Eat, drink, gelato.
Restaurants, bars and gelaterie on Lake Como — hand-picked from Angelo's nine years hosting on the lake, plus the full local mapping for when you want to wander.
Curated
Angelo's picks
Places the team uses themselves — for staff dinners, guest tips, and slow Sunday lunches.
PickRestaurantsComo
A Como classic in Piazza San Fedele. Paolo plates classic Lombard cuisine — missoltini, ossobuco, fresh-caught lake fish — with quiet refinement. The dining room is small; book a week ahead for weekends.
PickRestaurantsComo
Sardinia transplanted to Como. The Belmonte family has run this place for decades — bottarga, fregola, suckling pig, and a deep Sardinian wine list. Reservations essential.
PickRestaurantsComo
Old-style osteria with chalkboard menu and wooden tables. Bigger portions, lower prices than tourist-strip places, and locals at the next table. Best for lunch.
PickRestaurantsFeel Como
€€€€Como
Como's tasting-menu address. Chef Federico Beretta runs a 6 to 9 course modern Italian menu in a 24-seat dining room. Michelin-recommended.
PickRestaurantsComo
Lakefront tables on Piazza Cavour, white tablecloths, and lake-facing terrace. Tourist-heavy at peak hours but the kitchen still cooks fish properly. Best at sunset.
PickRestaurantsBellagio
The Silvio family has been fishing the lake for four generations. Their restaurant in Bellagio serves what they catch that morning. The misoltini and lavarello are the order.
PickRestaurantsIl Gatto Nero
€€€€Cernobbio
Up the hill from Cernobbio — terrace with one of the best panoramic views of the first basin. George Clooney is a regular. The food matches the view, prices match the food.
PickRestaurantsBrunate
Above the lake in Brunate, reached by the funicolare. Pasta, polenta, and meat done well in a chalet setting. Order on the terrace if it's clear — you see all the way to the Alps.
PickBarsCernobbio
Iconic lake-facing bar in Cernobbio. Aperitivo with a perfect Negroni or Spritz from 18:00, lake-front tables, jazz nights in summer.
PickBarsComo
Como's craft cocktail address. Bartenders who know what they're doing, house-made syrups, classic and modern menu. Quiet enough for conversation on weeknights.
PickBarsComo
A Como institution since the 1970s, somewhere between American bar and Italian café. Strong negroni, good people-watching, central location.
PickBarsComo
Hidden in the old centre — small jazz café with live trio on weekends, vinyl, and a warm crowd. No food, just cocktails and music.
The full map
Everywhere worth a stop
Type
Town
PickRestaurantsComo
A Como classic in Piazza San Fedele. Paolo plates classic Lombard cuisine — missoltini, ossobuco, fresh-caught lake fish — with quiet refinement. The dining room is small; book a week ahead for weekends.
PickRestaurantsComo
Sardinia transplanted to Como. The Belmonte family has run this place for decades — bottarga, fregola, suckling pig, and a deep Sardinian wine list. Reservations essential.
PickRestaurantsComo
Old-style osteria with chalkboard menu and wooden tables. Bigger portions, lower prices than tourist-strip places, and locals at the next table. Best for lunch.
PickRestaurantsFeel Como
€€€€Como
Como's tasting-menu address. Chef Federico Beretta runs a 6 to 9 course modern Italian menu in a 24-seat dining room. Michelin-recommended.
PickRestaurantsComo
Lakefront tables on Piazza Cavour, white tablecloths, and lake-facing terrace. Tourist-heavy at peak hours but the kitchen still cooks fish properly. Best at sunset.
PickRestaurantsBellagio
The Silvio family has been fishing the lake for four generations. Their restaurant in Bellagio serves what they catch that morning. The misoltini and lavarello are the order.
PickRestaurantsIl Gatto Nero
€€€€Cernobbio
Up the hill from Cernobbio — terrace with one of the best panoramic views of the first basin. George Clooney is a regular. The food matches the view, prices match the food.
PickRestaurantsBrunate
Above the lake in Brunate, reached by the funicolare. Pasta, polenta, and meat done well in a chalet setting. Order on the terrace if it's clear — you see all the way to the Alps.
PickBarsCernobbio
Iconic lake-facing bar in Cernobbio. Aperitivo with a perfect Negroni or Spritz from 18:00, lake-front tables, jazz nights in summer.
PickBarsComo
Como's craft cocktail address. Bartenders who know what they're doing, house-made syrups, classic and modern menu. Quiet enough for conversation on weeknights.
PickBarsComo
A Como institution since the 1970s, somewhere between American bar and Italian café. Strong negroni, good people-watching, central location.
PickBarsComo
Hidden in the old centre — small jazz café with live trio on weekends, vinyl, and a warm crowd. No food, just cocktails and music.
PickBarsComo
Aperitivo on a budget — order a Spritz, get a full buffet of stuzzichini. Open until late, popular with students and Como locals after work.
PickBarsTabula Rasa
€€€Bellagio
Bellagio aperitivo bar with terrace overlooking the lake split. Tables fill by 18:30 in summer — go early or expect to stand at the bar.
PickBarsVarenna
Tiny harbor-side bar in Varenna. Coffee, panini, and aperitivo on the pier — best taken before the day-tripper crowds arrive at 11:00 or after they leave at 17:00.
PickBarsCernobbio
Wine bar in Cernobbio with serious by-the-glass list — Italian focus, Lombard producers, knowledgeable staff. Small cheese and salumi plates.
PickCafésComo
Morning espresso at the bar on Piazza Cavour, watching the lake wake up. €1.40 al banco, well-pulled, daily pastries baked on site.
PickCafésComo
Como's classical pasticceria — cassata, mille-foglie, and a serious panettone scene from October to January. Excellent croissant filled with cream.
PickCafésComo
No-frills neighborhood café where locals start the day. Cheap, fast espresso, panini and cornetti — none of the lakefront tourist markup.
PickCafésBellagio
Bellagio piazza café with proper espresso and lake views. Quieter in the morning before the ferries dump tour groups.
PickCafésVarenna
Tucked into Varenna's old contrade alleys, away from the ferry pier crowd. Espresso, simple panini, and a few outdoor tables.
PickCafésTre Re
€€Como
Old Como café-restaurant inside the medieval city walls. Big arched ceilings, busy at lunch, calm afternoon café for an espresso and pastry.
PickClubs & nightlifeComo
Summer-only lakeside venue at the Lido di Villa Olmo. DJ sets Friday and Saturday nights, pool open until midnight, lake-side tables.
PickClubs & nightlifeComo
Late-night spot in central Como — small dance floor, DJ-driven, mix of locals and visitors. House and disco focused, no dress code.
PickClubs & nightlifeBahnhof Club
€€€Como
Como's main weekend club — multi-room, larger capacity, heavier techno/house on Saturdays. Doors at 23:00, queues by 00:30.
PickClubs & nightlifeComo
Industrial-feel club just outside the historic centre. Often hosts touring DJs and themed nights, mixed indie/electronic programming.
PickGelaterieComo
Long-standing Como gelateria on the lake promenade. Pistachio and stracciatella are the moves. Cash easier, small queue at sunset.
PickGelaterieComo
Artisan gelato made in-house every morning, rotating seasonal flavors. The yogurt-and-fig combination in late summer is the order.
PickGelaterieBellagio
Bellagio's go-to gelateria on the stairs above the harbor. Strong on classic flavors — nocciola, cioccolato fondente, fragola in season.
PickGelaterieVarenna
Tiny harbor-side gelateria in Varenna. Limoncello sorbet is the seasonal pick, paired with a sit on the dock wall watching the ferries.