"Located in the Villa d’Este Hotel, this spot requires you to wear formal attire to gain access to their Italian à la carte menu. So, yes, prices skew a bit high (main dishes are €50-€85), like the hearty lobster and scallop with veal sweetbreads—but you’re in Lake Como, where you're going to pretend like you’re a celebrity who doesn’t care about the price of food. Go for the smoked veal fillet that surprisingly works well with a licorice-like tarragon sauce, or whatever sauce they’ve topped it with that day, and imagine yourself rubbing elbows with important people. The attentive staff and fancy vibe level up the whole experience, whether you come for lunch, dinner, or a pre-dinner cocktail." - anna rahmanan, bryan kim
