A gastronomic lunch or dinner in Como among flowers and plants… The Explore Lake Como guides contain fun, authentic and original addresses. Do we want to draw attention to the guides from our e-shop? Yes of course! And what better way to do that than to try out those addresses ourself!
This weekend we are staying in Torno at Hotel Vapore while the famous vintage car event Concorso d’Eleganza takes place in Cernobbio. To avoid the crowds on the approach roads to Cernobbio, we look for a nice place in the center of Como for lunch. And yes, today could be a little more… We are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary this weekend and indirectly also the birthday of Amiamo Lago di Como. And we will celebrate that party in Bistrot Figli dei Fiori.
Bistrot Figli dei Fiori in Via Borgo Vico, just outside the central city center of Como, although still within walking distance of the (tourist) city center. On one street side is Osteria Figli dei Fiori. On the other side you can find Bistrot Figli dei Fiori.
It makes Bistrot Figli dei Fiori a very accessible restaurant with fantastic cuisine in a beautiful and original setting. A hidden gem on Lake Como in terms of affordable gastronomy.
Both restaurants follow a well-thought-out philosophy. The osteria sticks to the idea of having lunch on Sundays at nonna’s. Dishes served centrally on the table and always in a sharing concept. The menu includes meat and cheese plates, parmigiana, lasagna and slow-cooked meat specialties. The bistrot is more culinary inspired and grew from a striking collaboration between an eclectic florist and talented restaurateur.
We walk curiously into Bistrot Figli dei Fiori through the arcade arch. On the left and right two buildings in a pink paint shade. And lots of flowers and plants. The restaurant building is actually an authentic flower conservatory that dates from 1920 and was also the studio of the florist.
We are kindly received and asked to wait a little longer, our table is not yet available. Reservations at the Bistrot Figli dei Fiori are made in time slots of a maximum of two hours. Waiters in neat aprons rush to prepare the tables for the new guests at the 2:15 pm time slot.
We look around and really imagine ourselves in a flower shop or plant conservatory. Flower pots in all kinds of colors and shapes with large plants with sober but neatly laid tables in between. No two chairs at a table have the same shape or color. The kitchen is housed in a room behind the florist’s counter. Wrapping and cellophane paper, greeting cards and colorful ribbons hang next to the kitchen serving hatch.
Flower arrangements, small gadgets and flower pots carry a price tag. Concrete bars and steel give the building an industrial look. Subtle neon signs give the commercial touch. There are several dining areas that are all connected. They are actually all different conservatories. The floor tiles are rough and the joints are loose. The conservatory windows do not shine at all and the dirt from the leaves accumulates in the corners of the roofs. The outside of the greenhouses is overgrown by large and overgrown climbing plants. Figli dei Fiori, flower children or also translated as hippies.
We are offered a table at the back of the restaurant. Take a look around again. Remarkable how Bistro Figli dei Fiori plays a restaurant in a flower shop or is it the other way around? This story has undoubtedly been or is being thought out very carefully, but it seems somewhat careless or “sloppily” executed. For example, there are some remains of iron wire used to tie flowers on the ground. Forgot to clean up or just deliberately put it there? All those little fun facts that contribute to this beautiful setting.
We almost forgot that we came here for lunch. The menu starts with a selection of cocktails and goes via a page with exclusively vegetarian dishes to antipasti, primi, secondi with a sidestep to detox and finally dolci. A full-fledged menu for vegetarians and then that detox wink. Refreshing and completely appropriate in this flower restaurant.
The descriptions of the dishes are almost pieces of poetry. What did you think of our choice of starters? Crostone di pane al grano duro with burratina pugliese biologica, crema di melanzane viola arrostite, basilico and pomodorini canditi and Straccetti al germe di grano with zucchine in fiore, prosciutto di Parma, pomodorini al basilico and mozzarella di bufala.
The wine list is very extensive with beautiful and better bottles of wine and this is of course reflected in the prices. An accessible house wine is not on the wine list.
While we wait for our starter, we start to be a little bothered by the acoustics in our conservatory. The room is low and small, and quite dark. Next to us there is a large English family with four children sitting at a table. There is a lot of noise at the table and it bounces mercilessly through the conservatory. It gives an oppressive feeling and we are not completely relaxed. We ask if we can move to another table and luckily that is no problem at all. Much better here: high windows, more light, beautiful views and a bit fresher. Two glasses of wine are poured and we can toast. We wonder if it wouldn’t get very warm under that much glass in the summer.
The starters are to die for. Beautifully presented on a great colorful plate with a big wink from the florist. Delicious, very tasty, a real feast for the taste buds. Chef Gianni Tancredi prides himself on following the seasons with his dishes. We therefore assume that the menu will be regularly adjusted. Another great excuse to come back. In the meantime, all the tables have been taken and there is a pleasant bustle in the bistrot. We think reservations are a must.
For the main courses you can choose between beef steak or Picanha steak, chicken, lamb or ribs. Served with potatoes and a sauce or dressing. It reads a bit less refined or less culinary than the starters, but it actually isn’t. It’s like the specialty of the house! The meat is grilled on a Cuban grill with mangrove charcoal without smoking it. The meat remains juicy and retains its flavor better.
We choose the lamb or rather Scamone d’agnello Nature’s meadow bio marinato al timo con patate arrosto, patate dolci and salsa chimicurry alla menta is served. The meat is indeed perfectly cooked and melts in the mouth. Delicious potatoes and a very tasty and spicy sauce. And so Bistrot Figli dei Fiori hits the mark again. The glasses of white wine are replenished for the friendly and jovial lady who serves us. The wine bottle of Riesling Pratello is inexorably turned over. Lunch at Bistrot Figli dei Fiori is coming to an end.
The bill asks us 130 euros and we think that is a very good price for lunch with starters, main courses, a bottle of wine and water and an espresso. It makes Bistrot Figli dei Fiori a very accessible restaurant with fantastic cuisine in a beautiful and original setting. A hidden gem on Lake Como in terms of affordable gastronomy. Bistrot Filgli dei Fiori is highly recommended and so is the Explore Lake Como guide.
We couldn’t imagine a better lunch for this beautiful birthday! Grazie Mille Bistrot Figli dei Fiori!
