Ittiturismo Ristorante Mella

You’ve not dined well until you’ve dined here.
Best restaurant on Lake Como.
This is an extraordinary experience.
3rd generation fisherman and his family bring the fish from the lake and onto your plate in a tiny restaurant just a few metres from the boat ramp.
To get a feel for this iconic traditional local secret, watch the 3rd episode of Season 1 of the Netflix Series called ‘Dogs’.
It’s off the beaten touristy trap of the nearby Bellagio and located just near the Chapel at San Giovanni and was worth the trip to Italy to eat there.

Delicious fish dinner, very reasonably priced, and a lovely view.

We can here in the recommendation of our Airbnb host and we are so pleased we did. We reserved for 7:30pm(opening time) and showed up on the dot to secure the table with the best view.

We enjoyed the starter with the mix of lake fish based creations, then we had delicious ravioli, and for mains we shared a grilled lake fish and a steamed lake fish with lemon sauce. Everything was delicious and I highly recommend this place!

Fantastic experience to eat and visit finally Restaurante Mella and to meet Ice! Wow!

The family and the staff spoke fluent Italian as English and where very friendly 🐾

Everything was really nice. Booking made by phone, you can access to the restaurant from Giardini di Villa Melzi by walking 10 min. A great view on the lake, if you come for the first time, when booking ask an upper floor with the tables for 2 with the lake view. The food and the service was great and fast. Special note for rice with fish.

What an absolute treat! We dined here on a Sunday and had made reservations about a week out. We had to adjust, due to our schedule, and they were more than accommodating and quick to respond!

The food was absolutely AMAZING. We had the 2 person local lake fish platter so we could try everything and every single thing was delicious! I had the special of the day, which was a beautifully prepared lake fish that just melted in my mouth.

Lastly, the service was just beautiful. Everyone is just so kind and when they found out I loved their episode on Netflix's Dogs (which featured their handsome dog, Ice, and their father, Alessandro), they were so sweet to introduce me to Alessandro and show me photos of Ice. Unfortunately, Ice wasn't there (he's living as a king/celebrity back home and enjoying retirement - as he should <3), but the experience of eating and meeting the family was just as amazing.

What we didn't know, we just made it as it was their last day before closing for the season. Can't wait to go back! Thank you Gaia for being so kind and welcoming and thank you to the whole family for sharing your food and your dog with the world!

Recommended by our Airbnb host. We went around 1pm without a reservation so we had to sit downstairs; and there is only one menu to choose from (photo attached) if you don’t have a reservation. However, if you do have a reservation, you are able to sit upstairs and order food from an addition menu. We ordered a full menu which includes a starter with mix of lake fish, main course, second course and sorbet. We enjoyed the starter and our main course (Risotto) the most. We also ordered bolognese pasta, this dish is fine - not as good as the other. Overall, the food and service was good. We loved how they asked to change our plates and utensils in between courses. Definitely would come back.

As a veteran of the restaurant industry, I will say that Ittiturismo Ristorante Mella is one of the best restaurants I have ever dined in. We, a party of 6, dined here for lunch on a Sunday.

The food was fresh, local and delicious. We ordered appetizers, daily specials, homemade pasta, fresh fish, wine and desserts ... everything exceeded our expectations.

Beyond amazing food and a charming atmosphere, the SERVICE was impeccable. Everyone was attentive, kind and helpful. Gaia was so welcoming and even spoke to us about her beloved dog ICE.

We're already discussing returning to the area next year and will make it a point to dine here again. If you are in the area, do not missing this GEM.

What an amazing lunch we had at Ittiturismo Ristorante Mella!!!! Our family (parents, 2 teens + grandma) thoroughly enjoyed the local fish antipasti as well as other dishes including pasta, risotto and fish with lemon sauce. A lovely local wine Verdese Bianco topped everything off. The staff were very friendly and informed us about the local fish dishes and wine. A super experience in a charming restaurant, next to a nice church and a view of a small harbour.

Delicious pasta and fresh fish. The fish ravioli and the smoked fish papardelle were very memorable. Grilled deboned fish was well executed. Service friendly. Ambiance relaxed and comfortable. Will return when we’re back in the area. Thanks for the lovely meal!

Stumbled across this gem of a restaurant during a long walk. We were lucky enough to get a table. The menu was varied and the seafood is fresh from the lake. We had sea fish ravioli and grilled fish which was delicious. Very reasonably priced and the staff were very friendly and welcoming.

Omg, we got to see Ice! The famous dog from Dogs on Netflix (Season 1, Episode 3)! Coincidently, it was his 14th birthday today. The Owner (wife) and daughter were so sweet. Food and service were of course amazing. If you want to taste great fish, you must try Mella. Love love love it!

My favorite family-owned restaurant in Bellagio during my stay! Best part is that I got to meet Ice (the dog in the Netflix show, Dogs). Amazing service and food. Highly recommend!

Absolutely lovely lunch at this spot. Great food, hospitable service, and beautiful lake view. They’re only open for an hour and a half for lunch — so make sure to check the days and hours!

It is a lovely place serving authentic Italian food with actually decent prices compared to other restaurants in Bellagio. A hidden gem worth exploring.

Really delicious food, with amazing views of the lake! Fish ravioli and the smoked fish papardelle were great!

Do come by if you are in the vicinity!

Amazing lake fish dishes in an intimate setting with lake view. Being in Bellagio it could be way more expensive, also considering the quality of the dishes. We ordered some mixed fish appetizers and two primi, all excellent. Great wine and beer selection, and excellent service.

Excellent dishes with traditional fish from the area! Great wine selection. Beautiful environment.

We had no reservation and as the menu was fully booked, ended up with a suggested 3 course dinner that absolutely amazed us!!
Super recommended.

If you're into fancy eats and love some fresh lake fish, this spot is the bomb! The servers are awesome, always rockin' those smiles. The vibe in there? Super cool! And it's crazy close to S.Giovanni pier. You gotta check it out! 😋🐟🍽

I wish I could pack up this little restaurant and take it home with me. I had the tasting menu which had beautiful fresh fish, fantastic risotto, and the best mini fish burger I’ve ever tasted. It’s even better as it’s owned by a lovely family who obviously take pride in what they do. Just be sure to watch the Netflix series ‘Dogs’ before visiting as they also have a special celebrity that lives here - Ice the dog. Well worth the small trek from Bellagio. Don’t hesitate, just book.

One of the best fish restaurants I have ever been to. Perfect fish tasting menu (risotto with fish was very good). The local white wine is gorgeous and cheap.