Bellissima esperienza di cena da Il Cavatappi,Cibo buonissimo e Giuseppe è Super gentile e professionale.5 stelle meritate.

Cibo super e personale gentilissimo! Molte proposte vegetariane (e potenzialmente vegane) buonissime. Lo chef ha preso in considerazione tutte le mie esigenze e questa è stata una delle cene più buone durante il mio soggiorno al lago di Como. Consiglio assolutamente!

Locale intimo, molto carino, sembra una piccola taverna. Servizio ottimo e menu interessante con piatti locali particolari. Buona carta dei vini. Il conto era nella media.

Ottimo locale, piccolo e riservato all'interno con un massimo di 14 coperti. Personale gentilissimo e cucina ottima.

Ottima qualità, ho apprezzato soprattutto le orecchiette al lago. Sarebbe però meglio avere più opzioni per gli antipasti, soprattutto con ingredienti locali. Prezzo ok essendo in un luogo molto turistico

Io e mia moglie abbiamo deciso di cenare al Cavatappi un po per caso, nel senso che non c'è l'ha consigliato nessuno. Lo abbiamo trovato cercando nei dintorni di Varenna. L'esperienza è stata decisamente positiva. I piatti molto buoni e ben eseguiti con grande cura per gli ingredienti e di quantità generosa. Personale cordiale e simpatico. La location è posizionata nei vicoli del paesino quindi molto caratteristico anche se senza vista lago. Il conto adeguato al cibo ed al luogo. Dopo cena due passi romantici sulla passeggiata a sbalzo sul lago, completano la serata. In definitiva per noi consigliato. Ci torneremo sicuramente.

Piatti gustosi e curati nell'impiattamento; personale gentile e premuroso. Particolarmente buono il polpo. Prezzi un po' alti ma abbastanza in linea considerando la località turistica.

Ho notato questo ristorante che mi ha colpito molto per il suo ambiente molto originale…piccolo ma molto accogliente! C’erano ad aspettare per entrare a mangiare parecchie persone ma ho avuto la pazienza di aspettare perché volevo a tutti i costi assaggiare le prelibatezze che ho letto sul menù! E difatti non mi sbagliavo …ho fatto una cena strepitosa e molto deliziosa! Assolutamente ci ritornerò…provare per credere Personale cordialissimo ,simpaticissimo gentile e molto professionale

Kent Brown

The food was absolutely fabulous! The service was stellar and if you come here you won’t be disappointed! We were very happy with our choice! Il miglior ristorante sul Lago di Como!!!!

+1

Dylan Vogt

My wife and I went to Il Cavatappi on our very first night in Italy as part of our honeymoon, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable meals we’ve ever had. We did all four courses and stayed for about two and a half hours—it was perfect. The servers were so kind, fun, and welcoming, which made the evening even more special. We arrived early without a reservation and were lucky to get a table outside, but I highly recommend making a reservation. Don’t be fooled by the line at the neighboring spot—this is where you want to eat. The food was outstanding: the creamiest, freshest burrata, incredible pasta, and perfectly cooked lamb. We shared a bottle of delicious wine from Cascina Chicco, and everything paired beautifully. The atmosphere outside in the center of Varenna was magical—great for people-watching and just soaking in the town. Il Cavatappi is truly a gem, and we can’t wait to return on our next trip to Varenna. Absolutely unforgettable.

+2

Killer Queen

Amazing food and very good service. The people are extremely nice and the quality of the food and wine was excellent. People complaining about not getting a table should come early and not put a one star for no reason....

+1

Donald Hawkes

My wife and I ate here when we stayed in Varenna this past May. We had the meat and cheese board followed by the pasta with Duck Ragu accomplices by a lovely Barolo. We were in Italy for 23 days and this one of our highlights. The food was fresh and flavourful and the location with the tables set right along the narrow street is magical. I will be chasing that Duck Ragu flavour for a while.

Monica Hadley

Amazing food and lovely service in a pedestrian alley a few streets above Lake Como. You do have to climb a few steps to get there and there no lake view but the food makes up for that! It was recommended by a local shopkeeper and they know what they're talking about.

Patrick

Incredible food! Lunch / dinner slots fill up fast! Food here was very good. The octopus starter was to die for. One of my favorite starters I’ve ever had. Best octopus dish. It was cooked perfect and tasted amazing. Went well with the chickpea purée underneath. So delicious. The gnocchi was delicious as well. Cooked perfect. The lamb shank was huge and great. Service was good as well. The guy was very nice and friendly! Super great server to have

Adam Jones

Me and my wife had our honeymoon meal in Il Cavatappi. We were welcomed without a reservation and the service from the moment you enter is impeccable. We decided to have the Caprese salad to start which was wonderful. The stand out of the evening however was the highly recommended lamb shank with berries. It falls off the bone and is the best meal I've had since being in Italy. My wife had the lemon ravioli which was bursting with lemon flavour and obviously skillfully made. I felt like every place I'd been to in Varenna and Belaggio up until that point was a little tourist trap, however Il Cavatappi felt different. It felt as if we were somewhere special, somewhere we'd been looking for. It really was worth the hype.

Doughvakiin

Intimate, neighborhood trattoria with tasty pasta and antipasti for lunch. Service was fast and friendly. We had the delicious gnocchi with shrimp, lemon and ricotta ravioli, and roasted vegetables for both of us.

+1

Jeremy Vianna

Lovely little place. Everything in Varenna is a tourist trap to some degree but the food and service here is great even if the prices are higher than you’d expect. Pastas are cooked perfectly and are generous. Salads are fresh. They don’t seem to take reservations so you may need to line up and the kitchen closes at 9pm so the window to eat here is narrow. Would go back, for sure.

Lei L.

We sat in the covered alleyway just outside the restaurant, enjoying a delicious dinner accompanied by the warm breeze from the lake. The food was both flavourful and beautifully presented, and the service was attentive and genuinely pleasant. I had made the reservation the day before by visiting the restaurant in person and leaving an €80 cash deposit — a practice that seems fairly common in Varenna. For a restaurant of this quality, I wouldn’t hesitate to put cash down again.

Gabriella E.

The atmosphere is great and food is more than delicious! We managed to have a table even though we didn’t have a reservation but it our stay was not during the peak season. I recommend making a reservation upfront as there is a limited number of tables. The staff were really super friendly and nice. I absolutely recommend the place!

Jade

We had an excellent experince dining here on our first night in Varenna. We were lucky to get a table straight away. We ordered the duck ragu, beef sirloin, tiramisu and chocolate cake. All the food was excellent.

Ioana Pletea

Traditional food in a cute tiny space! We were a table of 6 and they found us really fast a table inside! The ossobuco was amazing, the perfect combination between the taste of carrots and the meat! Very friendly staff and a good choice not far from the hot views of the lake!

Chris Price (Pricey)

We had an absolutely lovely lunch here last week. We chose to sit out on the street which was super quaint and romantic. There were lots of choice on the menu, and I went the seafood route, choosing a trout sashimi and a lake fish pasta dish. Both were executed perfectly. We also enjoyed some beer and wine by the glass. Service was friendly and we found this restaurant to be the highlight of our dining around the lake.

+2

Atifa Balding

One of the best dining experiences! We had lunch here and I can’t fully describe how delicious it was - it was that good! We didn’t book but they were so accommodating and lovely. The menu was perfect - not overly complicated and simple (just how menus should be!) Notable dishes were the octopus with mash potatoes, pesto & pine nuts. The gnocchi with shrimps another spectacular dish as well. We will definitely go back!

+2

Brandon Kuiper

Great service. Very friendly and helpful. Food was perfectly prepared and delicious. Pasta and steak were phenomenal. Be sure to try the ice cream and chocolate cake! We sat outside and enjoyed the cool breeze through the corridor. So happy we found our way here!

+1

We loved this restaurant. Delicious food. Great service. You need to reserve that day by stopping in the restaurant. Highly recommend.

We loved this restaurant. Delicious food. Great service. You need to reserve that day by stopping in the restaurant. Highly recommend.

We loved this restaurant. Delicious food. Great service. You need to reserve that day by stopping in the restaurant. Highly recommend.

This was the best meal we had in Lake Como! The food was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and the service was great. The lamb dish was perfection and the lemon hazelnut ravioli was so unique…

This was the best meal we had in Lake Como! The food was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and the service was great. The lamb dish was perfection and the lemon hazelnut ravioli was so un…

This was the best meal we had in Lake Como! The food was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and the service was great. The lamb dish was perfection and the lemon hazelnut ravioli was so uniq…

This was the best meal we had in Lake Como! The food was excellent, the presentation was beautiful and the service was great. The lamb dish was perfection and the lemon hazelnut ravioli was so uniq…

In Varenna for one night and decided to try this place. There was a little queue outside but wow it was worth it. The food and the wine was excellent. The Tiramisu was the best I've had so far. Wou…

In Varenna for one night and decided to try this place. There was a little queue outside but wow it was worth it. The food and the wine was excellent. The Tiramisu was the best I've had so far. Wou…

Incredibly delicious pasta! One of the best lasagne ive ever had. The other dish we shared was a pasta with duck ragu and it was delicious! For desert, we shared a a tiramisu and again I can’t …

The nicest food in Varenna! The staff were so friendly & great at their job. 10/10 experience. Definitely be coming back to this place.

We made in person reservation the day before which was fortunate because there was a very long line of people waiting to dine. The restaurant is small but very comfortable. We had pasta dishes and…

We made in person reservation the day before which was fortunate because there was a very long line of people waiting to dine. The restaurant is small but very comfortable. We had pasta dishes and…

We had a short wait for a table, but it was absolutely worth it. The service was exceptional, and the food exceeded our expectations. Thank you for a truly wonderful dining experience!

Excellent food and service at modest prices. We shared several courses and drank good wines to reasonable prices. Meat and Caprese was delicious

This is a wonderful, but very small restaurant. It is popular, so be prepared for a wait if you don't have reservations. Also, you may be seated at an outside table. If it is cool, there are bla…

Really enjoyed the osso bucco and sirloin beef and the desserts were to die for. The suggested wine complemented our meal superbly. Great friendly service and overall a wonderful night. Glad we fou…

We loved our meal at Il Cavatapi. We had ordered Burrata for appetizer, baked fish and lamb shank for the main course. Each dish was well prepared and delicious. The service was good. We had to w…

The food was delicious. The panzanella salad was one of my favorite dishes during this 2 week northern Italy trip, as was the pasta with ragu. The restaurant charming yet tiny, with a few tables ou…

Piccolo ristorante dal punto di vista degli spazi ma veramente grande per qualità del cibo, preparazione e servizio. In pieno centro di Varenna, questo ristorante ci regala sempre grandi esperienze. Pochi coperti, prenotare è consigliato.

latifa octavia

Food was good and tasty, quick to come out as well. Didn’t wait long for a table but there were 2 hairs in my food, the waitress immediately ordered another one for me. Had to order a drink though, wouldn’t let me just order food. Atmosphere 3 due to no view. Nice menu, has wifi and toilet.

eva theodoridou

Visited Varenna over the May bank holiday weekend and decided to try this restaurant after seeing it recommended on several blogs. Varenna itself is absolutely beautiful, and the restaurant is tucked away along one of the town’s charming, picturesque alleyways. We had booked an indoor table, which was cosy, though not as pleasant or comfortable as the outdoor seating. The tables inside were quite small and packed closely together, which made it feel a bit cramped. The service, however, was excellent—polite, attentive, and very welcoming. As for the food, it was good but didn’t quite live up to the high expectations we had for Italian cuisine. We tried the octopus pasta and the osso buco—both were well-cooked and nicely presented, but lacked that memorable "wow" factor we were hoping for. I wouldn’t say it’s the restaurant’s fault necessarily—it may just be a case of too much online hype raising expectations a little too high. One important tip: definitely book in advance. Varenna was overrun with tourists the day we visited, and without a reservation, we likely wouldn’t have found a place to eat.

+1

Avoid the orecchiette pasta with swordfish ragout. Incredibly fishy to the point where I had to order something else. The tortellini was fantastic as was their bread and house wine. Make sure to ma…

I have traveled to Italy several times now, across multiple regions and cities, and I have to say that Il Cavatappi has shown the rudest service I have ever received in Italy. Bottom line, up front: …

Could Not find website, called 4 times, finally contacted and made reservation. Arrived … never was asked if a special occasion (60th birthday) and NO vegetarian options for main meal, had to ask f…

We had a reservation and were already seated (we were even allowed to choose our own table). We had just received the menus when a lady came over and told us—without any courtesy—that we had to swi…

Siamo venuti qui per pranzo e all’inizio tutto sembrava andare bene, finché non è caduto un moscerino nel mio bicchiere di vino. C’erano ancora circa 15 ml, e ho chiesto gentilmente di sostituirlo. Invece di gestire la situazione con cortesia, il personale mi ha detto che il bicchiere era “finito” e me ne ha riportato un altro con ancora meno vino. Poi hanno fatto finta che fossi io il problema, chiedendomi se volessi ordinare un altro bicchiere perché, secondo loro, avevo già “finito” il mio. Un atteggiamento assolutamente inaccettabile. Ho deciso di non proseguire il pranzo né di bere il vino rimasto. Ho saltato dessert e caffè e sono andata altrove. Per peggiorare le cose, il personale ha continuato a mormorare sottovoce e mi ha detto che mi avrebbero fatto pagare solo un bicchiere di vino invece di due, come se questo potesse giustificare il loro comportamento. A prescindere dal conto, la mancanza di cortesia e rispetto ha rovinato del tutto l’esperienza. Non consiglierei questo ristorante — non per il cibo, ma per il servizio scortese e poco professionale.

Евгения Барсукевич

This is the strangest service we’ve ever seen. A heavy downpour suddenly started in the city, with storm-like wind and rain, and around ten people (including us) gathered under the restaurant’s doorway for shelter. The restaurant was completely empty, and we asked if we could come in for just 30 minutes while the storm passed, offering to order food or drinks in the meantime. Everyone around was dressed in dry clothes — we were simply trying not to get soaked while standing outside in such extreme weather. People politely asked if we could wait inside temporarily and promised to leave immediately if any reservations arrived. One of the waitresses seemed ready to help, but the owner firmly said no. And while we were all standing outside in that brutal wind and rain, the staff just stood inside and watched — literally watching about ten people being hit by the storm, just inches from the door. We asked several times, and so did others. In the end, the owner of a neighboring bar kindly invited us in — and we ended up spending the whole evening there instead. But the way this restaurant treats people is just awful🤬

Elena Aleksandrova

We visited this restaurant as a family of four, ready to order three main courses for my husband and our two children, along with soft drinks for everyone and wine. I personally was not hungry and simply wanted to have water and a glass of wine. Shockingly, we were refused service unless every single person ordered food. The situation went from bad to worse when we left the premises and took a photo of the restaurant from outside — the staff showed clear disrespect, using rude language and even making obscene gestures. This is not just bad service, it is an outright insult to paying guests. Their policy is absurd, offensive, and utterly unprofessional. They show no consideration for personal dietary needs, health restrictions, or the simple fact that someone might not be hungry. Instead, they chose to humiliate and turn away a family who had already committed to a substantial order. A place with such disgraceful behavior and attitude should be avoided at all costs. Shameful, unacceptable, and unforgettable — for all the wrong reasons.