Lago di Como Menu

Welcome to Lago di Como, an enchanting Italian restaurant located in Santa Cruz, California. Known for its authentic cuisine and warm ambiance, this gem beautifully transports you to Italy without leaving the coastline. The menu is a delightful journey through Italian flavors, featuring standout dishes like the Branzino Seabass, marinated and expertly baked in a wood-fired oven, served with a refreshing insalata mista and vibrant salsa verde for $46.00. Another highlight is the Zuppa di Mare, a hearty seafood stew that marries the ocean's finest ingredients—clams, mussels, and calamari—infused with white wine and marinara, perfect for cozy gatherings.

Don’t miss the Polpo Arrostito, a charcoal-finished octopus that exemplifies their commitment to unique preparations. Coupled with organic Italian sodas and an inventive cocktail list, Lago di Como deserves every acclaim it receives. Experience friendly service and delicious desserts that sweeten your evening, making it truly unforgettable.

FAVORITOS DEL CHEF

• Tagliata Ribeye

  Grilled Californian Angus (16oz) sliced & topped with roasted garlic & rosemary EVOO infusion, served with oven roasted seasonal veggies

  US$47.00

• Spaghetti alla Carbonara

  Authentically prepared with guanciale, egg yolk & Pecorino Romano cheese

  US$26.00

• Tagliatella alla Bolognese

  The original recipe from Grandma Enza, slowly cooked meat sauce with Italian tomato, ground beef & pork, served with homemade egg noodles

  US$27.00

ANTIPASTI - APPETIZERS

• Vitello Tonnato

  Roasted veal, thinly sliced and served cold, topped with Italian tuna aioli & caper berries

  US$23.00

• Truffle Fries

  deep-fried potato wedges, Moliterno truffle cheese & chives

  US$16.00

• Capesante Al Gratin

  Fresh scallops, baked in panko-breaded seasoning with garlic, herbs & butter

  US$23.00

• Calamari Fritti

  Local calamari lightly breaded in semolina and deep fried, served with "Tartara" & spicy calabrese sauce

  US$22.00

• Polenta e Taleggio

  organic creamy polenta, taleggio cheese foundue & fried sage

  US$16.00

• Cesare

  Original dressing from Cesare Cardini 1924 Tijuana. with our twist, additional Cost for anchovies

  US$15.00

LA CARNE - THE MEAT

• Fiorentina Porterhouse

  Californian Angus (avg 3lb) dry-aged in house, grilled & finished in the wood fire oven with roasted potatoes. $39 per LB

  US$117.00

• Coniglio All Ischitana

  Organic rabbit, slowly braised with bell pepper, "taggiasca" olive, marinara & fresh herbs, served on a bed of creamy polenta

  US$33.00

• Tagliata Ribeye

  Grilled Californian Angus (16oz) sliced & topped with roasted garlic & rosemary EVOO infusion, served with oven roasted seasonal veggies

  US$47.00

• Saltimbocca Di Vitello

  Tenderized veal, layers of prosciutto & sage, sauteed in butter & white wine with local mushroom & a side of roasted potatoes

  US$37.00

LA PASTA FRESCA - FRESH HOMEMADE PASTA

• Creste di Gallo - Mari e Monti

  Ruffle-edged macaroni, fresh diced scallop, local mushrooms, guanciale & peas

  US$27.00

• Orecchiette Vongole

  BROCCOLI E CAVOLI "little ears" pasta served in a sautee of fresh calms, broccolini & cauliflower

  US$27.00

• Gnocchi alla Zucca

  IN CREMA DI TALEGGIO Handmade butternut squash gnocchi served in a Taleggio cheese fondue drizzled with a balsamic glaze

  US$26.00

• Tagliatella alla Bolognese

  The original recipe from Grandma Enza, slowly cooked meat sauce with Italian tomato, ground beef & pork, served with homemade egg noodles

  US$27.00

• Caserecce Pasta e Fagioli

  Organic beans, veggies & pork belly, slowly simmered in a light tomato sauce & veggie stock with caserecce pasta

  US$24.00

• Spaghetti alla Carbonara

  Authentically prepared with guanciale, egg yolk & Pecorino Romano cheese

  US$26.00

IL PESCE - THE SEAFOOD

• Branzino Seabass

  Whole fresh Mediterranean seabass, marinated in fresh herbs, baked in our wood fire oven served with insalata mista & salsa verde

  US$46.00

• Zuppa di Mare

  SEAFOOD STEW Clam, mussels, calamari, prawns, octopus & branzino, sauteed with white wine, marinara & veg stock, served with house croctini

  US$36.00

• Polpo Arrostito

  Charcoal finished Mediterranean octopus arm, fried organic polenta, sauteed onion, bell pepper & "Taggiasca" olive

  US$28.00

ZUPPE & CONTORNI.

• Verdure - Al Forno a Legna

  seasonal veggies, roasted in our wood fire oven, finished with a garlic & herb EVOO infusion

  US$14.00

• Insalata Mista

  tuscan romaine, cherry tomato, red onion & carrot in a balsamic dressing

  US$12.00

DOLCI - HOMEMADE DESSERTS

• Seadas di Sardegna

  Pate brisée filled with a soft, fresh pecorino cheese, fried & drizzled with honey

  US$12.00

• Tiramisu

  Layers of espresso-soaked lady fingers & mascarpone cream

  US$10.00

• Tortino Al Cioccolato

  Homemade chocolate lava cake

  US$12.00

• Cheesecake

  Tuscan-style with vin santo, cantucci crust, topped with amarena cherries

  US$12.00

• Affogato

  Vanilla gelato & caffe vergnano espresso

  US$10.00

• Gelati & Sorbetti

  US$8.00

BIANCHI AL BICCHIERE

• PROSECCO

  The One, Ferro 13, Veneto

  US$14.00

• PROSECCO ROSE

  Bocciamatta, Veneto

  US$13.00

• MONFERRATO BIANCO

  Nymphae Sauvignon Timorasso blend, Tenuta Montemagno, Piemonte

  US$14.00

• GRILLO CATARRATO

  Gato, Centopassi, Sicily

  US$13.00

• VERMENTINO

  Contamolinos, Argiolas, Sardegna

  US$13.00

• FALANGHINA

  Frodi di San Gregorio, Campania

  US$13.00

• CHARDONNAY

  37th PARALLEL, Scotts Valley, CA

  US$14.00

ROSSI AL BICCHIERE

• PICENO SUPERIORE

  Podere 72, Poderi San Lazzaro, Marche Montepulciano/Sangiovese blend

  US$15.00

• PINOT NOIR

  Gentlemen Ferro 13, Oltrepo Povese, Lombardia

  US$14.00

• MONFERRATO ROSSO

  Violae Tenuta montemagno, Piemonte Barbera/syrah blend

  US$14.00

• SANGIOVESE

  Hacker Ferro 13, Toscana

  US$13.00

• AGLIANICO

  Elaphe Poderi Mannu, Calabria Aglianico/Magliocco

  US$15.00

• CANNONAU

  Costera, Argiolas, Sardegna

  US$13.00

COCKTAILS DEL LAGO DI COMO

• GRAPPA SOUR

  Grappa Nandini Bianca, Strega, citrus & egg white

  US$15.00

• FUMO

  Bulleit bourbon, Degroff & Averna amaro, smoked with apple wood chips & clove

  US$16.00

• LAGOTINI

  Chopin, Italicus bergamot & a drop of Castelvetrano brine

  US$16.00

• MEZCALRITA

  Union mezcal, Bent Dune orangecello, choco bitters & tajin rim

  US$14.00

• ESPRESSO MARTINI

  Ketel one, Mano's coffee liqueur, Vergnano espresso

  US$15.00

• NEGRONI DEL LAGO

  our original recipe

  US$15.00

• VERMUT E SODA

  Punt e Mes, soda, olive & orange ... classic Torinese aperitivo

  US$13.00

• GINTONICO

  Occitan gin, rosemary, peppercorn & a bottiglietta of Cipriano tonic

  US$15.00

GLI SPRITZ

• APEROL

  Aperol, prosecco & orange

  US$14.00

• CAMPARI

  Campari, prosecco & orange... alla Milanese

  US$15.00

• L'AMALFI

  Bent Dune lemoncello, prosecco, lemon & rosemary

  US$15.00

• HUGO

  Fiorente elderflower liqueur, prosecco, lemon & mint

  US$14.00

LE BIRRE

• ROTATING PILSNER (DRAFT)

  Discretion brewery, SC

  US$8.00

• ROTATING ALE (DRAFT)

  Discretion brewery, SC

  US$8.50

• UNCLE DAVE'S IPA (DRAFT)

  Discretion brewery, SC

  US$8.00

NAZIONALI IN BOTTIGLIA

• BIRRA FRIULI BLU

  unfiltered lager, Italy

  US$7.50

• BIRRA FRIULI ROSSA

  unfiltered amber, Italy

  US$7.50

• BIRRA DOLOMITI

  PILS, padavena, Italy

  US$7.00

• PERONI 0.0%

  non alcoholic, Italy

  US$7.00

BIBITE

• COCA-COLA OR SPRITE

  glass bottle

  US$4.00

• MOLE COLA

  organic italian cola

  US$5.00

• DIET COKE

  US$4.00

• ICED TEA

  US$4.00

ORGANIC ITALIAN SODAS

• BLOOD ORANGE

  US$5.00

• LEMON

  US$5.00

• CHINOTTO

  US$5.00

• APPLE JUICE

  US$4.00

APPETIZERS

• TRUFFLE FRIES

  with Sardinian "Molitemo" truffle sheep cheese & organic truffle ketchup

  US$16.00

MEAT

• FIORENTINA

  DRY AGED PORTERHOUSE Californian Angus (avg 3lb) dry-aged inhouse, grilled & finished in the wood fire oven with roasted potatoes... check out our butcher window!

  US$39.00

FRESH HOMEMADE PASTA

• PACCHERO NERO

  ALLA GENOVESE DI TONNO Black squid ink pasta, tuna belly & collar ragu', caramelized onion

  US$28.00

FROM THE WOOD FIRE OVEN

• BRANZINO SEABASS

  Whole fresh Mediterranean seabass "insalata mista" & salsa verde

  US$46.00

SIDES

• VERDURE ARROSTO

  VEGGIES ROASTED IN OUR WOOD FIRE OVEN seasonal medley, topped with a garlic & oregano EVOO infusion

  US$15.00

HOMEMADE DESSERTS

• SEADAS DI SARDEGNA

  Pate brisée filled with a fresh pecorino cheese, fried & drizzled with honey

  US$12.00

Others

• CALAMARI FRITTI

  FRIED LOCAL CALAMARI served with homemade "Tantara" & spicy calabrese sauces

  US$22.00

• CAPESANTE AL GRATIN

  BAKED FRESH SCALLOPS Breaded and baked with garlic herbs & butter

  US$24.00

• CESARE

  Original dressing from Cesare Cardini, 1924 Tijuana...with our twist

  US$16.00

• CARPACCIO DI FINOCCHIO

  FENNEL CARPACCIO SALAD Fennel, supreme orange, house pickled red onion & bottarga

  US$17.00

• TAGLIATA DI FASSONA

  RIBEYE PIEMONTESE (16oz) Grilled, sliced & topped with garlic & rosemary EVOO infusion, served with roasted seasonal veggies from our woodfire oven

  US$47.00

• COTOLETTA ALLA MILANESE

  Butterflied veal chop, breaded & fried in clarified butter, topped with arugula, tomato "confit" & shaved Parmigiano

• CONIGLIO AL LIMONE

  PICCATA STYLE ROASTED RABBIT Organic rabbit, slowly braised with white wine, lemon, "taggiasca" olive, caper & fresh herbs, served with roasted potato

  US$34.00

• CRESTE DI GALLO

  MARI E MONTI Diced scallop, local mushroom, guanciale & peas

  US$29.00

• TAGLIATELLA

  ALLA BOLOGNESE The original recipe from Grandma Enza slowly cooked meat sauce with ground beef and pork, Parmigiano Reggiano

  US$28.00

• SPAGHETTO

  ALLA NORMIGIANA San Marzano marinara, stracciatella cheese, fried eggplant and Pecorino Romano

  US$26.00

• TORTELLONI AI PORCINI

  AL RAGU DI CORTILE porcini mushroom & ricotta tortelloni, duck & rabbit white ragu, Parmigiano Reggiano

  US$32.00

• POLPO ARROZ-TITO

  MEDITERRANEAN OCTOPUS PAELLA Roasted onion & bell pepper, Venere and Carnaroli rice, with charcoal-finished octopus arm, salsa verde

  US$33.00

• PENTOLACCIA DI MARE

  SEAFOOD SKILLET Clams, prawns, calamari, tuna & scallops with cherry tomato, fennel & a garlic white wine reduction

  US$36.00

• INSALATA MISTA

  MIXED GREEN SALAD Tuscan romaine, cherry tomato, red onion & carrot in a balsamic dressing

  US$12.00

• PATATE ARROSTO

  ROASTED POTATOES With garlic & fresh herbs

  US$10.00

• TIRAMISU

  Layers of espresso-soaked lady finger & mascarpone cream

  US$10.00

• TORTINO AL CIOCCOLATO

  chocolate lava cake

  US$12.00

• ZUPPA INGLESE

  sponge cake soaked in "Alkermes" rose liqueur, vanilla & chocolate crème anglaise

  US$12.00

• AFFOGATO

  Vanilla gelato & caffe "Vergnano" espresso shot

  US$10.00

• GELATI E SORBETTI

  Ask for our selection of flavors

  US$8.00