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Mixology

Lo Scalo di Cremia

Andrea Paci, owner of the bar, is not new to this business. Up to 2013 he had an establishment in Domaso, grew up in Como and then travelled around the world, where he made the most of his opportunities to acquire the most varied experience. In 2013 he sold his business to devote himself to study the world of cocktails and to work in collaboration with international bartenders, concentrating his energies at that time in St. Moritz during the winter season.

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After years away from his lake, he decided that the time had come to stop, and to establish an identity project in his homeland. In 2016 he took over the bar overlooking the boat stop in Cremia, and with the help of his wife and his sister-in-law, Francesca and Daiana Riva, he opened Lo Scalo-Craft Drinks by the Lake. The core idea was to communicate the identity of the place, a charming little bay that has always been dear to the locals, not least because in the past food was delivered to Cremia's port of call by means of “comballi”, large cargo boats used to transport heavy goods across Lake Como.

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With a careful choice of furnishings, colours and music, the bar does not impose itself upon or drown out the natural beauty that surrounds it. Andrea specifically desired to mirror the discreet beauty that is typical of Lake Como, while paying homage to this place’s history and memories. “Lo Scalo” is the boat stop, and is so references the wish to return to being a destination for people to remember. For Andrea it is very important that the time spent at the location be memorable, so it is not enough to have a pleasant and well-kept place, there is the need for drinks and dishes which in some way tell a story. The cocktails themselves recount the story of the landscape of the lakeside through selected ingredients, while the dishes served are a rediscovery of the best in Italian excellence and production, as personally rooted out by Andrea Paci.

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One of its iconic drinks is the “Medeghino”, named after the nobleman who guarded Musso Castle and the Merlo garden. It contains a cordial of eucalyptus leaves, Marsala virgin dry, tequila and a pear distillate. A Terebinth essence evokes the feeling of walking on the Merlo gardens lawns on a dewy morning, redolent of the essences of damp woodland undergrowth. The local craftsmanship is also represented in the beers on offer, with Lo Scalo collaborating with Vetra, a young project that began born in 2014. The location is open every day from April through to October.