"Looking to eat next to someone famous? Gatto Nero is your best bet. The Italian restaurant housed in an 18th-century villa in Cernobbio is one of Lake Como’s fanciest restaurants. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but step in and you’ll see suited-up waiters, an elegant indoor/outdoor dining room, and lake views—it all sets the stage for that potential George Clooney sighting. The upscale food is filling but not too heavy, and mindful of vegetarians (most high-end spots in Lake Como tend to focus on meat and fish). If it’s on the menu, the baked artichoke with pecorino cream is a must, as are all of the pastas, including the palm-sized raviolo that’s stuffed with ossobuco and drenched in gremolata." - Anna Rahmanan
