"Ex-Seta chef Martin Vitaloni's trattoria at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, 1,400 wines on the lake — book it to close a deal."
About L'Escale Trattoria & Wine Bar
L'Escale is the relaxed counterpoint to Grand Hotel Tremezzo's grand La Terrazza — a trattoria and wine bar carved into a former wine cellar, bare brick cut into the rock, with a veranda and garden over Lake Como. It sits on the Tremezzina shore, directly across the water from Bellagio, a short ferry hop from the Serbelloni staircase. The draw is twofold: a cellar of more than 1,400 Italian labels, and a kitchen led by Martin Vitaloni, late of the two-Michelin-star Seta in Milan.
The Kitchen
Martin Vitaloni cooked in Milan, Rome and Florence and inside Relais & Châteaux kitchens before Lake Como, most notably at the two-Michelin-star Seta at the Mandarin Oriental, Milan under Antonio Guida. At L'Escale he steps deliberately down in formality — this is trattoria cooking done to hotel standard, not a tasting-menu room.
The plates are Italian classics done right: the cotoletta alla milanese, the bistecca alla fiorentina off the grill, salumi boards and house pasta. What lifts it is the cellar — more than 1,400 Italian labels, over 600 white and sparkling and some 800 red, with sommeliers who will talk you through Lombard and Piedmontese bottles by the glass or the magnum. Reckon on €80 to €120 a head with wine, a fair markup for a grand-hotel room with this list. For more on the lake, see our Bellagio dining guide and the best Italian restaurants worldwide.
The Room
L'Escale offers three moods. The cantina room is the heart of it — vaulted, bare brick carved into the rock, candle-lit and intimate. The veranda catches Lake Como and the Bellagio shore, best on warm evenings. There is also a seat at the bar, with a long back window onto the water. Sound is low and clubby in the cantina, livelier on the veranda. Lighting is dim and flattering. Dress is smart — this is a grand hotel — though a jacket is not strictly required. Service is polished, sommelier-led, and unhurried.
Best for Closing a Deal
Book this room to close a deal because the wine does the persuading. A 1,400-bottle cellar and a sommelier on hand turn an ordinary dinner into a gesture, the cantina's vaulted brick keeps the conversation private, and trattoria cooking from an ex-Seta chef impresses without the three-hour commitment of a tasting menu. The Tremezzo setting signals that you spared no effort. For more business rooms, see our best restaurants to close a deal.
Not for
Not for travellers staying in Bellagio town — L'Escale is across the water at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a ferry or taxi-boat ride from the Serbelloni staircase.
Frequently Asked
Is L'Escale worth it?
Yes, if you value wine and setting. L'Escale is Grand Hotel Tremezzo's trattoria and wine bar, with a cellar of more than 1,400 Italian labels and a kitchen led by Martin Vitaloni, formerly of the two-Michelin-star Seta in Milan. The cooking is classic rather than cutting-edge, but the cantina room and the lake veranda are memorable, and at €80 to €120 a head it is fair for a grand-hotel address.
How hard is it to book L'Escale?
Moderately. As part of Grand Hotel Tremezzo, L'Escale takes reservations through the hotel and prioritises resident guests, so non-residents should book several days ahead in season and request the cantina or the veranda by name. It sits on the Tremezzina shore across from Bellagio; plan your ferry or taxi-boat timing, as the last lake crossings back can be early.
What is the dress code at L'Escale?
Smart. This is a grand hotel, so resort-elegant is the expectation — a collared shirt or a smart dress, closed shoes. A jacket is not strictly required at the trattoria, unlike at the hotel's flagship La Terrazza, but the room rewards guests who dress for it. Beachwear and shorts are out. Aim a notch above casual and you will be comfortable in the cantina or on the veranda.
What is the average meal price at L'Escale?
About €80 to €120 per person with wine. The trattoria plates — cotoletta alla milanese, bistecca alla fiorentina, house pasta — are priced for a grand hotel rather than a village trattoria, and the cellar of 1,400-plus labels is where the spend climbs. By-the-glass pours keep it flexible. A couple sharing a good bottle should plan for roughly €220 to €300 in total.
Is L'Escale good for closing a deal?
Yes. The vaulted cantina keeps a conversation private, the 1,400-bottle cellar and sommelier turn dinner into a gesture, and the Grand Hotel Tremezzo setting signals seriousness — all without the time commitment of a tasting menu. Book the cantina room. See our best restaurants to close a deal for more.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at L'Escale Trattoria & Wine Bar
Via Grand Hotel Tremezzo · cantina or veranda
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Practical Information
AddressGrand Hotel Tremezzo, Via Regina 8, Tremezzina (CO)
NeighbourhoodTremezzina shore, across from Bellagio
CuisineItalian trattoria & wine bar
Average spend€80–120 pp, with wine
Cellar1,400+ Italian labels
Dress CodeSmart
