22 Best Restaurants in Italy

This family-run trattoria is so popular that it's one of the few restaurants in Tellaro to stay open year-round, serving delectable dishes in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Do not miss the seafood antipasto with its assortment of marine treats, the homemade pasta dishes, and the always-recommended catch of the day.

Perched amid the clustered old houses in seaside Tellaro, 4 km (2½ miles) southeast of Lerici, this small, unpretentious family-run restaurant with wooden tables and plenty of windows has become a foodie destination. The imaginative seafood-focused menu changes often, and the pretty building also houses a small inn with seven charming and comfortable rooms.

High above the sea in one of Vernazza's remaining medieval stone towers is this unique spot serving delicious Cinque Terre cuisine such as branzino sotto sale (cooked under salt), tagliolini al nero di seppia con gamberi (fresh pasta with squid ink sauce and prawns), and polpo di scoglio alla griglia (grilled octopus). The setting is magnificent, so try for an outdoor table. Reservations are a must.

Although the walls of Fausto Oneto’s restaurant are covered in original cartoons, and a playground is the main feature of the outdoor seating area, this chef-owner is completely serious about his cooking, which follows the seasons. His own garden provides the freshest possible vegetables, the wine list (ask to visit the cantina) is excellent, and there are lively morning Ligurian cooking lessons. The restaurant is in the hills above Rapallo, a 20-minute drive northeast along the coast from Santa Margherita.

You could easily become a homemade-pesto snob at this restored 5th-century olive oil mill-turned-chic restaurant in the historical center of Finalborgo. The high prices are justified by excellent seafood and meat dishes as well as the pampering setting of clean white, arched and vaulted rooms that foster an air of space and tranquility. The five-course tasting menu is a great way to sample the dishes on offer.

The Ballerini family runs a handful of eateries in Sestri Levante, and this cozy former cantina with wood paneling, a fireplace, local maritime memorabilia, and red-checkered tablecloths serves some of the best dishes in town. Using the bounty of the two bays that frame the village, they create inventive tasting menus and standout mains, which, in addition to expertly seasoned fish, include homemade pastas and gnocchi. The wine list is primarily Ligurian.

For a truly Genovese experience, this unassuming restaurant, located in the basement of an old palazzo in the heart of the centro storico between Strada Nuova and the port, is just the place. You'll find some of the best, most authentic food in the city, with a focus on fish, meat dishes (including rabbit), and, of course, pesto.

There's wonderful seaside dining on Riomaggiore harbor, with a menu of local Ligurian dishes and an extensive wine list.  On bad-weather days, take advantage of the lovely dining room with vaulted ceilings, built into the rock.

Relax on Vernazza's main square at this fine trattoria looking out onto the church of Santa Maria d'Antiochi. Enjoy such delectable dishes as shrimp salad, vegetable torte, and risotto alla ciccio (with squid, prawns, and mussels). The pesto, served atop spaghetti, may be some of the best in the Cinque Terre. End your meal with Cinque Terre's own sciacchetrà, a dessert wine served with semisweet biscotti. Don't drink it out of the glass—dip the biscotti in the wine instead.

This cozy bistro-style restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike for its refined, almost elegant menu of primarily seafood dishes, with a few pastas and meats. The decor is Art Nouveau with exposed brick walls and small, square tables.

Located in a former olive-oil mill (the enormous wood grinder still sits in the middle of the dining room), this is a no-frills but fine-food restaurant serving excellent antipasti al mare and homemade pasta dishes. You can eat very well for a bit less than at most of the touristy spots in town.

At this bright and friendly trattoria with a maritime theme, you can dine on some of the city's best pesto and Ligurian dishes in a casual, comfortable setting. The staff are knowledgeable about the region's specialties and the wines on the always interesting menu, and even if you don't order a pesto dish, they'll bring you some to sample before your meal. Fried sardines, a local catch of the day, and seasonal torte (savory Ligurian pies) are menu staples.

There's a warm and welcoming atmosphere at this osteria near Brignole station. Despite the young, enthusiastic staff, it has a reassuringly old-fashioned character, with a setting of chandeliers, bare brick walls, and shelves of wine bottles. The meat-favoring menu features some novelties among the genovese favorites, including pansotti (fresh pasta) with a walnut sauce, reindeer stew, and prawns with cognac and orange. You can sample these and other dishes on the four-course tasting menu (€38), and check out the board of daily specials. 

Across the small bay of Portovenere lies the rugged island of Palmaria, where there are only a few restaurants (making for high prices), including this place with lovely seafront views and headliners like fresh pasta and local fish. To get here, take the restaurant's free Riva boat from the Portovenere jetty.

A mix of great charm and great food make this small, bustling osteria in the historic center an absolute dining delight. Dishes are Ligurian with a focus on local fish, and the list of local wines, including organic selections, is excellent.

Vintage wooden furniture and peach-colored walls evoke the homey charm of this small family-run trattoria in a pedestrians-only alley. A faithful clientele keeps the kitchen busy, so get here early to grab a table and order Ligurian specialties—fresh pasta, pesto, and vegetable and seafood dishes.

You'll know this focacceria and pasticceria by the line out the door, as you walk along the beach before entering the archway to the old port. This tiny spot—where you can see focaccia being baked through a window into its kitchen—specializes in Liguria’s favorite bread, farinata or chickpea flatbread (baked late afternoons from October to March) and several flavors of camogliesi (rum-filled is the original), a sweet that the shop's owner, Giacomo, invented in 1970.

If you want to be in the middle of everything and dine well, and don't mind spending a small fortune, then you'll want (and need) a reservation at this waterfront restaurant in Portofino. Quite simply, it's the place to be seen while dining on baked fish and homemade pasta dishes. The covered patio on the port is great for people-watching.

Dishes are created specifically to complement wines at this casually elegant enoteca with dark wood tables and bottle-lined walls in the heart of the modern town. The Ligurian menu varies daily, but the real draws are the excellent antipasti and the vast wine list, which includes many organic selections.

At the entrance of the old town is this intimate and comfortable restaurant that focuses on traditional seafood recipes, such as a soup featuring anchovies. The tavern's cuisine is typical of the Riviera di Ponente, and they also serve a good variety of gluten-free dishes.

Wood paneling, lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and communal tables, as well as delicious dishes, add to the old-world Genovese charm of this unassuming trattoria. It's particularly popular at lunchtime for the small menu that changes daily and includes homemade pastas, a variety of fresh seafood offerings, and perfectly baked desserts.