We are going to be in Italy at the beginning of September and are planning a day trip by train to Lake Como, can anyone recommend a good restaurant for lunch in either Varenna or Bellagio. I realise that there are existing threads on this subject but I was hoping to hear from anyone who has dined in that area in the last few months.

Thanks

If you like fish, in Bellagio there is a pretty good restaurant called BARCHETTA.

I would suggest that you do a research here in this forum by digiting "restaurant bellagio" or also "restaurant varenna" and you'll get a lot of threads. There were people recommending RISTORANTE SILVIO and RISTORANTE BILACUS. My other advice is to reserve a table at one of these restaurants, because especially on week-ends they might be pretty crowded. You can call a day or two in advance, either yourself or you can ask your concierge to do that.

Definitely get a reservation. I love Bilacus. Ask for a table on the terrace.

Another recommendation for dining al fresco at Bilacus.

And a third.

We had a tremendously disappointing meal at Barchetta last year. Very pricey and the very worst meal of a 10 day trip. We had been invited to go there by a lovely couple we met on the terrace at Bilacus. They had eaten at Barchetta a few years before and made the reservation for the four of us. They were quite disappointed that the meal was not very good and the price was high.

Barchetta had a change of management and chef in 2004. I have read several accounts that it's not as good as it used to be.
In addition to Bilacus, the lakeside restaurant at the Hotel Florence in Bellagio is very good. I ate at both last May and thought the Hotel Florence meal was actually better than Bilacus. Sitting in the shaded garden restaurant, directly above the lake was one of the highlights of my time in Bellagio. We are definitely planning to eat there again when we are in Bellagio at the end of September/ beginning of October (we get there two days before the hotel's restaurant closes for the season).

Thanks everyone for the information. Will report back after out trip to let you know how we got on.