Ristorante La Darsena — Restaurant in Bellano

The restaurant is situated on the road across lakeside. Upon our arrival, the restaurant was near-empty and we were offered a table with one chair facing the view and one facing the dining room. My partner was reprimanded by an unpleasant waitress for moving the chair, sitting 90° to me so she could see the view. The explanation being there would be no space for staff to reach the neighbouring table despite the restaurant being close to empty, no other customers sitting within 5 metres of us, and another walkway to access other tables on our other tableside. The food was tasty but way overpriced for what it was. I ordered the seafood spaghetti which had a lovely, deep rich flavour made with fresh seafood - this was pretty great. My partner ordered a mixed lake fish and vegetables but unfortunately this dish consisted only of underseasoned deep fried fish strips (not even any whole pieces or fillets) and deep fried vegetables (the menu did not specify the whole dish would be deep fried, otherwise she wouldn't have ordered it). Overall: the prices were too high, the view was above average (for me, but below average for my partner as she was only allowed to view the restaurant kitchen), service below average, and we would recommend visiting restaurants down the street that are less...

Having tried quite a few restaurants in the area we stopped by here, it was off season so it wasn't busy although we did suspect it wasn't going to be the best experience given the reviews I had read and, even though it was off season, the restaurant next door was thriving.

Service was excellent, friendly and quick. The food wasn't the best, it's very simple, I had lake fish with fries and was about 20 euro, The presentation was basic, and the portion size was rather modest. Regrettably, the restaurant's atmosphere failed to enhance the dining experience. The overly bright lighting contributed to a lack of warmth and welcoming ambiance.

Comparatively, the following night we ate at the neighbouring establishment, at a similar price point, offered almost double the portion sizes and a far more inviting atmosphere.

While the service was commendable, the overall dining experience was marred by the underwhelming food and ambiance. It's disheartening, especially considering its local appeal. With a few simple adjustments, such as addressing the lighting, this place could significantly improve. Despite the great service, I am hesitant to return...

I am an American who splits time between Bellano and the U.S. La Darsena is the best restaurant in Bellano and locals of all ages agree. The entire menu, from schiatt to apple cake with gelato, is excellent and it emphasizes local dishes that you will not find even in nearby cities like Milano. The service is excellent and thoughtful. If you come a second time, you may find they recall your preferences for seating, food, and wine. The atmosphere is the only area in which I do not give 5 stars and that is because the restaurant is across the road from the lake and few tables have a good view of the lake. Otherwise, the atmosphere is good because the restaurant is always clean and neat with generous space...