I am planning a week at Manarola in late May/early June 2015 to enjoy my 60th birthday with a bunch of friends and family. I would like some advice on which Manarola restaurant would be best to book for the birthday dinner? Final numbers of guests will not be known until January 2015, but I anticipate between 20-35 people. Guests may not be all staying in Manarola, so a restaurant accessible to the railway station is essential.
Thank you.
Posted by
Albany, NY
238 posts
Do you want a place that is by the ocean or in the village? Do you care if the place has good or bad reviews on review sites?
I just got back from Manarola and loved one of the restaurants I ate in. It was small but could accommodate 20-35 people if you used most of the restaurant plus the staff speaks decent English. The other was only OK, foodwise, but was closer to the ocean and looked like it had a lot a tables. Send me a private message and I can give you more info. If you prefer I post here let me know.
Posted by
FL
84 posts
We stayed in Manarola this year, mid May for 3 nights. We ate at both Trattoria dal Billy and Il Porticciolo (2 nights). I know dal Billy gets rave reviews but we loved Il Porticciolo much better. Their food was excellent, great menu choices and more reasonable compared to dal Billy's. I think you'll find it difficult to find a place that will accommodate 35 people but 20 would be much easier. I think Il Porticciolo's would be able to accommodate you better than dal Billy's.
Posted by
Albany, NY
238 posts
I agree with Amy. Il Porticciolo was the place I was referring to when I meant a place in the village and not the large place by the ocean. I agree they have an excellent menu, food was awesome, many of the staff members speak English and understood me well. They also have awesome house wine if that is of interest.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16597 posts
I would just like to point out that the body of water visible from Manarola is not the ocean, but rather it's the Ligurian Sea. The closest ocean is a few thousand kilometers away, just past the strait of Gibraltar.
Posted by
Pennsylvania, USA
38 posts
Another vote for il Porticciolo. Molto bene!
Posted by
Albany, NY
238 posts
I know...not the ocean ;-). I was corrected many times when I was on this trip. I am just used to saying things like "I enjoyed looking at the ocean" as in using the word "ocean" more generically. But let me tell you...it was quite beautiful! The SEA was beautiful!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
77 posts
Porticciolo is wonderful and another good one is Ristorante di Aristide, right on Piazza Capellini. Of Ristorante di Aristide Rick says, "It offers trendy atmosphere and a pleasant, less claustrophobic outdoor setting, with a view of budding soccer stars rather than harborfront glitz (€8-11 pastas, €11-20 secondi). Down the stairs, at the bottom of the main street, their simpler café has indoor and streetside seating and a simpler menu (€6-7 pizzas, sandwiches, and salads; both open Tue-Sun 8:00-22:30, closed Mon, Via Discovolo 290, tel. 0187-920-000, closed Jan-Feb)."