Dining Como
Eating inComo.
Where the cooking is worth the walk, how the village changes by the hour, and what it takes to get a table in August.
Lake Como Province of Como
How to eat well in Como
Geography does most of the sorting. The terraces on the basin at Piazza Cavour trade on position and are priced accordingly; the rooms in the tight streets behind the Duomo and out towards Sant'Abbondio are where the cooking gets more interesting and the rooms fill with people who live here. Up on the Brunate side there are terraces with the whole basin below them, which is a different sort of evening again.
The other city advantage is hours. Kitchens serve later than they do in the villages, food shopping is possible seven days into the week rather than around a seasonal timetable, and nothing closes for the winter. We keep a standing list for members with the name, the number and the person to ask for, and we do not publish it, because the places on it are small and the list only works while it stays quiet.
For the village itself, its character, its property market and how to get there, read our guide to Como.
01What we arrange
Lunch you can arrive at by boat
All with a mooring, all worth the crossing.
The quiet tables
Held for members at short notice, including in August.
Private chefs
From a single dinner to a full season.
Dining in Como: questions
Can you commute to Milan from Como?
Yes, and a considerable number of people do. Como San Giovanni runs on the Trenitalia MilanChiasso line, and Como Lago runs to Milano Cadorna.
This is the practical reason the city market behaves differently from every village on the lake. Check current timetables for each station before planning around a specific service. The two lines serve different Milan termini and suit different destinations within the city.
Is Como worth visiting, or only passing through?
It rewards a proper day. The Duomo, the Roman grid, Sant'Abbondio, Villa Olmo and the funicular to Brunate are all within an afternoon of each other.
Most visitors treat the city as the place where the ferry starts, which is why the streets behind Piazza Cavour stay noticeably calmer than any village waterfront in August. The walk west along the water to Villa Olmo, and the funicular up to Brunate at the end of the day, are the two things we suggest first.
Written by The Como Private Desk
This page is editorial information based on our own work on the lake, not a valuation or a survey. Prices and availability move; treat any figure as an indication and take professional advice before committing.
Sources
- Comune di Como, Population, traffic restriction in the historic centre, and parking regulation.
- Trenitalia and Ferrovienord, Service patterns for Como San Giovanni and Como Lago. Verify separately before quoting any journey time.
Elsewhere in Como
Nearby villages
Guides
Dining across the lake