The Top Restaurants in Cinque Terre, Italy

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This lovely restaurant is run by young locals in Riomaggiore, but there’s no sign of inexperience in the food. It’s Cinque Terre tradition amped up for the 21st century, so you’ll get a “mosaic of vegetables” alongside your fish, or calamari filled with shellfish and ricotta on tomato and basil coulis. Set on a terrace overlooking the town, you get a panoramic view of Riomaggiore, from the hilltop vineyards to the sparkling Med.

If you’re about to hike the Sentiero Azzuro trail from Corniglia to Vernazza, this restaurant with rooms – sat on the clifftop between the village and the trailhead – is where to get your energy. The menu is a sheer delight of traditional dishes such as marinated anchovies, and pasta with shellfish. Standout numbers include the seafood risotto – stewed in a pot with tomato and served in a kind of broth – and the super-strong fish soup (order the day before).

Wedged on a cliffside overlooking Manarola, Nessun Dorma enjoys the best sunsets in the Cinque Terre. It’s known for aperitivo hour, but you can also make an excellent lunch or dinner out of its platters of anchovies, bruschetta and salads. What they don’t have is pasta and pizza – that’s because they serve strictly local ingredients. The salted and lemon-marinated anchovies are superb.

Riomaggiore’s dinky harbour is the smallest in the Cinque Terre, and Michelin-mentioned Dau Cila perches over it, serving food that’s been netted just offshore and dragged onto land only steps away. Fresh fish is the main event – try the grilled octopus or the spaghetti with anchovies – but there’s a great selection of local wines, too.

Cappon magro is a traditional Ligurian dish of cold seafood and vegetables layered on top of each other. In Manarola, the Cappun Magru does an incredible version of the famous meal – served on a platter, it’s the ultimate summer seaside lunch. They also do superb, inventive panini, and there’s an excellent wine selection thanks to owner Christiana, who’s a sommelier. Note that it’s only open for breakfast, lunch and aperitivo, as it closes at 6pm.

This locally famous hotel on the harbour front has an excellent restaurant serving classic Cinque Terre dishes, from stuffed anchovies and mussels to fish-filled ravioli. The standout dish is the tegame Vernazza (Vernazza pot), a layered stew of anchovies from Monterosso with tomato, potatoes and herbs.

This old favourite on Monterosso’s main piazza has been going strong for nearly 50 years, with many dishes served in terracotta pots, just as they always have been. Start with the insalata di polpo (octopus salad), served with boiled potatoes and olives. The tiramisu and grilled fish are also highly recommended.

It’s a fair old hike up to La Torre, which sits on the highest, outermost part of the village at the start of the Sentiero Azzuro trail to Corniglia. It’s worth it though – the views of the sea swirling around the town on its tiny peninsula are a classic Cinque Terre sight. Make sure you try the homemade pesto – it’s great when slathered on bruschetta.

This is a rewrite of an article originally by Julianna Roche.