594068 Fri Feb 06 14:05:47 -0800 2009 11 58 Italy 0 4394197 I will be staying in Bellagio for 3 nights. Would love to keep dinners around 40 or 50 euro per person if possible. Does anyone have 3 or 4 restaurant recommendations????? Fri Feb 06 14:05:47 -0800 2009 263109 Ilovegoodfoodandwine 1 4395110 We stayed at the Albergo Silvio, on the edge of Bellagio, and had dinner there twice. The food is delicious (they have their own fishing boat and serve fish from the lake), and meat dishes were excellent even though the emphasis is on fish. Very reasonably priced, and be sure to reserve as they do fill up, it's very popular with both locals and tourists. One dish I must say is not to be missed is the lasagnetta (layers of crepe instead of pasta) with fish ragu. The lavarello is also great, and my partner had a really tasty filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce. Fri Feb 06 20:22:11 -0800 2009 4394197 126803 rrems 2 4398144 I absolutely agree with rrems and me to I reccomend Silvio Sun Feb 08 09:38:00 -0800 2009 4395110 206606 vidanto 3 4398194 Our lunch at Silvio was one of the best we had on a recent trip to Lake Como; here are a few notes from that meal: restaurant of the Hotel Silvio, in the Loppia frazzione of Bellagio. http://www.bellagiosilvio.com/frameset_mangiare_en.html The restaurant was almost full when we were shown to our window table facing the Lake. When we noticed two long tables filled with members of a local gastronomic society, I knew that we were in for a good meal! We bagan our lunch with a selection of mixed lake fish: marinated agnoni in carpione; laverello with green sauce; and several other treats. We could not visit Bellagio without ordering the unique fish preparation of the region, so we supplemented the antipasti with an order of missoltini, allis shad that have been air dried, salted, pressed with weights, and preserved with bay leaves in barrels known as missolte. For serving, the fish are reheated on a slow fire which imparts a smoky taste, before being sprinkled with oil and vinegar. The missoltini was strong and salty, and another time I might sample it in smaller doses in one of the typical pasta preparations of the area. On the terrace below the dining room we could see racks of this small shad being dried specialized wooden racks. One of my friends chose a spaghetti dish to follow. I had not eaten meat all week and so decided upon the filet of veal with porcini, which I split with my other table mate. Accompanied by sliced of roast fennel and potato, this dish was thrilling. Absolutely wonderful! For dessert, the traditional apple cake of Bellagio, “miascia.” Which bore some similarity to the American bread pudding and contained, in addition to apples, raisins and citrus rind. (Later that day I would discover that Menaggio, too, has its own typical dessert!) With wine and water, a selection of sorbets, and coffees, our lunch for three cost 82 euro. Highly recommended! (Note that the hotel will pick up diners at the ferry pier by prior arrangement) After lunch we took a peek at two of the rooms in the hotel. The smaller of the two offered a very pleasant lakeside terrace which might overcome the snugness of the interior. A big plus in favor of choosing this hotel is the quality of the restaurant and, for me, the location in a particularly beautiful area of the town. The hotel also rents apartments for longer stays. Will you have a car on this trip? If so, there are a few places that we could recommend. Sun Feb 08 09:59:40 -0800 2009 4398144 12618 erica 4 4398400 I wont have a car. I am staying in the Hotel Florence in Bellagio but am willing to travel to tremezzo or como or somewhere else close for a great, resonably priced dinner. The price of Silvio sounds fantastic! Sun Feb 08 11:43:01 -0800 2009 4398194 263109 Ilovegoodfoodandwine 5 4398502 OK-here are a few notes on the SlowFood Santo Stefano in Lenno; like many others in the area, they are closed on Monday. My only concern is that I am unsure how late the ferries run from Bellagio: SANTO STEFANO, LENNO (closed Mondays) We had booked a table at this SlowFood eatery on the Piazza XI Febbraio (the restaurant does not face the lake) the day before. Here again, I was glad we had booked ahead because every other table was taken by a mix of locals and a few tourists. We were seated on the glass-enclosed terrace in the front of the dining area. While in winter, the kitchen turns out game supplied by local hunters, in this season the menu was centered on lake fish. We ate lightly because we were planning a big meal that evening. (La Fagurida in Rogaro) Two of us split a first course of pasta with funghi porcini which was excellent. For the secondi, I took the advice of the waitress and ordered my first sampling of one of the popular lake fish, perch. Persico dorado was several filets of “golden” perch, lightly sautéed in a delicate batter. Even to this less-than-enthusiastic fish eater, it was delicious. One of those dishes that you remember long after you return home! My friends each enjoyed their plates of what had become their favorite lake fish, the white-meat lavarello, which had been grilled and served with plenty of lemon. They also shared a mixed salad. With a glass of wine, water, and 2 limonatas, the total here came to 17 Euro per person. There are a pair of restaurants in the hills above Tremezzo, but I am not sure if you could access these without a car. Unfortunately, taxis in the area are very expensive. Near Cernobbio, I got one recommendation from a local whose taste I trust; I did not eat there, however: http://www.trattoriadelglicine.eu/ristorante.html Sun Feb 08 12:27:24 -0800 2009 4398400 12618 erica 4 4399115 I almost forgot the lavarello with green sauce, which I had as my main course at one meal, and as part of an appetizer of mixed lake fish at the previous meal. Definitely a must have. Sun Feb 08 16:48:14 -0800 2009 4398194 126803 rrems 1 4577956 Ristorante Bar "Mella" is an unpretentious gastronomic delight that is within anyone's budget. This restaurant is a favorite of my Milanese cousin, Roberto, and every time we come to visit we all travel to Bellagio to eat at Ristorante Bar "Mella". Roberto loves to fish and this restaurant specializes in fresh caught fish from the lake. From the time you enter the restaurant you can see there is a special connection between the lake and the restaurant. The owner is a professional fisherman and is trying to keep the lake fishing tradition alive. There is a beautiful view of the lake from the dining room. The staff is most hospitable and will be happy to explain the variety of dishes served. I spent one memorable afternoon, with my cousins, eating through most of the menu and drinking spumante. Then I walked down to the lake to see the fishing boats and was introduced to an Italian Spinone! Wed Apr 08 07:56:05 -0700 2009 4394197 242878 per me 2 5030332 Do you know if this restaurant (Bar Mella) is open Mondays for dinner? If not, any others in the area? We're staying in Varenna. Many thanks Mon Sep 14 20:28:23 -0700 2009 4577956 11036 Fine 3 5032118 Maybe the info is here http://www.ristorantemella.it/ Tue Sep 15 13:16:50 -0700 2009 5030332 11130 jen kalb 1 4815058 Locanda dell' Isola Comacina 62 euros per person but AMAZING (includes wine, service, water etc.) Set menu with fantastic fresh food - one of my most memorable meals of all time. You need to book in advance. Also, it's on an island so you need to take a ferry there. It's worth it! Mon Jun 29 10:08:18 -0700 2009 4394197 285764 cbell167 1 4820600 We ate at Silvio's at lunch time a few days ago and were disappointed. the fish was ok but nothing special, the side vegetables which were roast potatoes and Zucchine were overcooked and there were lipstick marks on the glasses. Salice Blu for us is a better option. Wed Jul 01 06:15:01 -0700 2009 4394197 246981 CCScozia