We love to snag a Michelin star or two while on vacation, especially exposing the teens to new cuisines and trying things that we most definitely will not be trying at Chez Aukse. Our summer trip to Italy was quite pricey, so we settled for only adding one star to our long list, and luckily, there is a Michelin starred restaurant at Como Castello Del Nero, where we were staying. La Torre is located in the main building of the resort, and we ate here during our stay in July of 2026.

The dining room of La Torre is beautiful, and has a classic Tuscan villa vibe with terra cotta everywhere and large fireplaces. The tables were also very large, and I would surmise there were only about 10 total tables in the place. I expected the restaurant to be relatively full, but we were only one of two or three groups of guests when we dined there, making the place seem more cavernous than cozy. As the evening wore on, since the place was relatively empty the vibe became a little more sad.

Service at La Torre was very attentive and our courses were well paced. There was a mix up or two with the wine coming later than the food, but otherwise very good service. We chose the Chef’s Tasting Menu for the evening for all four of us, and Brian and I ordered the standard wine pairing featuring local, Tuscan wines. Honestly, what else do you want to drink while you’re here?

First were snacks! Of course I didn’t write down what they were, but in true Michelin starred fashion, we were served several cute little bites, which made us ache for more.

The first three dishes that came out, while intending, I think, to highlight the fresh vegetables available in mid-summer, and grown on property, were quite boring an uninspired. After being served a whole, confit tomato, followed by a half of a red onion, I was hoping that the “whole veggie” courses would be over. We honestly were debating amongst ourselves whether we accidentally ordered the vegetarian menu. Unfortunately, the third course was whole, grilled, Romaine lettuce leaves. I do have to give major props to the choice of dish-ware though. Every single dish was unique and a work of art. You’ll see for yourself as you scroll through!

Luckily following the whole tomato, the bread course was served, and WOW! Beautiful focaccia, sourdough, and grissini were served alongside salty, whipped butter, that was scooped onto small little dishes off of an impressively larger mountain of butter. There is no other way to describe it. Seriously a highlight of the meal.

Following the three whole vegetables, came the incredible tortelli course. These four gorgeous morsels of fresh, hand made pasta, were stuffed with beef cheek, from the very specific Italian breed of Chianina cattle. You will find Chianina beef all over Tuscany and for good reason – it’s incredibly tender and flavorful. What’s better than eating local?

For the final savory course, we were served roasted pigeon including the breast and the leg, along with a fermented cherries and a vermouth jus. It was hotly debated as to whether this was better than the tortelli, but both were super savory and incredibly rich. These were two truly spectacular dishes that made us forget about all the unexciting vegetables.

Dessert here is an extravaganza, and luckily the portions of the other courses were just the right size to allow you space to try most, if not all of the desserts. For a palate cleanser, we started with a lemon granita, which was really a nice way to reinvigorate your mouth after all that rich and savory meat.

Next up was the main show, which was like a peach and honey cream inside of a chocolate egg. The flavor combination to me was fresh and new, and this was definitely a chocolate-heavy dessert that I could actually get behind.

Finally were what I will call the dessert snacks. Super reminiscent of our dessert smorgasbord at Sketch in London, we were served six additional bites, ranging from light and fruity, to heavier chocolate truffles.

Overall, I have to say La Torre was a bit of a mixed bag.The food that was stellar was truly stellar, but the rest of the meal was relatively uninspired. We loved the service here though, and the wines were delicious. We had a great time in spite of feeling like we were the only ones there, however I wouldn’t go out of your way to make a reservation here. If you’re staying on property, and wanting to spend Michelin-starred level money, you’re probably better off doing the special olive grove dinner, which they offer regularly throughout the spring and summer. I regret that we didn’t have the time (nor budget) for both.