Fine dining experience: Michelin restaurants on Lake Como

Lombardy is the region with the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy. Among its 59 restaurants awarded with the prestigious Michelin star, 7 of them can be found around the magnificent lake Como.

An encouraging trend is that young chefs are beginning to put the focus on local products in order to highlight the unique gastronomic identity of lake Como.

In this article, we will get to know Michelin-starred restaurants on Lake Como better.

I Tigli in Theoria, Como

This restaurant is located in a renovated 15th-century palazzo that had been originally built for the bishop of Como.

Chef

Franco Caffara got his first experience at the Salumaio di Montenapoleone in Milan and spent several years in Tokyo, where he two of the restaurants from the Salumaio chain. After returning to Como in 2004, he opened I Tigli al Lago, and in 2012 he received the coveted Michelin star. In 2014 he continued his career at I Tigli in Teoria.

Philosophy

Respect for traditions, quality of products, and simplicity of preparation.

Menu

Modern cuisine. The menu is based on oysters, scallops, Sicilian shrimp, foie gras, Atlantic lobster, and other delicacies.

Specialty

– Fiore di zucca croccante, ricotta vaccina, topinambur;

– Risotto all’ostrica vegetale mertensia maritima;

– Nuovo tiramisu.

Prices

50-147 euros

The tasting menu “TerraMare” – 147 euros, the tasting menu “Breve” – 109 euros. Both menus include a welcome compliment from the chef, pre-dessert, dessert, and coffee.

Website: www.theoriagallery.it

Address: via Bianchi Giovini, 41, Como

Telephone: +39 031 305272

Materia, Cernobbio

The restaurant is located in Cernobbio, one of the most popular touristic destinations.

Chef

Davide Caranchini is one of the most original young chefs ever. After graduating from the culinary school of Como, he worked in London and Copenhagen. Davide inherited a special admiration for herbs from his grandmother and uses them as key ingredients in his dishes.

In 2016 Davide opened a restaurant in Cernobbio and a year later was named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe rankings as the most talented chef in Europe. In 2018 he was awarded a Michelin star.

Philosophy

Comasco by birth, Davide focuses on local seasonal ingredients and herbs grown in the restaurant’s own greenhouse.

Menu

Italian cuisine with an Asian twist. The menu features the abundant use of vegetables, herbs, and spices.

Specialty

– Insalata di cavolo rosso sott’aceto, latte di mandorle amare, midollo affumicato e caviale;

– Piccione allo spiedo, linfa di betulla fermentata e fiori di sambuco sott’aceto;

– Cheesecake punk.

Prices

The tasting menu “Classic” – 68 euros, the vegetarian menu “Green Power” – 80 euros, tastings chosen by the chef “Going far to understand what is close” with 7 or 12 courses – 80/130 euros.

Website: www.ristorantemateria.it

Address: via Cinque giornate 32, Cernobbio

Telephone: + 39 031 2075548 

Kitchen, Como

Kitchen is an elegant restaurant immersed in the botanical garden of Sheraton Lake Como Hotel.

Chef

Before joining the Kitchen Restaurant, Andrea Casali worked with Michelin-starred chef Franco Caffara at I Tigli in Teoria. In 2018 Andrea started his work at Kitchen and in November 2020 he received his first Michelin star.

Philosophy

Meticulously selected local products and a strong focus on the original flavor of ingredients.

Menu

Italian cuisine with a modern approach and a focus on seasonal ingredients. The main features are herbs and vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden.

Specialty

– Gamberi rossi croccanti alla pizzaiola, salsa di alici, origano;

– Spaghettone monograno, zafferano, burro acido, capesante in crudo, alloro;

– Tiramisù 2.0.

Prices

The tasting vegetarian menu “Green” – 50 euros, menu “Italy our way” – 80 euros

Website: www.kitchencomo.com

Address: via per Cernobbio 41A, Como

Telephone: +39 031 516460

Mistral, Bellagio

Mistral, Michelin star restaurant, is a part of the hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio. It has a spectacular terrace overlooking the lake.

Chef

Ettore Bocchia is the guru of molecular cuisine. He has been working at Mistral since 1993. In 2020 he began studying molecular cuisine and was the first in Italy to create a molecular menu. In 2004 he was awarded a Michelin star.

In his book “L’essenza dell’invisibile” Ettore explains the essence of molecular cooking.

Philosophy

The quality of the ingredients and cooking techniques which greatly highlight the original flavors. The dishes are paired by a selection of 400 world-renowned labels, including rare and exclusive ones.

Menu

Molecular cuisine with particular attention to the physical and chemical features of the cooking process.

Specialty

– Ostriche tiepide con caviale e ravioli di sedano rapa, maionese all’ostrica e crema acida;

– La variazione d’agnello pré sale;

– Cioccolato bianco, lime e ciliegia.

Prices

90-220 euros

Website: www.villaserbelloni.com

Address: via Roma, 1, Bellagio

Telephone: +39 031 956435

L’Aria del Mandarin Como Lake, Blevio

The restaurant is nestled in the botanical garden of Mandarin Hotel. Panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows offer a spectacular view of Cernobbio and the western shore of the lake.

Chef

Before joining L’Aria, chef Vincenzo Guarino worked at Michelin-starred restaurants both in Italy and abroad. In 2009 he received his first Michelin star at I Salotti Restaurant in Tuscany, followed by another one in 2012 at L’Accanto in Naples, and one more in 2016 at the restaurant il Pievani in Tuscany. In 2019, just a few months after coming to L’Aria, he was awarded another star. At the end of 2020, Vincenzo announced his departure from the restaurant.

Philosophy

The cuisine is a language that can tell a story, narrate a place, and capture a moment.

Menu

Creative Mediterranean cuisine with a particular emphasis on local products such as lake fish, beef from cattle raised in Alpine meadows, and organic vegetables with an oriental twist.

Specialty

– Storione, cavolfiore, alga wakame in agrodolce, limone in salamoia;

– Carne & carne;

– Guardo il mondo dall’oblò: cremoso al pistacchio, ganache allo yogurt di bufala, limone confit, sorbetto allo yuzu.

Prices

95-140 euros

The tasting menu “L’Aria” – 150 euros; the tasting menu “Tradizione” – 120 euros, the vegetarian tasting menu “Verde 4.0” – 100 euros, the seasonal tasting menu “Tartufo Bianco” – 140 euros.

Website: www.mandarinoriental.com

Address: via Enrico Caronti, 69, Blevio

Telephone: +39 031 32511

Berton al Lago, Torno

The panoramic location of the restaurant Berton al Lago embedded into Il Sereno Hotel makes it a must-visit spot. It features a spacious terrace overlooking the lake.

Chef

The restaurant has at its helm restaurateur and chef Andrea Berton and executive chef Raffaele Lenzi. Andrea Berton has four Michelin stars from his time at three different restaurants. He worked in London, New York, Tokyo, Rome, and Milan. He heads his own restaurant Berton in Milan. Raffaele Lenzi gained most of his exceptional culinary experience working with top chefs in metropolises such as London, New York, and Rome.

Berton al Lago was awarded a Michelin star within one year of its opening.

Philosophy

Healthy and light cuisine for the well-being and harmony of the body and the mind.

Menu

Italian dishes sprinkled with a modern twist. The menu features dishes made with seasonal local ingredients such as cheeses and wines from Valtellina Valley, lake fish, meat from Alpine cattle, herbs, and rice. The chef makes use of ingredients from the hotels’ own herb garden.

Specialty

– Verza in tempura, salmerino, prugne umeboshi e dashi di merluzzo;

– Raviolo ponzu ripieno di genovese di maiale;

– Acetosa, bergamotto e sambuco.

Prices

80-150 euros

The tasting menu “Fidarsi” with 9 courses chosen by the chef – 150 euros, the vegetarian tasting menu “Vegetali, tuberi e radici” – 120 euros, the tasting menu “Contrasti” – 135 euros, traditional menu “Classici” – 125 euros.

Website: www.serenohotels.com

Address: via Torrazza, 10, Torno

Telephone: +39 031 5477800

Il Cantuccio, Albavilla

The restaurant is located in the heart of Brianza.

Chef

Mauro Elli got his first experience in an Italian restaurant in Scotland. On his return to Italy, Mauro worked in Liguria and St. Moritz. In 2003 he opened his own restaurant in Albavilla and in 2007 he received a well-deserved Michelin star. Chef Mauro personally welcomes his guests and takes orders.

Philosophy

Simplicity doesn’t mean banality.

Menu

The restaurant delights guests with traditional Italian specialities reinterpreted by the chef.

Specialty

– Calamaretti rosolati serviti con lenticchie croccanti;

– Piccione cucinato e servito in tre versioni;

– Zuppetta di mandorle con frutti rossi e gelato al pistachio.

Prices

55-80 euros

Website: www.mauroelli.com

Address: via Dante 36, Albavilla

Telephone: +39 031 2030014

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