renaissance frescoes, and contemporary design objects, enjoying the privilege of standing on a stage spanning every era from Roman times to the present day.

The two tasting menus, “Tell Me” and “Adriatic and Surroundings”, reflect the restaurant’s philosophy of combining tradition and creativity, featuring the chef’s signature dishes such as Scallop, Verona celery, Royal caviar, and passion fruit, and Turanian spaghetti with mantis shrimp, asparagus, and licorice.

Dishes of great technique, in which the chef always adds distinctive and delicious flavors, are one of the secrets of his great success.

The other secret ingredient is the concept of warmth and hospitality, where every guest feels part of an environment where the passion and emotions of those who work at Iris are conveyed with authenticity, first and foremost by maître Daniele Gagliardi, a cornerstone of the project since its inception.

A dedication to beauty and goodness is evident throughout your stay at Iris, in a theatrical crescendo that extends from the portioning at the table to the selection of cheeses from the trolley, all the way to the small pastries served in a tray shaped like the Verona Arena.

And before or after dinner, you can enjoy an aperitif or a cocktail at the adjacent Velvet Bar, where, amidst stone columns and a dramatic bar, Andrea Pica’s mixology takes center stage, featuring classic cocktails revisited with local and international ingredients and a personalized Omakase menu.

And, while we wait for the 30 suites at Palazzo Soave to debut in 2026, to enjoy a carefree (and endless) evening at Iris, you can book a table at the nearby Palazzo Reggiani, another historic building under the same ownership. This five-suite luxury apartment complex perfectly combines antique wood, coffered ceilings, and modern design details.

Iris Restaurant is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying culinary experiences you can have in the Veneto region.

The Secret

Before dinner, treat yourself to a treatment at the Talise Spa, where Roman floors and archaeological finds were recovered and enhanced during excavations.

Velvet Bar

Palazzo Reggiani

Useful Info

Ristorante Iris
Palazzo Soave
Via Leoni 10
37121 Verona
Tel. +39 045 4158021

Tasting menus: from €140, wine pairing €65
Lunch tasting menus: from €95
A la carte:
Three courses: €140
Four courses: €160