Ristorante La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi — Restaurant in Tremezzina

This was my first time dining at La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi at the Tremezzo 5 star hotel by Lake Como. The overall atmosphere of the hotel is beautifully and luxuriously decorated, and the restaurant itself is equally impressive in terms of layout and design, making you feel special from the very first step (congratulations for the candles at the entrance).

We were 4 and ordered the 5-course tasting menu, and every dish was excellent, especially: • Astice alla crema di peperoni (1978) The lobster was perfectly sweet and tender, paired with a smooth sweet pepper sauce. The flavors were perfectly balanced and absolutely delicious. • Riso, oro e zafferano (1981) The staff explained the story behind this dish wonderfully, helping me appreciate its uniqueness. The saffron risotto with gold flakes was delicate, and every bite was a true feast for both the eyes and the palate.

The other courses were equally delightful, the seabass more than the veal.

In addition to the food, I also had the opportunity to visit the kitchen, which was spectacular and very clean. The executive chef greeted me warmly, making me feel welcomed and giving insight into the professional kitchen management.

Other highlights: • Some staff were cheerful, friendly, and provided excellent guidance about the dishes and wine pairings, making the dining experience smooth and enjoyable. • The plating and wine pairings were well thought out, enhancing the flavors of the dishes.

Areas for improvement: • Some team members seemed unenthusiastic, which slightly affected the overall dining experience. • The bread served was somewhat stale, as if it had been stored for a while, and lacked freshness. The dessert, Millefoglie, was good to see but really nothing special, not the grand final that you expect from such a unique (and expensive!) restaurant!

Overall, this was a highly impressive experience in terms of food, decor, and atmosphere, though there are many points that in my opinion should be improved, to fully satisfy the expectations of a particularly attentive client, like my...

This place is beautiful!!! We had dinner for four and were treated like royalty. The hotel and atmosphere was nothing less than exceptional and you felt special. But we came here for an exceptional meal which was highly priced, creative, but highly disappointing. The meal started with an amuse-bush. It was some sort of creamy egg concoction with caviar in a half egg shell. It was beautiful to see, but after one small spoonful, nausea inducing. Way too rich and salty. Inedible. I had caponata of aubergine with tomatoes and onions which was really amazing as a starter. My wife had three small artichokes. Both dishes were almost $50 each. I ordered monkfish in squid ink and gazpacho. The dish came with a thinly veiled gazpacho and two tiny pieces of fish immersed in black squid ink. It was mediocre at best, four bites of fish altogether for about $60. My wife had tuna which was nicely prepared and tasty. We ordered the souffle for desert. It was so rich and creamy, not what one expected. Again, it was not edible and we just left it uneaten. The wine service was excellent and the sommelier picked out a great bottle for us to drink. Overall, this was a fun experience, but we left unsatisfied by the food and would have been hungry had we not eaten the bread sticks on the table to fill us up. Not what you expect after spending $1000 for a dinner for four people (two bottles of wine included). Come for some drinks, but...

We visited this place this summer and left quite disappointed. It had been highly recommended, so my expectations were very high. Unfortunately, the only friendly person we encountered was the hostess – and that was it.

It took a very long time before a waiter came to our table, and when I mentioned that I was hungry and asked if I could finally get a menu, the head waiter replied that he was very hungry too and walked away. Such a “joke” was absolutely inappropriate for a restaurant of this level.

The service overall was unpleasant, and it felt like we were being treated differently compared to other tables. With the tables where ladies were accompanied by men, the staff seemed warm and welcoming, but with my friend and me the attitude was completely different.

The food itself was not particularly tasty, and I didn’t enjoy it. My mood had already been spoiled by the poor hospitality. Of course, the atmosphere and the views were beautiful – that was the only thing that saved the evening.

It would be wonderful if the staff could treat all guests with the same friendliness and smiles, whether they spend...