Locanda dell’Isola Comacina

One of the favorite rituals of locals is lunch at Locanda dell’Isola, the only restaurant on the only island on the lake. It’s a tightly scripted experience, which is part of its charm: after you arrive by boat, you are led on a short tour of Comacina Island followed by a long, leisurely meal with a set multi-course menu that the owners have been serving since 1947. It features copious antipasto, prosciutto, grilled salmon trout from the lake, crispy roast chicken and a dessert of oranges with vanilla gelato coupled with café flambé (that is said to bestow the drinker with good luck). Each dish has a symbolic meaning, which is explained by the staff, along with the history of the island. Cash only.