Locanda Volta

We were in Brunate at dinner time and went in just to use the restaurant. The prices weren’t shown on a written menu, and the whole meal came to €30: €11 for fried chicken and rabbit that was mostly bones, €10 for a small plate of tagliatelle with meat sauce, €8 for half a litre of white wine from a carafe, and €1 for a small bottle of water. A mortadella sandwich would have been better. The food wasn’t worth it, and the way the place was run felt haphazard. We chose a table, then were told to move. The table setup felt homely, the napkins came straight from an Ikea box, and cutlery was missing. The same thing happened to a group of five. The owner's daughter asked what we wanted to drink, but without knowing the food options, that was difficult. She said she'd send her dad over. He took our order, then told other customers he had to make pasta for everyone, because making it for just one or two people was complicated. Another group of four, already seated, was made to get up to make room for five people who had reserved. Never again. Some jobs can’t be improvised just because it’s a family business.

The clean room was narrow and had little space for two suitcases, and the insulation was poor. At 3:00, a group of young people were arguing in the small square outside, and we could hear everything through the closed windows. Breakfast was simple, not as well stocked as elsewhere. There’s paid parking, but unless you reserve a room, you’ll have to leave the car in your pocket. The main advantage is being close to the funicular down to Como, though the ticket is expensive. An average bar, with better places around.

The food was well cooked, the menu was good, and I can’t fault the band, they were truly top-notch. But the portions were huge, as if servings for six were being shared among twelve, and we actually ate very little. The bill ruined what could have been a lovely evening. We were really disappointed, and Locanda Volta won’t see us again.

The value would have earned more stars if the morning breakfast service had been better. The lady and her son were slow, and they made it feel like asking for one extra glass of water would cost more.