10 Excellent Restaurants in Cinque Terre

While restaurants in Cinque Terre abound, the status of the “five towns” as a tourism darling renders it a tricky place to eat. The UNESCO-protected national park in Liguria, the coastal region of northwest Italy between Tuscany and the French Riviera, comprises five pastel fishing villages nestled into the cliffs, all connected by hiking trails, trains, and long and winding roads. The stunning backdrop served as the inspiration for the Disney and Pixar film Luca. 

Upon arrival, you find yourself enchanted by a sea that sparkles with shades of aquamarine, turquoise, teal, and emerald, extending all the way to the azure sky on the horizon. Given all the fish swimming in that vast blue expanse, you would think it's a sure bet that you'll be feasting on local seafood. Yet, this is where eating gets tricky — in an effort to keep costs down, several restaurants in Cinque Terre purchase frozen seafood from China and Ethiopia and pawn it off as straight from the Mediterranean. This is unfortunate considering that the waters of Monterosso teem with anchovies, the silvery swimmers nicknamed pan du ma (bread of the sea). So, there’s that.

Plus, you arrive in Liguria with the idea of digging into a big bowlful of pesto pasta front of mind, then you find yourself intrigued by restaurants offering up inventiveness alongside the Ligurian classics. Alas, you're torn between satisfying your craving (that glorious trenette al pesto!) or dabbling with adventure.

So, on that note, here’s a list of restaurants in Cinque Terre (and one beyond). You're either going to love or hate me for compiling this when you find yourself struggling to narrow down your choice as you contemplate the menu at any of these spots. I’ve been spending a good part of my summers in this craggy, turquoise haven since 2015, so I know you’ll eat well at these 10 establishments. 

The restaurants are listed in no particular order. They simply start in Monterosso and end in Riomaggiore. The last one is just a little further afoot in Framura. Lastly, I just want to clarify that if a restaurant isn't on this list, it doesn't necessarily mean it serves seafood from afar; it could just mean I haven't been there yet or it's not on my radar.

1. Ristorante Miky, Monterosso
A Monterosso mainstay, Ristorante Miky has been serving some of the five towns' finest, most flavorful seafood-centric fare since 1980. Chef Miky De Fina works the kitchen while his wife Simonetta and daughter Sara oversee the dining room. Located in Monterosso's New Town, the restaurant offers passers-by a glimpse of the day’s catch in a sawn-off-ship-turned-ice-bed outside, which empties out as the day goes on. It’s impossible to order wrong here, but you'd be remiss to pass up the L'Acciugata alla Monterossina, an anchovy spaghetti preparation. De Fina's homage to Monterosso, the dish evokes his childhood memories, from the fishing boats arriving on the shore to the terraces covered with caper plants to the wind-blown olive trees. Follow it with the salt-baked whole fish, which changes according to market availability. website

2. La Cantina di Miky, Monterosso
The sister restaurant to Miky overseen by De Fina's son Manuel and his wife Christine, La Catina di Miky, also located in the New Town, is pure joy. The flavorful cuisine ranges from classics like pasta al pesto and their own version of spaghetti all'acciugata coupled with ever-changing innovative dishes like spinach bavette with a tartare of purple shrimp from Santa Margherita Ligure (a town near Portofino), mantis shrimp broth, and hazelnuts from the nearby town of Chiaveri, a Slow Food product. Kick off the meal aperitivo-style with the anchovy tasting, a sampler presenting the fish six ways — lemon-cured, in carpione (pickled), salted with butter, fried, grilled, and stuffed — alongside one of the cocktails, such as the KM0 with Gin Onde (made with botanicals from Cinque Terre collected by hand), egg white, local lemons, and Basil di Prà DOP before moving on to one of the options from the wine and beer list, which showcases dozens of local producers. website

3. Agriturismo Missanega, Monterosso
This hilltop garden of Eden reveals a more rustic side of Cinque Terre, one that’s higher up and further inland. Agriturismo Missanega is the realized dream of owners Alessandro Rossignoli and Daniele Betta who, along with their wives Francesca and Tatiana respectively, have curated one of the five towns’ most heartfelt destinations. If you’re not staying in one of the five rooms, just catch the hourly shuttle from Monterosso to head up into the hills for a meal. The menu showcases the organic garden's bounty in dishes like pappardelle with leeks and sausage from Pignone, an inland province around seven miles away, and gnocchetti with baccalà, Taggiasca olives, cherry tomato confit, and toasted pine nuts. Don’t leave without treating yourself to a bottle of the exceptional DOP olive oil and/or a jar of lemon confiture. Plus, the view will leave you breathless. website

4. Causa Persa, Monterosso
Though its name translates to “lost cause,” Causa Persa's vision couldn't be more precise. Located in the Old Town's Piazza Garibaldi, Causa Persa is a newer addition to the Cinque Terre dining scene, having opened in August 2020. Chef Paolo Sanvitale’s innovative menu draws inspiration from Italian classics, which he then juxtaposes with a Monterissino flair. Dishes include mussels alla pizzaiola, a classic Campania preparation, and bottoni stuffed with cacio e pepe topped with caramotte shrimp crudo and finished with the shrimp broth. It's so ridiculously delicious, I had to restrain myself from ordering a second helping. Request a bottle of the Selvadolce Crescendo, a bright and sunny white wine made from the Pigato grape, to sip alongside the meal. website

5. L’ancora della Tortuga, Monterosso
Located in a World War II bunker nestled into the cliffside,  L’ancora della Tortuga has a sea view that's the perfect backdrop for the traditional Ligurian fare. The seven-course tasting costs €35 (about $41 US), otherwise, order à la carte — the spaghettini with anchovies is always a win. Should you be feeling carnivorous, the restaurant has a generous selection of meat, including a beef filet with lardo di Colonnata. website

6. Osteria a Cantina de Mananan, Corniglia
This charming 20-seat spot justifies the 382 stair-climb from the train to the town. The menu includes plenty of fish specialties, but you’ll also find dishes that reflect Ligurian's inland traditions like pansotti (ravioli filled with greens and cheese) with walnut sauce, testaroli al pesto, and Ligurian-style rabbit. Bring cash; Corniglia’s sole ATM machine is usually empty, so don't bank on withdrawing when you're in town. Facebook

7. Da Aristide, Manarola
Located beside the fabled Via dell’Amore, Da Aristide is 57 years young. At this family-run institution, Grazia Andreotti is the padrone della casa, and her cuisine reflects downright good and flavorful casalinga-style cooking. The house-made pasta is excellent when coupled with fish, and preparations of note include frutti di mare with tagliatelle, spaghetti with squid ink, cuttlefish, tomatoes, and lemon zest, and a top-notch fritto misto. Facebook

8. Rio Bistrot, Riomaggiore
Book a table on Rio Bistrot's terrace. It overlooks the town’s quaint harbor and you feel like you've been transported to another era. Just you, the sea, occasional passersby, and chef Luca Tonelli’s bold seafood-based cuisine. Think succulent scampi and spaghetti with pistachio pesto, almonds, calamari, and plankton bread crumbs while sipping one of the wines on the list curated by owner Manuel Germani, who’s also the man behind the top-notch service. Facebook

9. Fuori Rotta, Riomaggiore
Cinque Terre's newest restaurant, Fuori Rotta in Riomaggiore, boasts excellent Mediterranean fare infused with a touch of creativity. Guests can choose a five-course tasting menu for 40€ ($48 US) or opt to order à  la carte. In addition to seafood dishes like shellfish and ricotta-stuffed squid with fresh tomato coulis, burrata, and basil, and calamarata with garlic, oil, chili, and local shrimp cruditè, the menu dips inland as well, presenting meat-centric dishes like spaghetti alla chitarra with white rabbit ragout with pecorino fondue and Cinta Senese (boar) with panissa (chickpea fritters), fontina, and its jus. website

A little further afield (but vale la pena!):

10. Agave, Framura
East of the Cinque Terre, Framura lies just three stops from Monterosso on the local train — no schlepping necessary as Agave is just a short walk from the station. Owned by Marco Rezzano, a sommelier who happens to be the Presidente dell’Enoteca Regionale della Liguria, the restaurant is known for a wine list that touts the vines of Liguria. I had no idea the town of Sestri Levante produced metodo classico wines (sparklers made via the Champagne method) until I tasted the Baia delle Favole here. The excellent fish-centric menu usually has no more than three appetizers, first courses, and entrees, and changes almost daily, though the fritto misto is a mainstay. It’s served with an apple cider vinegar reduction that happens to be my favorite dipping sauce of all time. Dinner’s great, but lunch is especially exquisite as the view of the ever-blue Mediterranean and crystal clear harbor stuns. website