Lago di Como

I can’t believe how good this restaurant is! We went out as our first time as a new family of 4 for my husbands birthday last night and we’re completely blown away at the level of service we received. It felt like we were eating at a house and visiting family. We ordered a mixed green salad, two spritz, perle di mare with pasta, a bottle of red wine, and a dry aged steak with potatoes. When we say this is the best meal we have ever had, this is no exaggeration. You can tell these people love their food and Gio and Mateo are passionate about their craft and they go above and beyond to give you that experience you can only get from chefs that love what they do.
We have lived down the street and are used to driving to San Jose to visit the Michelin restaurants to get that quality food and service, but to have it right here in our backyard is crazy!
The most special thing we have experienced at a restaurant is Gio brought out a Minestrone soup for my toddler and it’s a style my Grandma used to make with thick potatoes and carrots with peas. It was so good she devoured it.
The seafood was delicious. Definitely a wining combo with pasta and pairs great with the La Dolce Vita Spritz.
The star was the dry aged steak with potatoes. You can’t find this anywhere else like this. 3.5 pounds of meat aged and cooked to perfection. We asked for it medium rare and it was like eating a buttery A5 with a glass of red wine, you’re set for a great meal.
We went in blind not knowing if this was a kid friendly restaurant. But having a toddler and a 2 month old on a Monday night, they made us feel so accommodating being it’s a small intimate restaurant so it’s better probably to leave the kiddos at home to fully get the whole experience, but glad we got this special experience as a family.
We will definitely be back soon and thank you Lago di Cómo staff for making this such a great dinner!

We had a birthday dinner here, but we haven't been in years. The new look is great! Every food item we had was awesome, pasta, veal, salads, bread etc. The wine selection was really good. We happened to go on Wednesday, which is their spritz night, super fun and delicious. We will be back for sure

We were in Santa Cruz for a couple of days. Planned our first dinner at Shadowbrook, but didn't have any plans for the 2nd night. My boyfriend decided on Lago di Como because of the good reviews. It was around 7 pm and I was surprised that we were able to make a reservation for 7:45. We arrived on time and were greeted and seated quickly.

We ordered:
Scallops to start
Tagliatelle bolognese
Veal entree
A glass of Trumin Pinot Noir to pair with the veal

They provide every table with bread and olive oil and balsamic.

The star of the meal was the starter, the scallops. The pasta was also cooked al dente. Other than that, I agree with my boyfriend's comment, "could be better."

The ambience was nice and intimate. Our server, whose name I couldn't remember, was ok. It probably was just his personality, but he wasn't very welcoming. I can't tell if his Italian accent was legit. 🤣 Also felt a very slight discomfort because we were the only POC there at the time.

It was good enough and if we lived close by, might come by another time, but we live in San Francisco, and it's not worth a 1.5 hour drive.

Only recommended if you're in the area and want italian food.

Visited Santa Cruz on a whim for a night and decided to make a reservation at this restaurant. What a gem to stumble in. The atmosphere was casual but refined; white table cloths but in a non-fussy way. The artichoke appetizer blew us away. My friend conversed with the server and chef in Italian, who told her the artichokes are Italian and imported, known for how tender they are. We also had fritto misto and spaghetti with clams, both of which were fantastic. Two desserts, tiramisu and the seadas, were the perfect ending to an indulgent meal. They also had a beautiful selection of vermouths on ice, transporting us to a sea-side Italian city.

Memorable experience! If you want authentic Italian food in Santa Cruz, you must try this place.

Cute Italian Vibe: You can feel the Italian vibe as soon as you walk in. Lindsey and Natalia were especially warm and hospitable, and Enrico was the perfect guide to the ultimate dining experience. Enrico has amazing energy.

Excellent food: The Chef Matteo, expertly cut the 3 pound Bisteca into perfect slices. Take a look at my mouthwatering pictures. Started with the Caesar Salad, then handmade gnocchi in marinara along with the Butcher's Choice, 3 pound Bisteca with seasoned potatoes. Topped it off with the best Tiramisu I have ever had.

An added bonus - parking is easy as the restaurant has its own parking lot. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Great Italian restaurant with decent service. The owner/manager? was very attentive and pleasant and checked up on the tables to make sure everyone was having a good time.

Food was good, I liked how the steak was cooked in a classic way with mushroom sauce and hearty veggies, but my partner didn't appreciate the sauce on top of the meat (we should have paid attention to the menu, it was called out). Overall it was a good experience and we'll be back to try other dishes.

After my experience here a week or so ago I decided to come back with my beautiful wife. She LOVED it! We started off with a nice bottle of red wine & tuna stuffed peppers as we waited for our salad and scallops appetizers. They were absolutely incredible! When we realized there was more delicious Barbaresco red wine left in the bottle we decided to enjoy it with a Super Daviola pizza & a side of Matteo's spicy red sauce which is not on the menu. This is easily one of our favorite places now! Sunday is pizza night and we will be back. Hopefully, the new grilled chicken spicy pizza will be added to the menu soon. When you check in with the hostess make sure you request one of Enrico's tables for the full experience, it is well worth it! He had great suggestions and the chocolate dessert he brought us was fantastic.

J.T.
Fresno, CA

Service was very good. Food was good but not over the top for the price that it was. They have changed the inside. I kinda like the old set up better. More personal. Now it's kinda crowded and loud.