Where to Eat on Lake Como: Our Favourite Tables, Town by Town
Eating well is half the reason to come to Lake Como. A cappuccino in the piazza, a long lunch on a lakeside terrace, a special dinner as the lights come on across the water, and a gelato on the way home.
This is the list our concierge team shares with every guest, taken from our own Lake Como guide and organised by town, so you can plan your days around it.
Como
The city at the southern tip
Breakfast and coffee: Avenue Bistrot on Piazzolo Terragni, Wolfox Coffee and La Vecchia Como on Via Lambertenghi, Pasticceria Martesana on Piazza Volta, and Cova Casabianca on the lakefront.
Lunch: Figli dei Fiori Bistrot for contemporary Italian, or La Vita è Bella for salads and lighter dishes.
Dinner: Kitchen, Como's Michelin-starred address, about ten minutes by car from the centre. For a special night, Il Sereno Al Lago in Torno, and L'ARIA and Ristorante Momi in Blevio, are all within twenty minutes.
Gelato: Ross Alta Gelateria (ask for the Aura Luxury Collection flavour, created for our guests), Gelateria Guidi, Gelab and Gelato Crea.
Staying in Como? From The Royal Duomo Residence and The Royal Lakeview Penthouse, the old town's cafés and restaurants are a short walk away.
Cernobbio, Laglio and Moltrasio
Elegant villages on the western shore
Coffee: Pasticceria Poletti and Vincenzo Dascanio Café on Via Regina, or Caffè Miralago on Piazza Risorgimento.
Lunch: La Veranda for something refined, Trattoria del Glicine for classic Italian, or Passalacqua Restaurant, ten minutes away by car.
Dinner: Ristorante Materia for contemporary Italian-Asian cooking, Onda for a lakefront table and cocktails, and Il Platano for Mediterranean dishes. Along the shore, Una Finestra Sul Lago has a lakefront terrace and Il Gatto Nero has hillside lake views.
Bellagio
The pearl of the lake
Coffee: Bar Pasticceria Rossi on Piazza Mazzini, Seta Hotel Café and Nenè Food.
Lunch: La Punta at the tip of the peninsula, Bilacus, Antichi Sapori, La Lanterna and Dai Viga for fresh pasta.
Dinner: Mistral for fine dining, Dispensa 63 and Salice Blu for creative Italian, Alle Darsene di Loppia for seasonal cooking, and Baita Belvedere in the hills for local dishes.
Gelato: Gelateria del Borgo and Pasticceria Gelateria Castelli.
Varenna
Small, colourful and romantic
Coffee and lunch: Bar Il Molo on the waterfront, Varenna Caffè Bistrot, and Al Prato for a relaxed Italian lunch. La Veranda dei Pescatori is five to ten minutes away by car.
Dinner: Il Cavatappi for regional cooking (it is tiny, so book ahead), La Vista for something refined, and Osteria Quattro Pass.
Gelato: Gelateria Riva and Gelateria Bon Bon.
Between meals, our list of the 10 best things to do in Lake Como will fill the rest of your day.
Tremezzo and Lenno
The heart of the central lake
Coffee: NOVA Bakery and Bistrot, and Tremezzina Bar Pasticceria.
Lunch: Da Giacomo al Lago for seafood, T Bar for light bites and T Pizza.
Dinner: La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi and La Darsena on the lakefront, Cetino by Mauro Colagreco in Cadenabbia, and Locanda La Tirlindana in Sala Comacina. In the hills above Tremezzo, Al Veluu and La Fagurida are worth the short drive.
Gelato: La Fabbrica del Gelato and Gelateria Tremezzo.
Menaggio
Relaxed and central
Coffee: Pasticceria Cassera Moretti, Café del Pess on Piazza Garibaldi, and Bar Gelateria Il Gabbiano.
Lunch: La Trattoria Costantin, Ristorante del Porto, and La Grolla for seafood.
Dinner: Lago Restaurant for contemporary cooking, or Osteria Il Pozzo for homemade Italian.
Dinner at home, on the water. At Villa Melody near Menaggio, the dining room looks straight out over the lake, and our concierge can arrange a private chef for your stay. Not sure where to base yourself? Read our guide to where to stay on Lake Como. Check dates or WhatsApp our concierge.
Our tips for dining on the lake
From the Aura concierge
Book ahead in summer, especially for lakeside tables at sunset.
Check opening days. Many restaurants close one day a week, and some close for part of the winter.
Arrive by boat. A private wooden boat makes lunch the highlight of the day.
Prefer to stay in? A private chef can cook in your own kitchen, with market menus, aperitivo and full service.
Villa Melody and Villa del Sole both have lakeside terraces made for a private chef dinner.
Let us book your table
Book direct for our best rate
Every reservation on this list can be arranged for you, from restaurant tables to private chefs and boats. Book direct and send us your plans before you arrive.