Lake Como Food and Drinks
A Journey through the Very Best of Italian Cuisine
So, are you interested in learning more about the delicious types of Lake Como foods and drinks?
Many visitors return from their vacations with wonderful memories of the great food that they tasted during their trip in Lake Como. There are many popular dishes native to the Lake Como area, and often you’ll discover that the ingredients were grown locally, or even in their neighbor’s backyard!
We’ll also share with you the unique customs shared by local Italians when it comes to eating and drinking so that you don’t miss out on everything it can offer you. Eating and drinking is like a form of art in Lake Como!
Lake Como Food
It’s the ingredients that make Italian food so special. Imagine the smell of your average Lake Como kitchen covered with fresh basil, oregano, garlic, organic tomatoes, home-made pasta and fish just caught from the lake.
Each town has their own little recipe and secret about the best way to grill their freshwater fish. Lake Como has 5 different types of fish to choose from, the most popular being Lavarello.
Aside from the hundreds of types of pastas and pizzas, you are bound to run across polenta, which is a type of cornmeal and mataloc, a dome-shaped sponge cake – both native to this area.
Restaurants and Bars
You can find restaurants and bars in every corner of each town in Lake Como. Italians love to eat and drink whenever possible…in fact, some Italians get most of their work done this way, whether it involves making new business associates or in talking to their families.
In Lake Como food is often served together with a basket of different types of bread (the sun-dried tomato bread is really a treat!), as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar for your salads.
Bars are good for grabbing a drink or two during midday but for the best quality of food and service, try one of the Lake Como restaurants which are sometimes attached to various hotels or one of the small, family-run restaurants in town.
Click here to read more about our favorite Lake Como restaurants
INGREDIENTS found in Lake Como Food
It’s the freshness of the ingredients that makes Italian cooking so delcious. You know you’re entering an Italian kitchen when your eyes have tears from the slicing of onion and garlic, and your nose can smell the strong aroma of fresh basil and oregano.
Click here to learn about how to find the best ingredients in Lake Como
Olive Oil
No kitchen in Lake Como or anywhere in Italy is ever complete without it! Olive oil is the basis of most Italian dishes and of mediterranean cuisine and is known to be much healthier and tastier than corn or vegetable oils. Lake Como has developed a reputation for producing fine olive oils, particularly in the region of Lenno where you can see plenty of olive trees growing up in the hills thanks to its ideal climate.
Wine Tasting
Although not as famous as their Tuscan neighbors in the south, Northern Italy produces some excellent wines particularly in the Valtellina valley, a vast landscape just north-east of Lake Como, bordering Switzerland.
Wine aficionados can prepare to go on spectacular wine-tasting tours in this valley in the Alps which boasts a warm and dry microclimate, ideal for harvesting grapes.
Local Fruit
A list of lake Como food would be incomplete without mentioning the delicious fruits available in virtually every grocery store. Sometimes local farmers will sell them on the streets during the morning hours of weekends. The local fruits such as grapes, peaches and nectarines are very rich in flavor as well as juicy and succulent. (We always run out of adjectives!)
If you stay during the winter, be sure to try the kaki (persimmons) for a sweet and delicious dessert. Because they need frost to develop their particular flavor, you can only get them for a short time during the winter months.
Ice Cream (Gelato)
The Italians perfected this recipe centuries ago by creating a more firmly frozen, softer, and more intensely flavored ice cream known as gelato.
Italian ice cream actually doesn’t use cream and melts in your mouth much faster than traditional ice cream. The varieties of gelato in Italy are outstanding and made with the freshest ingredients such as real fruit, nuts, chocolates, milk and cream.
La Giazzera in Varenna is one of our favorite places to grab ice cream. We usually grab 3 flavors and take a long walk along the riverside.
Note: Although it is rare to come across processed ice creams in Lake Como’s Gelaterias, the best way to know if your gelato is real or artificial is to check the limone (lemon) flavor. It is normally white in color. If it is very yellow and in a plastic bin…you are most likely dealing with the artificial type.
Amid all its glory, Lake Como can also be popular for its exquisite eateries. The delectable mouthwatering cuisines of Lake Como food will definitely swoon you till you melt off at every morsel.
A number of the most popular eateries in Lake Como provide ‘risotto con pesce persico’, a classic dish worth trying, since it features delicious fish caught from the lake. In fact, there are 20 plus species of fish residing in Lake Como. The most popular ones hosted at local restaurants are perch and agoni. Agoni is usually sun dried and preserved under some pressure for some months, which adds to their flavor. The meals are always elegantly presented and its worth trying some local wines, such as Lombardy’s Franciacorta white, or the more rich Valtellina Superiore, a red-wine.
More About Tasty Lake Como Food
While most restaurants are quite tiny, and will feature only 8 tables, it is always a good idea to reserve popular restaurants ahead of time during the busy seasons. The hours of most eateries
How about a filet mignon with a balsamic glaze? Many guests will grin with delight at just the idea, however, do keep in mind that balsamico in Italy is often not the same balsamico you’ll find in other countries. It is often several notches better, especially if you come across a quality-made product made by a family-run company.
Dessert in Lake Como may have some of the best chocolate you have ever tasted. And always be sure to complement your meal with a splurge of wine – a Barolo, perhaps? It is among the finest bottles of wine hailing from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Just north of Lake Como, you can also treat yourself to wine tasting tours to get a taste of the local wines. Just drive up to any hotel north of Colico, and you’ll find the directions on how to take advantage of this.
Spa Hotels | Lake Como Food
When partners staying at Lake Como vacation villas plan intimate dinners, bookings are often made at the Cafe Navedano Como. The spa hotel is resident in an elegant historic setting that just loves to appeal to the wealthy. It’s also well-known for the grand layout of its flowery bouquets. Navedano Como is famous for its menu which features modern along with conventional dishes. It also has unmatched popularity for its meats, fishes and pastas. In the summertime, when the sunlight is warm, the main sitting area is largely out on the patio.
Be sure to bring a camera as the spa hotel is often guested by international stars!
There are not many eateries that could capture the sophistication of Lake Como in addition to offering delectable food;Gatto Nero Cernobbio is among those few. It is found on a hill that emphasizes its greatness. The menu boasts of dishes and unique recipes that can familiarize you with authentic Italian flavour. Style and atmosphere of the interior rooms is meticulously incorporated and provides a marvellous ambiance for its guests. The patio of this renowned Lake Como food destination is likewise just as appealing.
Originally posted 2015-01-03 20:56:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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