Must see restaurants in Lake Como

A new venture affiliated with the plush Avenue Hotel, Comacino offers food as theatre, especially if you sit at the chef’s table (technically a couple of…

Tucked away in the hamlet of Maggiana, signposted 3km uphill from lakeside Mandello del Lario (home to the legendary Moto Guzzi motorcycle manufacturer),…

The talk of the town is this enticing Zen-like space, a 10-minute walk from the waterfront. Materia sources many herbs (including unusual varieties) and…

Tucked down a narrow lane in the tiny village of Mezzegra, this wonderful old stone building with its dark wood furnishings (including antique fireplace)…

Amid the lush greenery high above Como, this small rustic restaurant feels like an idyllic escape from the sometimes maddening crowds along the lake…

An ageless osteria (casual tavern) that looks exactly the part. In the wood-lined checker-clothed dining room, wine bottles and other goodies fill the…

Atmosphere counts for a lot in this old stone-arched cafe-cum-bistro-cum–wine bar. Add mood lighting, mezzanine tables, and a trance-y music soundtrack to…

Most dishes at Slow Food–focused Da Abate feature fish that's been caught that day in the lake (the restaurant will only open if they've caught enough),…

Situated on a steep hillside with panoramic lake views from its terrace, this excellent restaurant serves up home-cooked dishes that are prepared with…

Clocking up 100 years of service in 2019, all of them under the same family tutelage, Silvio continues to serve simple lake-to-table food at reasonable…

A five-minute uphill walk from the waterfront along a jasmine-perfumed residential lane, this hotel restaurant sits atop a little rise. Inside, the timber…

With its shady terrace jutting out over the water, this is about the most romantic spot you could choose to eat around the Cadenabbia area. Marianna cooks…

The jet set loves this elegant eatery high above Cernobbio, and for good reason. Book a front-row table and you'll have unobstructed views of the lake…

When the (acclaimed) specialities of the house all involve truffles, you know you're onto a good thing. They're all over the menu here, including truffles…

Set along a narrow pedestrian lane in the upper part of Varenna, Il Cavatappi is an intimate spot with just seven tables set amid arched ceilings and…

Set outside Como's pedestrianised core, Enoteca 84 is a snug local restaurant carrying a well-curated list of local wines. It serves a handful of…

Although it's a bit of a trek (4km southeast of Como's centre), the delectable Slow Food cooking at this characterful crotto ('grotto') makes it well…

Should you need ‘una pausa’ while you’re waiting for your Varenna ferry, enter this nouveau-rustic bistro-cafe and peruse the cake case (the chocolate and…

Come the weekend and you’ll be hard-pressed to squeeze into the grotto-style dining room of this burger joint where young comaschi come to down Baladin…

A short climb above the SS340 road and Moltrasio, you'll stumble across this easygoing, family affair. 'The Pheasant' serves no-nonsense local food (fish…