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Food tours in Lake Como: what to eat and which tour to book
Lake Como's food is lake and mountain food from Lombardy, not the tomato-and-olive-oil cooking many visitors expect in Italy. Butter, polenta, rice and cheese are the base; the lake supplies perch (pesce persico), whitefish (lavarello) and shad (agone), which is salted and sun-dried into missoltini. Risotto with butter-fried perch fillets is the dish nearly every lakeside restaurant serves, and polenta comes in rich local forms such as polenta uncia, layered with cheese and sage butter. Up the valleys, the cooking turns alpine, with buckwheat pizzoccheri and aged cheeses from the Valtellina at the lake's northern end.
Use this page to know what to order and where to eat around the lake, from Como town to the villages of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio, with rough 2026 prices. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price, the town it starts from and the meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Lake Como
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risotto with perch risotto con filetti di pesce persico | Plain or herb risotto topped with lake perch fillets, lightly floured and fried in butter with sage. The lake's signature dish. Ask whether the perch is from the lake: much of it is imported, and lake perch is limited and more expensive. | Lakeside trattorias and restaurants in every village; often the first item under 'specialità del lago'. | roughly €20–30 a plate |
| Dried lake shad missoltini (misultin) | Agone (lake shad) salted, sun-dried and pressed in tins with bay leaves, then grilled and served with olive oil, vinegar, parsley and toasted polenta. Strong and salty; a real local dish rather than a tourist one. | Traditional trattorias, especially on the upper lake and on the Lecco side; also sold in delis. | roughly €14–20 as a starter or main with polenta |
| Whitefish in carpione lavarello in carpione | Lavarello (whitefish) fillets fried and then marinated in vinegar with onion, herbs and spices, served cold as a starter. Lavarello is also served grilled or meunière. | Lakeside restaurants and trattorias across the lake. | roughly €12–18 as a starter; €18–26 as a main |
| Cheesy polenta with sage butter polenta uncia | Polenta layered or mixed with local soft cheese and covered in browned butter with garlic and sage. Heavy, warming and especially popular in autumn and winter. | Mountain trattorias and agriturismi in the hills above the lake and the Larian valleys. | roughly €12–18 |
| Buckwheat pasta from Valtellina pizzoccheri | Short, flat buckwheat noodles cooked with potatoes and Savoy cabbage, then layered with Valtellina Casera cheese and garlic-sage butter. From the Valtellina, just north of the lake. | Restaurants on the northern lake around Colico, Gravedona and Domaso, and in the valleys. | roughly €12–16 |
| Bread-and-fruit cake miascia | A rustic cake from the Tremezzina made from stale bread, milk, eggs, polenta flour and fruit (apples, pears, grapes, raisins), flavoured with rosemary. Made to use up leftovers. | Bakeries and some trattorias on the western shore, especially in the Tremezzina area; more common in autumn. | roughly €3–6 a slice |
| Aperitivo | The early-evening drink — a spritz, Campari or local wine — served with snacks, from crisps and olives to small plates. In Lombardy it's a daily habit. | Bars in Como town's old centre and on the lakefront squares of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio. | roughly €8–15 a drink with snacks; more on the most famous terraces |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Como town (città murata)
The walled old town has the most everyday food on the lake: bakeries, delis, cafés and trattorias used by residents, plus a covered market (Mercato Coperto) near the walls for produce, cheese and meat, and a regular open-air street market.
Bellagio
The famous village on the point where the lake splits into its three arms. Beautiful, but the lakefront restaurants are among the most expensive on the lake; walk up the stepped lanes or out to the hamlets for better value.
Varenna
Small village on the eastern shore with a lakeside walkway, a few restaurants and bars, and ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio. Easy to reach by train from Milan.
Menaggio and the Tremezzina
Western-shore villages with restaurants, gelaterie and the home of miascia; less crowded than Bellagio in the evening.
Hill villages and agriturismi
The slopes above the lake — Monte San Primo above Bellagio, the Val d'Intelvi, the hills above Menaggio and the Lecco side — have farm restaurants (agriturismi) and crotti (cellar taverns) serving polenta, game, cured meats and local cheese at lower prices than the lakefront.
Food tours in Lake Como compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Como: Ravioli Cooking Class with Wine | 2 hours | from €89 per person | max 10 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Lake Como: Winery Tour with Wine Tasting | 1.5 hours | from €63 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Lake Como: Small-Group Local Food Tour with Full Meal & Wine | 3.5 hours | from €99 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Bellagio: Terrae III Wine Tasting with Lake Como Views | 2 - 2.5 hours | from €75 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Wine Tasting with Food Pairing at Lake Como | 1 hour | from €55 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Lake Como: Wine tasting in the vineyard with local cured meats and cheese | 1 - 2 hours | from €36 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Lake Como: Ravioli Cooking Class with Wine
On GetYourGuide · run by Cesarine
- Length
- 2 hours
- Price
- from €89 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 63 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Hands-on ravioli-making class with a local Italian expert Tasting of your freshly made ravioli with traditional sauce A glass of regional wine (e.g., Barbera, Nebbiolo, or Pinot Grigio) Additional food and drinks
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- Operator will contact you after booking to confirm the address for your experience.
Lake Como: Winery Tour with Wine Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Timonfaya Travel Lanzarote
- Length
- 1.5 hours
- Price
- from €63 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 235 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Frazione Pozzolo, 6, 22013 Domaso CO, Italia
Lake Como: Small-Group Local Food Tour with Full Meal & Wine
On GetYourGuide · run by Do Eat Better Experience
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €99 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 180 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- English-speaking Local Guide Enjoy the following possible tastings across 4+ stops: pizza, polenta, cured meats, local wine, sciatt, ice cream and coffee Taste local dishes in a tipical restaurant Water & Alcoholic Lo…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Meet your guide in Piazza Duomo, near the Cathedral
Bellagio: Terrae III Wine Tasting with Lake Como Views
On GetYourGuide · run by Our Dolce Vita
- Length
- 2 - 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €75 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 112 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Guided tasting of 6 Terrae III wines Charcuterie board Optional pickup and drop-off from Bellagio town Scenic tasting location above Bellagio Lake Como views English-speaking host Introduction to the Terrae III story…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Wine Tasting with Food Pairing at Lake Como
On GetYourGuide · run by Slow Travel
- Length
- 1 hour
- Price
- from €55 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 108 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Lake Como: Wine tasting in the vineyard with local cured meats and cheese
On GetYourGuide · run by Azienda Agricola del Risti
- Length
- 1 - 2 hours
- Price
- from €36 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 61 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
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Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
There is little street food on Lake Como. The quick, cheap options are bakeries (focaccia, pizza al taglio), delis that make panini, and gelaterie. Picnics bought at a Como deli or market and eaten on a ferry or a lakeside bench are the best budget lunch.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down meals are the main event: trattorias and restaurants serving lake fish, risotto and polenta. Lunch is roughly 12:30–14:30 and dinner from about 19:30; kitchens close in the afternoon. Book for summer evenings in Bellagio and Varenna. Expect a coperto (cover charge) of a few euros per person.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes around the lake are usually held in villas, farmhouses or homes in the hills and teach fresh pasta, risotto and tiramisù, often with wine and a view. Some include a market visit in Como. Classes centre on general Italian dishes more than lake specialities; ask if lake fish is on the menu.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €30–45 (bar breakfast, deli panino or focaccia lunch, pizza or simple trattoria dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €65–95 (lakeside lunch, aperitivo, trattoria dinner with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €150+ (villa or hotel restaurant with lake views and wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easy. Risottos, polenta with cheese and mushrooms, pizzoccheri, fresh pasta and vegetable side dishes are common. Watch for meat or fish stock in risotto; ask 'brodo vegetale?' (vegetable stock). Vegan options are fewer, as butter and cheese are central to local cooking.
Halal: Halal food is limited on the lake. Como town has a few kebab shops and some Middle Eastern or South Asian restaurants; lakeside villages generally do not. Lake fish, risotto (check the stock and wine) and vegetarian dishes are the easiest choices. Cured pork is common in antipasti.
Gluten-free: Better than average: polenta and risotto are naturally gluten-free, and Italian restaurants are generally familiar with coeliac disease (celiachia). Floured fried perch, pizzoccheri (buckwheat plus wheat flour) and bread are not. Look for the Italian Coeliac Association (AIC) mark in some restaurants.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- 'Lake perch' that is imported frozen perch or Nile perch, sold at lake-fish prices. Ask 'è pesce persico del lago?' Honest restaurants will tell you; frozen products must be marked on the menu, often with an asterisk.
- Lakefront terraces in Bellagio and Varenna with high prices, small portions and extra charges for bread, water and table service. Check the menu with prices before sitting down, including the coperto, and eat one street back from the water for better value.
- Long ferry queues and missed dinner reservations because the last boats leave earlier than expected. Check the last ferry times (they change by season) before booking dinner across the lake.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
What is the typical dish of Lake Como?
Risotto with perch fillets (risotto con pesce persico) is the dish served almost everywhere. For something more local, try missoltini (sun-dried lake shad with polenta), lavarello in carpione (marinated whitefish) and polenta uncia with cheese and sage butter. In autumn look for miascia cake in the Tremezzina and pizzoccheri on the northern lake.
Do I need to tip on Lake Como?
Tipping is not expected in Italy. Most restaurants charge a coperto (cover charge) of roughly €2–5 per person, which is not a tip. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated. If 'servizio' is listed on the bill, service is already included.
Which town is best to base myself for food?
Como town has the most variety and the most everyday prices, with markets, delis and trattorias used by residents. Bellagio and Varenna are more scenic but more expensive and quieter after the day-trippers leave. Menaggio is a good middle ground on the western shore with ferry links to both.
Do I need to book restaurants?
In summer and on weekends, yes, especially for dinner in Bellagio, Varenna and popular lakeside or hilltop restaurants. Agriturismi and crotti often require booking and may open only certain days. For lunch on weekdays, you can usually walk in. Check last-ferry times if your restaurant is across the lake.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a budget, about €30–45 covers a bar breakfast, a deli or bakery lunch and a pizza dinner. A day with a lakeside lunch, an aperitivo and a trattoria dinner with wine costs roughly €65–95. Villa and luxury hotel restaurants start around €80–120 per person before wine.
When are restaurants open?
Lunch is roughly 12:30 to 14:30 and dinner from about 19:30 to 22:00. Between lunch and dinner most kitchens close; bars and gelaterie stay open. Many restaurants close one day a week, and some lakeside and hotel restaurants close for the winter season, roughly November to March.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.