Address: Via Armando Diaz, 36, 22100 Como CO
No website
Àbitat
Àbitat
After cutting his teeth in some of London and Copenhagen’s most electrifying kitchens, chef Mirko Gatti returned to his hometown, San Fermo della Battaglia, and, in 2019, he opened Radici, a sustainability-centric restaurant awarded a green Michelin star last year. This past spring, though, Radici relaunched as Àbitat, a culture hub that’s equal parts restaurant and experimentation lab for infusions, juices, and more, focusing on the “three F’s”: flames (open-fire cooking), foraging, and fermentation. Three seasonal 12-course habitat tastings rotate between the forest, sea, and lake, and there’s also an eight-course zero-waste option, which may posit noodles made from chicken skin or mezze maniche pasta in a venison heart sauce. In addition, Gatti teaches regular workshops dedicated to waste-free cooking, foraging, and more.
Address: Via Henry Dunant, 1, 22042 San Fermo della Battaglia CO
Website: abitatproject.it
Materia
Retreating from Cernobbio’s sprawling waterfront isn’t easy–unless Materia is involved. This past August, chef Davide Caranchini reopened his Michelin-starred and World’s 50 Best Discovery restaurant in a roomier digs outfitted with a research laboratory. The elegant white-walled interior is warmed by light wood floors and provides an apt minimalist backdrop to spotlight the food. Inspired by experiences in London and Copenhagen, the chef cleverly approaches the local cuisine with a global–and, at times, provocative–touch. Signature dishes include linguine with butter, lake shad garum and amchoor; sea urchin with calf brain mousse and caper powder and bone marrow gelato topped with saffron foam, a dessert that pays tribute to risotto alla milanese. Complete the meal with a selection from the (mostly) natural wine list. Jaclyn DeGiorgio
Address: Via Trieste, 1/B, 22012 Cernobbio CO
Website: ristorantemateria.it
Trattoria San BiagioAgota Lukytė, Roberto Anzani
Trattoria San Biagio
The headquarters of a century-old agricultural cooperative might seem an unlikely backdrop for some of the lake’s cosiest eats, but it couldn’t be more appropriate. Equal parts aperitivo joint and restaurant, Trattoria San Biagio specialises in unfussy, flavourful Lombard fare. The nostalgia-meets-rustic ambience is enhanced by bookshelves stuffed with old cookbooks and wood tables and chairs. In the bar area, a record player spins vinyl beside a white vintage table topped with cake stands displaying dessert. The weekly changing menu comprises cichéti, or small bites, which may include taleggio cheese, anchovies and polentina, and piatti, or single dishes, such as Milanese-style tripe. The evergreen polenta uncia, a staple of Larian cuisine, is doused with garlic sage butter and topped with a blob of melted cheese from a local dairy, reflecting owners Anita Bertacchi and Danilo Vadis’ commitment to sourcing from small producers – an effort also evident in the wine list. Jaclyn DeGiorgio