Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in The Italian Riviera - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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, but there are some surprises, for example Catalan lobster with mayonnaise and ginger. Meat dishes you might find on the menu include rabbit casserole, Ligurian-style. Leave room for some superb desserts, too. The list of local wines, including organic selections, is excellent. Book ahead.
This is arguably the best restaurant in Monterosso, specializing in tasty, fresh seafood dishes like grilled calamari and monkfish ravioli. If their catalana (poached lobster and shrimp with sliced raw fennel and carrot) happens to be on the menu, know that it's a winner. Multi-course "Innovation" and "Tradition" set-price menus are usually available. There is a little garden in the back, perfect for lunch on a sunny day.
This restored 5th-century olive oil mill is now a chic restaurant in the historical center of Finalborgo. The relatively 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 (€58) is a great way to sample the dishes on offer.
This cozy bistro-style restaurant located a few steps from Piazza de Ferrari 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. If you're unsure what to order, go with the tasting menu (€45).
The cordial welcome and meaty menu at this osteria a short walk from Brignole station have ensured its continuing popularity among locals. The traditional character is enhanced by its setting of chandeliers, bare brick walls, and shelves of wine bottles, but while the menu offers a range of steaks and Genovese favorites, there are seafood and a few novelty options, too, including prawns with cognac and orange and zebra goulash. You can sample these and other dishes on the four-course tasting menu, and check out the board of daily specials. Book early for one of the outside tables in warm weather.
