36 Best Restaurants in The Italian Riviera, Italy

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 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 local pasta dishes. The covered patio on the port is great for people-watching.

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.

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. Call ahead to confirm it's open.

This popular restaurant serves some of the best seafood in town on the harborfront terrace or the indoor patio with wicker chairs, where you can watch the bustling activity in the old port. Only the freshest catches are presented; try the "Bagnun" anchovy soup or any of the pastas. Dishes are available to take out, too.