La Balbiana — Restaurant in Tremezzina

READ THIS BEFORE ORDERING! So first of, DONT listen to all the old reviews (1 yr old) They are soo out of date. My family dined here today. We all came to the unanimous agreement that this was THE WORST restaurant experience we’ve ever had in years of traveling.

Food: The prices are what to expect around lake Como. 14-25€ each dish, I’ll include all our dishes down below.

The food was most likely frozen store bought food which they microwave and slap a nasty price tag on.

The lasagna was extremely bland, flavorless and greasy. It tasted of nothing. They made the food super quick so quite obviously frozen.

The seafood risotto also was done super quickly and came out looking awful, grey and simply just not appealing. The taste match the looks perfectly. None of it, no taste. Oh and there was 4 small shrimps and one piece of squid in that whole thing.

The pizza was also quite obviously a store bought frozen pizza slapped in a microwave. Soggy, greasy, lack of flavor, It’s name on the menu is the exact name Lidl has for one of their similar frozen pizzas so we’re guessing it’s from there.

Oh and all the portion sizes were an absolute joke. Super small, I was done with my lasagna in 1 minute and I’m not exaggerating.

Service and staff: Now initially the server had us, he was super friendly and honestly he was good. He was quick, efficient and friendly.

When we went to pay at the kitchen and obviously not leave a tip. The guy working there started talking about how his wife thinks he should get a new job because they can’t live off of his salary. What a disappointment, trying to guilt trip customers into leaving a tip after a horrible experience and a cover fee already being applied. Disgusting.

This dinner was nothing but a robbery! Don’t ever ever ever even considering eating here please.

Fyi we needed to go to a local pizzeria about 5 minutes away to get pizzas so that we actually could get some food in. Oh and that was a 4th...

Wanted to have a nice dinner in Lenno, so we looked into the options as we walked around. There seemed to be a few touristy places around the ice cream shop, so instead we took this one a bit away as it looked more romantic/intimate. The location is ideal, a few tables and chairs at the lake, candles on tables, superromantic. Service was good, waiters were nice and friendly. These are all the positives. Food was average, had a Caprese as always in Italy (Tasted as ingredients were from Lidl, tomato had no flavour...in Italy?!), Pizza was okeyish, nothing special, and a mixed salad which was a bit sour/bitter...assume pre-chopped from a bag. Wine was good and cheap. So overall not a good experience, then the bill came, where I noted that we are overcharged for the salad AND for the pizza...accidentally of course...every pizza on menu is 9 or 10 EUR, so why we were charged 11 EUR, not sure...they fixed it when I told them, but it just ruined...

This place is a hidden gem and genuinely underrated! I initially avoided it due to the relatively low ratings on Google, but after my visit, it seems these ratings are quite unfair.

First and foremost, the location is wonderful: situated directly in front of Lake Como. The dining area is open-air yet well-protected from rain, providing an ideal atmosphere. The decor is clean and tasteful, creating a calm and enjoyable ambiance.

The cuisine is also delightful. I enjoyed a Pizza Napoli and a fresh tomato-mozzarella salad, both truly excellent. Additionally, they offer a variety of non-alcoholic cocktails.

However, what truly elevates this restaurant is the exceptional staff. You’ll be warmly welcomed by friendly and attentive personnel who are more than happy to provide tips on local attractions and hidden spots.

Don’t hesitate to give this wonderful place a chance: you...