The Cinque Terre is often criticized for being extremely touristy. In some ways, that’s obviously true as hoards of tourists move through the 5 villages every day. But in some ways, I feel like it’s a pretty authentic place. It just happens to have lots of tourists in it. Of course there are some tourist “traps” or some places that might be sub par. But overall I have found in my experience, over 5 visits, that there are some truly incredible places to eat in the Cinque Terre. I will give each a write up below, in no particular order.
Ristorante Miky : Monterosso
I have to give a huge shout out to a spot that will allow you to do a full tasting menu solo, and this place did it without question! Luckily for them, I returned the following year with 11 family & friends and we did it all over again together. They have 2 versions of their “tasting menu” with different numbers of dishes and additions. We did the smaller of the two and it was MORE than enough food. The incredible dishes just kept coming! My brother described it as “dinner and a show”. It was such a beautiful experience and the presentation and display of the dishes was just as delightful as the food.
If you’re not the tasting menu type, they also have a full menu that you can order from A la Carte. The staff here were all so professional, kind, and welcoming. We found the staff helpful with everything from making an email reservation to our entire dining experience on site. This place is truly a 10/10.
$$$: This would be considered one of the more “high end” restaurants in the Cinque Terre, but even with that designation I didn’t find it to be incredibly expensive. The full tasting menu was about 100 euro per person. You could easily have a full meal for 2 here for under 100 total. It just depends what you want out of the experience.
Ittourismo Corniglia: Above Corniglia
This is such a special, unique, and amazing spot. This spot holds all the magic that makes the Cinque Terre such a special place. It truly takes some effort to get to, but it is WELL worth the effort. This restaurant is perched in the hills above Corniglia and there are two ways you could reach it. You could hike up from either Vernazza or Corniglia villages (uphill the whole way), or you could drive. We were lucky enough that they were willing to pick us up from the train station and bring us up to the restaurant. Their kindness throughout the entire process of booking, sharing rides, and having us dine was just one of those classic Italian experiences you dream of.
The setting here is fantastic, its like dining in a big garden overlooking the vineyards and the sea below. Its position over Corniglia offers views down over the town and it was the most wonderful spot for sunset! You have views over the whole Cinque Terre from here! The main focus here is fish, the family who runs this place fish for the food you eat each day. This means they don’t really have a set menu, although they do have a few staples. They offered us the opportunity to just eat what they served instead of ordering off the menu. We had a fantastic experience. We tried wonderful starters, countless types of fish, delicious pasta, and had some lovely wines to go with it all.
I can genuinely say that this spot is an experience, not just a meal. I highly recommend you either hike up one day and grab lunch, or make the effort to get here for dinner. You will be rewarded.
Nessun Dorma: Manarola
This place is very popular for visitors to the Cinque Terre and is admittedly touristy. But don’t let that put you off. It is honestly delightful. I HIGHLY recommend you do the pesto class if you’re interested and able. If you’re not, it would also be an awesome spot for aperitivo or just for a snack and a drink. You will have one of the most dreamy views of your life.
If you do choose to do the pesto class, you will not only learn to make pesto, but you’ll get to try a good deal of food as well. For me it served as a perfect lunch, for my husband he needed a panini after as well. But to be fair, he always needs a little something extra. After you learn how to make the pesto, you are served a board with some meat, fruit, and other snacks to eat with your pesto! You are also served some really nice white wine to enjoy with your meal. The views here are truly incredible and the experience is so much fun.
Important things to note: if you can’t sign up for the class, you should make sure to follow their very specific system for getting a seat. They have an app that you can use to get a spot. They work around their pesto classes so there are not a lot of open times during peak season. They do not serve a full menu simply some bread, meats, cheese, and pesto.
$$$: The Pesto class will set you back about 90 euro, but I really do find it worth the value and so much fun!
Buranco: Monterosso
This is my favorite places in all of the Cinque Terre and possibly earth. I may be a little biased because my husband and I renewed our vows here and my parents actually came to Italy too and said this was their favorite part. This place is another one, that has that good Italian magic. It is also a bit of a hidden gem as it is tucked up behind the town and requires a walk up a steep hill to get to.
I recommend you come here at least once, but you could also come here multiple times. On my first visit I was scouting out locations for my vow renewal and traveling solo. I did their full wine tasting. Then I hung out in the beautiful vineyard for a while and just sipped my wine and enjoyed the scene! This is so nice to do and you could do it before dinner. When I was doing my wine tasting I realized I wanted to have dinner here so I made a reservation for the following night.
I was SO thankful I made the reservation because it was the best meal of my trip. When I brought my family back they also said it was their favorite meal of the trip! Truly, I have tried a large percentage of their menu and everything is FANTASTIC. The setting is just a DREAM, and the hosts are so welcoming, hospitable, and kind. On our 10 year anniversary vow celebration they even gave us a special bottle of their wine to take with us.
$$$: The price is spot on for the value here, I can not fault it for anything. Worth every penny!
Tortuga: Monterosso
This is arguably one of the best views for dinner you can have in Monterosso. It is such a beautiful spot and you can sit on their terrace right along the cliffside. You could also sit inside which is truly lovey and built into the side of the cliff. There are some bunkers in this area that people climb on and take photos etc during dinner. Do your best to make a reservation for an outdoor spot during sunset, it is truly beautiful. You can message them through whatsapp for a reso.
The meals here are solid and they have an option for a tasting menu or to order a la carte. We enjoyed some delicious seafood and pasta here and my family was really happy with this spot.
Il Gabbiano
I am thankful that this place exists. The beautiful of the Cinque Terre is on full display here. When I need to daydream, I imagine myself here. It can best be described as a snack bar or cafe, but with the most epic view ever. The guy who runs this place is from Albania and is one of the most kind people EVER and I am so thankful that I’ve gotten to chat to him a bit over the years.
To reach this spot you have to hike from either Vernazza or Corniglia. If you’re looking for an easier hike, coming from Corniglia would be your best bet. Whichever way you’re coming from it takes about 30 minutes, Vernazza requires a bit more stairs and an uphill effort. No matter how you arrive, it is WORTH IT! It’s the perfect stop on a day of hiking and enjoying the area.
You can enjoy fruit smoothies, wonderful snacks like focaccia, fruit, panini and other small bites. If you’re up for it you can also have an aperol or limoncello spritz or a beer etc and enjoy the scene. Next time I visit I want to come up for sunset and enjoy a drink!
Osteria a Cantina de Mananan, Corniglia
This is a tiny and lovely little spot on the main street in Corniglia. You should absolutely make a reservation to eat here as it is a popular spot and Corniglia is a small village. We enjoyed everything we ate here from pasta to fresh fish. It is so lovely and well decorated inside and really was an all around great experience. Corniglia can often be overlooked by visitors to the Cinque Terre. Don’t let that be you, there is so much to love about this village.
Lapos Pizza & Drink: Monterosso
I have walked past this spot so many times during my travels in the Cinque Terre and I’m glad we finally popped in. They had some really nice pizzas and a great frito misto! They accommodated a large group here, which we really appreciated and we enjoyed all of our food and drinks. They also have a beautiful little terrace on the side where you can sit outside and people watch while you eat! If you’re looking for a casual, quick, and solid dinner or lunch in Monterosso this is a great spot!
La Scogliera: Manarola
You will see a pick sign that says “Take away fried fish” and you may see a line. Make sure you go to the window and pay FIRST then you get in the line to pick up your food. It can be a little confusing. You can get a delightful little cone of the fried seafood of your choice! Perfect after a day of hiking or exploring the area and you can sit and people watch while you eat! Honestly, you can get delicious fried fish nearly anywhere in the Cinque Terre and you SHOULD! Don’t skip this regional delight!
Stella Marina Beach Bar
I love this spot for a number of reasons. The first being that you can book a beach bed well in advance of your visit. Beach beds are hard to come by in the Cinque Terre so its great to be prepared. They have a website where you can reserve your spot online. This makes things a lot easier when you’re visiting. They also have a delightful aperol spritz bucket that you can sip while you relax on the beach. They have a food menu that includes things like focaccia, salads, pizza, pasta, etc. You can essentially spend your whole day here and have everything you need.
Fuori Rotta
This spot in Riomaggiore is aboslutely lovely and feels a little more relaxed and local. Make sure to make a reservation so you can eat out on the terrace with the most incredible view. They have an option for a tasting menu or to order a la carte. They also had a few different types of tasting menus which I always appreciate. I was able to do a small tasting of Cinque Terre wines with my dinner as well and they were all delicious! This would be a perfect place to time for sunset or to go right before sunset and then head down to the rocks with the rest of the crowd in Riomaggiore. You can also go a few doors down to “Old School” for some awesome gelato afterwards.
Looking for more Cinque Terre?
If you’re looking for more information, itineraries, favorites, etc for the Cinque Terre, check out my posts here —–> Cinque Terre Posts