Genoa
Eating by the water often means a compromise in quality, but Eataly's 3rd-floor fine-dining space delivers both panoramic port views and Genoa's most…
Must-see restaurants in The Italian Riviera
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La Spezia
This friendly osteria (casual tavern) turns out Instagram-worthy plates of creative, cruelty-free delicacies. Rich, complex flavours feature prominently…
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Manarola
Hidden off a narrow lane in the upper reaches of town, the Trattoria dal Billy fires up some of the best seafood dishes anywhere in Cinque Terre. Start…
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San Remo
This cosy, warmly lit place lined with wine bottles overflows with locals tucking into homemade traditional dishes such as tagliolini with seafood or…
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Genoa
Rosmarino cooks up the standard local specialities, yes, but the straightforwardly priced menu has an elegance and vibrancy that sets it apart. With two…
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Camogli
In the leafy heights of San Rocco di Camogli you’ll find the only Slow Food–recommended restaurant along the coast, named for grandmother Nina, whose…
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Rapallo
About 5km inland in the hamlet of San Massimo di Rapallo, this cult restaurant is run by comic-book collector Fausto Oneto, and half of his collection…
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Monterosso
One of the liveliest restaurants in town, Eraldo's is a family-style spot where you dine amid arched brick ceilings and red-and-white tablecloths, with…
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Genoa
This old-fashioned tavern near the waterfront has been around in one form or another since the 1600s. Wooden tables, low-arched brick ceilings and a few…
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Genoa
In 2019 a gourmet food hall landed in Genoa's oldest market, offering nearly a dozen different stands. You can dine on wood-oven-fired pizzas, pastas,…
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Golfo dei Poeti
Just across from Piazza Garibaldi, Dal Pudu is a tiny storefront serving up some of the best seafood in town. A chalkboard menu lists the day's specials,…
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Monterosso
Monterosso's most memorable setting for a meal is undoubtedly this 13th-century tower with a terrace overlooking the sea. Painstakingly prepared seafood …
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Manarola
Near the tunnel leading to the train station, Aristide has tables in an old village house and in a bright, modern marque terrace on the square. Order a…
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Monterosso
Behind Piazza Matteoti, in the heart of the old town, this tiny vaulted dining room is run by a young, friendly team and attracts a loyal local crowd. The…
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Manarola
Near the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, Cappun Magru is a favourite among locals for its home-style cooking, its delicious cakes and Manarola's best espressos…
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Monterosso
Just below the train station, this photogenic takeaway fires up the best focaccia in all of Cinque Terre. You can order that perfectly crisped bread…
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Monterosso
The go-to place for delicious market-fresh fair at reasonable prices, San Martino has a changing chalkboard menu posted out front and just a couple of…
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Genoa
An atmospherically lit spot for tapas and cocktails early in the evening, or a proper dinner later in the night. The youthful owners showcase quality…
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Vernazza
A Vernazza classic for more than 50 years, Belforte serves beautifully prepared seafood dishes in an 11th-century castle. You can dine in the atmospheric…
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Genoa
Brace yourself for lunchtime mayhem. This is a totally authentic, if well touristed, workers' trattoria and there's much squeezing into tiny tables,…
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Monterosso
With tables overlooking the beach, this unpretentious seafood restaurant is a good place to try the local bounty. Start with penne con scampi (pasta tubes…
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Genoa
Admire the exquisite 17th-century frescoes of Bernardo Strozzi while dining on exquisitely prepared cuisine inside this spectacular dining room encased in…
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La Spezia
Go early to score a table at this sprawling subterranean osteria, a famed destination for la cucina spezzina (La Spezia cooking). True to its name, this…
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Camogli
If you're not on a mission to taste-test every town's focacceria, Revello is a suitably respectable choice if you had to choose just one. Pick up slices…
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Camogli
Up a back lane from the waterfront, stylish Da Paolo has the town's best fish and seafood, all fresh off the boats and done in a variety of simple local…
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Vernazza
With outdoor tables on the main drag and a lively soundtrack, Blue Marlin draws a steady stream of locals and visitors throughout the day. Stop in for…
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Vernazza
Tucked along a hillside pathway just outside of the centre, La Torre serves Genovese-style trofie al pesto (a pasta with pesto), seafood spaghetti,…
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Corniglia
A Corniglia mainstay since 1999, Alberto Melandri serves some of the best gelato for miles around. Try the basilico, made from basil grown in his garden…
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La Spezia
Founded in 1887, La Pia is a much-loved icon in La Spezia. Piping hot slices of farinata (chickpea flour flat bread) is the big draw, though there's also…
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Corniglia
Near the top of the stairs leading up from the train station, La Posada is one of Corniglia's most memorable settings for an al fresco meal. On a terrace…
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Riomaggiore
A surprising find in seafood-centric Cinque Terre, La Cantina del Macellaio fires up melt-in-your-mouth braised beef, pasta with wild boar and a few other…
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Genoa
Genovese fast food done in the most authentic and enticing of ways can be had at this backstreet hole in the wall. Come for a quick and easy plate of…
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Riomaggiore
Perched on a ridge south of Riomaggiore, where the old telegraph line used to be strung, the views from the Colle del Telegrafo are spectacular. But they…
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Genoa
Gourmet pizza in Italy seems a little, well, ironic, with the rest of the world so keen to do authentic Italian pizza. While the pizzas here are…
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Genoa
Genoa is a long way from Manhattan or Berlin, but that urban aesthetic is in full force at Officina 34. It's a beautifully fitted-out space in a pretty…
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Santa Margherita Ligure
A seafood place right on the docks, yes, but this grey-and-white streamlined vaulted space is a maritime kitsch-free zone. Romantic and cosy on colder…
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Corniglia
One of the only places where you’ll find refreshment on the Sentiero Azzuro, this cafe sits alongside the trail (on the Mediterranean side) in Prevo. Il…
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Genoa
Hectic times rule at this poetically named bakery: everyone wants what they're selling. Drop by any time for one of their several varieties of focaccia or…
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Riomaggiore
One of Riomaggiore's top dining destinations, Rio Bistrot earns rave reviews for its beautifully prepared seafood dishes – with selections changing daily…
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Vernazza
If you've been subsisting on focaccia, Gambero's house specials – tegame di Vernazza (anchovies with baked potatoes and tomatoes), grilled rock octopus or…
