Why Il Sereno in Lake Como, Italy is the Perfect Escape

Golden hour’s greeting was fantastical: the infinity pool over the lake reflected rosy cotton candy clouds as swans drifted above the shimmering lake and we took our seats at the Lobby Bar for aperitivo hour.

Nemesio, assistant bar manager, wasted no time before proudly presenting aperitivo menus and even though we all studied the pages intently — unique concoctions like Un Insolito Spritz with ape rose, pear and rosemary shrub, pear distillate, and extra dry Prosecco, or Ennergo with Rivo Gin, Strega Alberti, liquid berries, fresh lime and kombucha — we opted for a classic. Cocktail martinis all around.

“Very excellent choice,” Nemesio said, beaming at our seemingly basic order. “It’s a cocktail with much history here.” We could taste his passion upon first sip as we all exclaimed it’s one of the best-made martinis we’ve ever had.

Perpetual passion became a theme of the night as it was clear that the 50 hospitality members, many young Italians, were thrilled to be working at the restaurant. Matteo Gaeta, director of food and beverage, later offered passion as a destined reason for their first star: “Achievement comes automatically when you have excellence, attention to details and passion—and of course teamwork,” he said.

Currently, Il Sereno Al Lago is the only hotel restaurant on Lake Como with a MICHELIN Star, of which Gaeta is extremely proud of achieving. He works alongside chef Raffaele Lenzi from Naples—also an alum of MICHELIN Starred spots in New York, California, Milan, Rome, Hong Kong, and London.

Even though Lenzi was working at Il Sereno Al Lago when they received their first MICHELIN Star in 2017—after only one full season of being open—this is his first Star obtained as an executive chef, which means something more: “Receiving it like this was certainly a different satisfaction because the result was almost exclusively the result of my commitment,” he explains. “It was an important icing on the cake (in Italian we say 'ciliegino sulla torta'), which rewarded us for the work done and made us understand that the path taken was the right one.”

As the last rays of sun glittered on the lake, we made our way down to dinner in the 19th century Moltrasio stone caves, a coveted 20 seat area (with 50 seats inside).

“We want our out of hotel guests to feel like in-house guests,” Gaeta shared as he revealed we were sitting at the chef’s table—a nook that feels like your private dining room with the bonuses of kitchen and lake views.

We were presented with an a la carte menu or a choice of three tasting menus: Omakase, inspired by chef Lenzi’s time in Asia; Omaggio alla Tradizione, creative variations on regional classics; and Vegetali, Tuberi & Radici, a vegetarian menu that Matteo says is not just for vegetarians.

“Omakase is the story of my cooking philosophy. It is the right choice for customers who want to put themselves in my hands,” says Lenzi. “The Vegetables, tubers & roots menu, however, was born from my passion for vegetables and the desire to satisfy those who do not want or cannot eat fish or meat.”

After much deliberation and a glass of welcome bubbles (Franciacorta, the popular sparkling variety from the Lombardi region), we chose the Omaggio alla Tradizione, which Lenzi describes as an interpretation of “typical Italian recipes in a new, authentic and lighter guise.”

The amuse bouche swiftly arrive—a quartet of broad beans and Pecorino cheese, Arctic char “in carpione,” Minestra maritata (a riff on Italian wedding soup) and la mia scarola ripassata (a traditionally Napolese topping of sauteed escarole with pine nuts and olives that was used as a filling for a mini calzone). The latter is a famed dish in Lenzi’s hometown, often washed down with beer, so it was served with a beer gelatin to draw the comparison.

“In my cuisine, tradition coexists with innovation,” says Lenzi, which continued with our next courses: cauliflower carbonara. The surprisingly refreshing swap for the classic pasta dish was created with a crème anglaise base and bacon stock, rather than the fat usually used. Then perch risotto, a regional dish that Lenzi serves with the perch on the side of the risotto cooked in mozzarella water (Lenzi says this not only gives it flavor but also reduces the quantity of butter used in creaming, exemplifying again his ability to lighten even the richest dishes) and topped with sage powder for diners to mix as they please.

We cleaned our plates with the house-made focaccia and buckwheat bread—it was previously delivered on wooden platforms crafted from a local carpenter in between the amuse and first two entrees—that we initially fought the urge to consume for fear of filling up, but the scarpetta was too divine to miss the opportunity of devouring every last morsel.

A palate cleanser of lemon sorbet with almond ferment arrived as we all leaned back to create some more room for the next two entrees.

There was lavaret, a popular fish of Lake Como, served a la plancha with a reduction of cassoeula (a typical Lombardy stew with cabbage and pork ribs), seared endive and potato mille-feuille. Then, a spezzatino, a deconstructed version of meaty stew (can be beer, veal, lamb or perk) served during the winter in Naples. The sous vide then grilled beef is the focal point on the plate as it’s finished tableside.

For dessert, a cart piled with plates of babà, an Italian rum sponge cake, rolled out. Chef halved each cake and prepared them with saffron ice cream powder for a bright finish – both visually and on the palate. A 2013 La Sibilla Passio, a Campania dessert wine produced from Falanghina grape, comprised the finale of our curated wine pairings. Though an add-on, the splurge is worth it; a well-paired wine elevates an already extraordinary meal to an all-encompassing gastronomic experience.

Then egg shell tiramisu made with chicory coffee (no caffeine for the non-Italians who need their shut eye), apple strudel and lemon cake that was washed down with fennel and verbena tea; the ultimate non-alcoholic digestif.

As the last bites were savored – including a surprise creme brulee plugged with a candle for my mum’s milestone birthday – and the kitchen turned quiet with the last of service turned out, we shifted toward the lake to watch how the vista transformed to a dazzle of lights from the adjacent comune of Moltrasio. We sauntered away, full and happy but certainly not over-indulgent, which is exactly what chef aims for.

“I hope [guests] feel satisfied, but at the same time not burdened. The latter is an aspect that I pay a lot of attention to when preparing dishes and, consequently, I want it to stand out,” he shares. “My cuisine is essential, light and concrete and I want this thought to remain imprinted on those who come to eat at the restaurant.”

Hero image: Il Sereno

All photos courtesy of Il Sereno Al Lago