Along the Amalfi Coast, food and wine plays as much a role in day-to-day life as it does across all of Italy. Here, the local cuisine is mainly Neapolitan, with an emphasis on freshness; the region is fertile and the climate ideal for growing an abundance of citrus fruits, oranges and lemons, olives and vines. Consequently, local dishes in this region make heavy use of tomatoes, lemons, fresh vegetables, red peppers and olives, all complemented by the generous fruits of the Mediterranean Sea. This region's cooking features characteristic light touch preparation, preserving the fragrance and flavours of the fresh ingredients. Seafood lovers will be especially pampered when dining out along the Amalfi Coast - each chef has their own specialty and variations on the theme, but between lobster, octopus, shrimp and spider crabs, the options are manifold and mouthwatering. The region is also known for its thin-crust pizzas. and renowned for its sweet-tasting extra virgin olive oil, which provides a finishing touch to all dishes. Here are some of our personal favourites for a more formal dining experience: Marina Grande
Viale delle Regioni, Amalfi
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One of the best restaurants in town, set right on the sea, with a warm and welcoming host and ideally located to make the most of the beach. Original dishes include seafood ravioli with arugula sauce.
Torre del Saracino
Via Torretta 9, Marina di Equa
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This restaurant is thoroughly deserving of its Michelin star. Antipasti choices include sea urchins or caviar; all pastas are made on the premises; and the fresh fish melts in your mouth. Antica Trattoria da Ciuffello
Via Dicearchia 11 bis, Pozzuoli
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Closed Mondays (winter)
Overlooking the central piazza, this restaurant is well known for its grilled specialities. Their consummate zuppa di pesce (fish soup) is a meal all in itself. Da Gemma
Via Frà Gerardo Sassi 9, Amalfi
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Serving customers for over a century, this venerable restaurant has racked up sheaves of reviews attesting to its quality. One of the most famous specialties is paccheri con gamberetti (homemade large pasta with shrimp). Don't forget to try the typical Amalfian side dish known as ciambotta (a mix of sautéed potatoes, peppers, and eggplant). For dessert try the simple homemade crostata (a thick crust topped with local citrus-fruit jam). La Caravella
Via Matteo Camera 12, Amalfi
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Reservations essential
Thought by many to be one of the best and most romantic restaurants in the region, La Caravella features elaborate dishes created by Chef Antonio Dipino which blend traditional fare with creative twists. The wine list and desserts are on par with the rest of the menu, which also caters for meat eaters or those who are simply just tired of fish. Don Alfonso
Corso Sant'Agata 13, Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi
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This, one of the greatest restaurants in Campania, is the home of Alfonso Iaccarino, known for producing culinary rarities, often based on centuries-old recipes - such as lobster breaded with traditional Sorrentine "porri" flour, then drizzled with Arabian-influenced sweet-and-sour sauce. Nearly everything is home-grown on the family farm. Don Alfonso is known for its fine wine cellars, set deep in an Oscan cave. A’ Paranza
Via Dragone 1/2, Atrani
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Located at the back of the piazza on the main walkway, A'Paranza is thought to offer the best seafood dining in Atrani. The menu is informed by the day’s catch, though a taster menu of antipasti, pasta, risotto and dessert is recommended. The more spontaneous diner could opt for the scialatielli ai frutti di mare, while those with a sweet tooth will delight in the divine cakes provided by Salvatore de Riso of Maiori. Acqua Pazza
Via Garibaldi 38, Cetara
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This is a favourite with locals, and just a three-minute stroll from the harbour. This tiny restaurant creates marvels with what the Mediterranean has to offer. The spaghetti with colatura di alici, a modern, lighter version of the Roman garum, is highly recommended. Calajanara
Via Smeraldo 35, Conca Dei Marini
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Set in the La Conca Azzura hotel, the restaurant’s tables sit under the dappled shade on a veranda overlooking the azure coast. The cuisine offered follows the course of the seasons, combining local specialities with a touch of creative intuition. The wine cellar is stocked with all the most prestigious labels from the Campania region. If you have the luxury of time, the restaurant also offers cooking courses. La Volpe Pescatrice
Furore Inn Resort, Furore
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The restaurant’s name means ‘the fishing vixen’, which is also the name of a nearby pathway leading from the hillside to the sea, symbolising the local blend between two traditions: agriculture and fishing. Ingredients are sourced locally, with the emphasis on organic, healthy and pure products. These include the pleasant Furore wine (red and white), the village’s famed cherry tomatoes and cheeses from the Monte Lattari mountains, which tower above the coastline. La Vela
Via Amendola 7, Maiori
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Situated on the town’s main street, this uncomplicated pizzeria provides freshly prepared meals in simple elegance. Some find it so appealing, like pilgrims, they make the trip back year after year. La Arsenale
Via San Giovanni a Mare 20, Minori
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Run by the Proto family who exalt tastes of the area, reinventing traditional dishes of the region. Order the mixed appetizer and pappardelle con cicala di mare for an excellent start to your meal, with cantuccini biscuits and a glass of Barolo chinato to finish. High-quality food sparing no expense. Valle dei Mulini
Via Vecchia 5, Positano
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Eating in the charming dining room or al fresco in the walled lemon tree garden, Valle dei Mulini offers peace and familiarity after a hectic day of shopping and sight seeing. Noted for its desserts, the location is ideal also for small ceremonies, and can cater for wedding parties. La Brace
Via G Capriglione 146, Praiano
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On the second floor of a simple storefront, on the inland side of the drive, the little restaurant you enter looks disappointingly simple. Its fine reputation, however, is validated as soon as you see the fresh, homemade antipasti and when you dig into the hearty Amalfi cuisine. The friendly owner recommends the seafood (at remarkably accessible prices), and if you sit on the veranda, you can see the jagged coastline and serene sea. Figli di Papa
Via della Marra 7, Ravello
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The young chef-owners of this restaurant turn Campania classics into something more, complemented by a wine list featuring the best of the region. There's an outside terrace and an indoor fireplace, ideal for either season, and the restaurant itself is housed within a modernized 13th-century setting. There are tasting menus to suit various appetites, with unexpected combinations. La Margherita
Via Torricella, Scala
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The Del Pizzo family not only make their own wine, but the father plays Neapolitan songs on the piano in the restaurant, while patrons dance around the restaurant. The place is certainly gregarious. Meat and cheese boards and delicious salads are simple but delicious. Le Querce
Via Chiancolelle, Tramonti
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In a typical mountain landscape, near the Valico di Chiunzi, Le Querce Restaurant -The Oaks- is with no doubts the ideal place for those who prefer large and well cooked portions and, at the same time, appreciate rural atmosphere. The kitchen is visible from the restaurant hall and, in addition to the local country dishes, there is a weekly goat meat-based menu. The "pizzaiolo" rings the cowbell to inform the waiters that the pizza or the meat (cooked in the wood oven) are ready. Il Golfo
Via Nuova Raito 9, Vietri sul Mare
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With views over the Gulf of Salerno, Il Golfo serves the finest Mediterranean and International cuisine and has earned an especially high reputation for its exquisite sea food and fish with mouthwatering dishes such as "risotto with baby lobster and Amalfi Coast lemon", "seared sea bass with fennel", and "paccheri with fresh cherry tomatoes and monkfish". An á la carte menu in this very exclusive arena does not stop the chefs preparing meals to dinners’ specific wants. |
