31 Best Restaurants in Capri, Ischia, and Procida, Italy

Follow your nose to this legendary, sweet-smelling Caprese fave for breakfast, beach picnics, and on-the-hoof snacks. Buonocore lures you down its steps on a Capri Town lane with all manner of pizze, panini, gelati, and paste, including their specialty almond and lemon Caprilú biscotti.

Amid its own terraced vineyards with inspiring views to the island of Ischia and beyond, this is much more than just a well-reputed restaurant. The owner's mother was a friend of Axel Munthe, and he encouraged her to open a food kiosk, which evolved into Da Gelsomina; today the specialties include pollo a mattone (chicken grilled under bricks) and locally caught rabbit. It has an immaculately kept swimming pool, which is open to the public for a small fee—a buffet is served as you lounge here. Close to one of the island's finer walks as well as the Philosophy Park, it's an excellent base for a whole day or longer. There's also a five-room pensione, with free transfer service by request from Anacapri center.

Occupying Sant'Angelo's main square since the 1950s, this family-run institution has views of the beach and La Roia promontory. Dine inside or out on creative pizzas and seafood and pasta dishes, or simply drop by for house-made ice cream (often with unusual flavors), liquors made in-house, or sumptuous desserts like a Cava Grado beignet cake or pear and chocolate tart.

Just above the Grotta Azzurra with a to-die-for view of the Sorrentine coast and Vesuvius, Il Riccio is a true Mediterranean experience. Capri Palace Jumeirah's executive culinary chef Andrea Migliaccio, supported by executive chef Salvatore Elefante, has created a menu featuring innovative takes on typical Neapolitan recipes, based mainly on seafood. For those with a sweet tooth, the famous dessert room offers the widest selection of local pastries on the island. Alas, sun beds at the beach club are reserved for the hotel's guests.

Tucked away from Via G. Orlandi, there's always a warm, relaxed family welcome and deliciously simple Caprese food here. Do book a spot in the gorgeously gnarled, vine-dappled garden setting. Opened in 1960 as a rustic family inn, each generation has added innovative menu touches, including scialatielli pasta with potato in the mix, tuna with sesame seed crust, and homemade desserts including torta Caprese

Part of the Regina Isabella and set beside a suggestive bay (the restaurant’s name is inspired by the color of the sea just before nightfall), this Michelin-starred spot offers four degustazioni menus based on chef Pasquale Palamaro’s inspired use of fresh local ingredients. Try the ravioli with Genovese sauce, a typical onion-based Neapolitan dish, with red shrimp and pearls of tarragon, and for dessert, the mio mare, which looks like canned tuna but is actually made of caramelized muscovado cream, peppermint madeleines, wild strawberry gel, and fiordilatte transformed into a crispy fishbone.

Near the busy piazzetta and long one of Capri's most celebrity-haunted restaurants, La Capannina has a discreet flower-decked veranda that's ideal for dining by candlelight. Specialties change daily depending on the season, but the menu always includes ravioli capresi, linguine con lo scorfano (with scorpion fish), and an exquisite "Pezzogna" (sea bream cooked whole and topped with a layer of potatoes). They also own the nearby gourmet store and small lunch spot and late-night bar across the side alleyway.

This iconic eatery has occupied the space below the Santuario del Soccorso since 1936, when the original Umberto began to grill the local catch on the seafront. The setting is divine, with a terrace overlooking the Bay of Citara and the green tuff scogli degli innamorati (lovers' rocks). Vincenzo Pietroluongo now presides over the kitchen, conjuring up gourmet dishes such as the  scampo (langoustine) antipasto with ricotta, soya, and lemon followed by citrus risotto with crudo di pesce (raw fish) and mullet roe. There are also 11 guest rooms, all with sea views.

This sleek restaurant with an unrivaled bay view is on a busy street just steps from the Piazzetta. Passersby often gather to study the menu and drop in for a quick bite (despite surprisingly high prices for some specials and things like soft drinks), though dishes such as scialatielli con aragosta (homemade pasta with lobster) or paccheri al coccio (pasta with shellfish) deserve hours to savor. Two all-window, no-wall dining terraces (one uncovered in good weather) afford spectacular vistas across to Procida and Ischia.

In a 14th-century building close to the Piazzetta, this small, friendly, family-run restaurant has arched ceilings, autographed photos of famous patrons, and lots of atmosphere. Specialties include scialatielli ai fiori di zucchine e gamberetti (with zucchini flowers and shrimp) and cocotte (homemade pasta with mussels, clams, and shrimp), but the owner delights in taking his guests through the menu of regional dishes.

Often frequented by celebrities, whose photographs adorn the walls inside and out, the island's oldest restaurant offers courtesy and simpatia (irrespective of your star status), a sleekly minimalist interior, and tables outside along a chic thoroughfare. The cognoscenti start by sharing a pizza all'Acqua—thin-crust, with mozzarella and a sprinkling of peperoncino (chili)—but the gnocchetti al pesto con fagiolini croccanti e pinoli (dumplings with pesto, beans, and pine nuts) and homemade sweets are good, too. Often open until 2 am, the swanky Aurora Bar across the way serves aperitivi and light meals.

This unpretentious restaurant and beach club on Citara Beach offers a range of fresh, reasonably priced seafood served with lively local wine. If you want something light, this is the place to come—there's no need to order a full Mediterranean splurge.

This busy café-bar has outside seating on the basalti flagstones with views of the port, so you can watch the boats coming in and out while munching on island-specialty lingue di bue and classic sfogliatelle pastries, panini, or semifreddi (frozen desserts similar to ice cream).

Gelato made artisanally from local ingredients and a selection of cocktails make this bar a great place to stop at the Marina Corricella.

This inviting restaurant with a terrace is on the causeway that links the Aragonese castle to the rest of Ischia. It's renowned for its fresh seafood, which is highly prized by the Ischitani: shoreline classics dominate, starting with the antipasto da Cocò platter including chunky octopus pieces and marinated anchovies followed by spaghetti with calameretti (squidlets), tomatoes, and chilli peppers.

A grove of 130 lemon trees provides the unique setting for this popular restaurant near Marina Grande and down a winding road in a residential area, toward the Bagni di Tiberio. The ubiquitous citrus perfumes the air as you tuck into a bomba—a fried pizza stuffed with mozzarella cheese, ham, and tomato—or one of the many lemon-based desserts.

Nestling in thick maquis high above the Grotta Azzurra and a five-minute walk from the Roman site of Villa Damecuta, this must be one of the most romantic locations in Capri, perfectly placed to catch the setting sun. The cucina is refreshingly inventive with fish being a specialty: ask for scialatelli ai frutti di mare (homemade pasta with fresh mixed seafood). There's a free evening chauffeur service to and from Anacapri. Reservations are essential in the evening.

This waterfront restaurant, family run since 1964, is as rustic as they come, with food served on plastic tables outside. For starters, try the bruschette and the seafood specialty (a selection of shellfish, octopus, and anchovies big enough for two); the impepata di cozze (mussels in pepper) is a must, as is the island's best granita di limone (lemon crushed ice), freshly made here every day. Leave room for the locally made cakes.

Overlooking the boats at the end of the Riva Destra (Right Bank), this casual restaurant serves excellent fish in a convivial atmosphere. Specialties include risotto alla pescatore (with shellfish) and linguine all'aragosta (with lobster), as well as an array of raw fish.

A stop here for some gelato or granita is a must upon arriving in Ischia Ponte.

Take the steps up to the right just before the Giardini di Augusto to find this romantic spot, where outdoor seating is staggered on the layered terraces, commanding a fine view of the Fariglioni. The menu combines the best of local and international cooking, specializing in both meat and seafood dishes. Menu mainstays include the linguine con vongole, tartufi di mare e fiori di zucca (with clams and zucchini blossoms), eggplant parmigiana, and fried squid and prawns served with arugula and tomatoes. 

Although it's not primarily a restaurant, a luncheon dominated by fresh seafood and vegetables in the covered pavilion of this legendary bathing lido of the Marina Piccola is Capri at its most picture-perfect. With two seawater pools, a rocky beach, and I Faraglioni in the distance, it was the erstwhile haunt of Gracie Fields, Emilio Pucci, Noël Coward, and any number of 1950s and '60s glitterati. There are five suites available, too, in case a day at the beach-club is not enough. Boats also depart from here for the more exclusive Da Luigi, the lido-restaurant at the base of I Fariglioni.

A meal at this restaurant, on the beach about a half-mile east of Corricella, encapsulates Procida's seaside simplicity. Lapping waves and views of the marina and Capri form the backdrop for the fresh seafood and vegetable creations. Access the restaurant either by foot down the steps from Via Pizzaco or by the free orange boat every two hours from the Corricella harbor front—phone the owner for times.

This is an airy ristorante--pizzeria opening onto the main road on one side and Anacapri's pedestrianized street on the other. In summer, make sure you reserve a table out on the popular terrace to feast on linguine with capers, anchovies, olives, and cherry tomatoes. The menu's anchovy-based linguine ciammurra refers to the town's inhabitants.

When you've had enough of the florid Caprese decor, head to this restaurant, where the interior design is Parisian but the ambience evokes New York's trendy Meatpacking District. You can't go wrong with the fresh fish or spaghetti alla Nerano (with zucchini, basil, and Parmigiano cheese), and the wine list is a hefty 23 pages. Enjoy a fine bottle and settle in, on the raised terrace or on the street, for some nice people-watching.

This extremely informal trattoria enjoys a distinctive setting up against limestone rocks not far from the Arco Naturale, with the kitchen in a cave at the back. Whether you stumble over it (and are lucky enough to get a table) or intentionally head for it after an island hike, Le Grottelle will prove memorable, thanks to the ambience, the views of Li Galli islands, and a menu that includes ravioli and local rabbit but is best known for seafood dishes such as homemade mezzi paccheri pasta with swordfish and eggplant.

Book a table by the water's edge with views over Ischia Ponte at this elegant white/azure dining spot, whose ambience and cuisine shines at lunch and twinkles come evening. Young thirtysomething owner Stefano and professional staff guide you through the mare and terra menu that mixes classic Neapolitan dishes with novel creations like stuffed squid stuffed with friarielli (broccoli rabe), all served on artsy ceramic plates.

Under the shadow of the Piazzetta's clock tower, this is a pleasant spot to dine above the bustle of the square. Simple local dishes such as ravioli capresi and linguine al limone are accompanied by one of over 150 labels on the wine list; tapas-style snacks are served for those who want a predinner aperitivo. There are just five tables on the outside terrace, so book in advance.

Just behind the oddly named Topless Bar (it isn't), the lush gardens here are a haven from the bustle of Casamicciola's main thoroughfare. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas are made before your eyes under leafy trees and fresh fish, grilled meat, and, of course, Ischitan rabbit are also on the menu.