Favorite restaurant in Cinque Terre

twg,

Where to begin? I'll send you a PM with my usual "boilerplate" for restaurants in Monterosso.

We took a boat to Vernazza and were lucky enough to get a table at Bellforte. We just wanted to eat at the old fort and waited an hour and a half till it opened. We didn't have reservations( call!) but they had a table at the top for 4! If your lucky enough you will meet the "Italian Midget"! We were planning to hike back to Monterosso but after a 3 hour lunch we took the train! It was great!!

We stayed in Monterosso too. Our host recommended Belvedere in the Piazza Garibaldi and it did not disappoint.

Ken, would you please also pm me with your list of restaurants? I'll be there next month, also staying in Monterosso. Thanks -

I love the Belforte in Vernazza

Where to begin, indeed. Here are some recommendations from our recent stay:

The aforementioned Ristorante Belforte in Vernazza. Call ahead to get 'seaview' seating on the terrace, an amazing view at sunset and Andrea will take great care of you.

Ristorante Belvedere in Old Town, Monterosso. We lucked-out and got a table right off the beach, while enjoying their 'Amphora' specialty (cioppino-like stew with lobster, octopus, clams...). Enough to feed an army.

Met some friends at L'Osteria, also in OT/Monterosso. Great place to visit over their daily specials and vino.

Speaking of vino in Old Town, Enoteca da Eliseo was a fantastic 'pub' for winding-down after sightseeing and hikes.

Cantina Di Miky (not to be confused with the pricier Ristorante Miky) in New Town, Monterosso, is a great place to linger over lunch, right off the beach. Great selection of local/regional beers.

For best 'bang-for-the-buck', my vote goes to Gastronomia San Martino, a wonderful (and small) cafeteria-style place in Old Town, Monterosso. Run by a husband and wife, they turn out some incredibly flavorful dishes for little cost. There are three small tables outside, but were always occupied when we were there... most people get food here to-go, and it does not disappoint.

Lastly, for great coffee and pastries (wonderful canoli's), take a walk up the hill, past Vernazza's train station, and stop at Il Pirata.

Have a great trip!

Ken-We will be in Monterosso in a month. I would love a PM of your favorite restaurants too!

I'll be in the Cinque Terre in two weeks for my honeymoon and would also love some recommendations. Would you mind sending me a PM too, Ken? We're staying in Riomaggiore but exploring all towns. Thanks!

Would also love to hear your list of places to eat. We are staying in Monterosso for three nights this October. Thanks

Da Billy in Manarola, Il Pirata in Vernazza, Cantina di Miky in Monterosso: all great dinners. We love to take the train to a different village each night for dinner. Just be sure to check return times!

My favourite was L'Osteria. The seafood pasta was amazing. My favourite meal in all of Italy.

Another vote for Il Pirata in Vernazza. Not just for breakfast, they have wonderful dinners, too!

Ken - I believe you gave us wonderful recommendations in Boppart a few years back! I'd love a PM too - we are staying in Cinque Terre for 2 nights/3 days in July. Haven't booked a room yet but thinking about Monterosso. Thanks!

Thanks so much! I want to make reservations at Ristorante Belforte in Vernazza. The setting sounds great!

Since we are staying in Monterosso, what is the best way to get there and back? If by train, what time is the last train from Vernazza to Monterosso?

Is it a long walk to the restaurant? One person in our party has some difficulty with stairs.

Thanks again!

OMG. Eat at "A ca du Scienca". The best we found. Milky is good, but VERY expensive.

A Ca du Scienca is in Monterroso ...the sign for the restaurant is hard to find, but the eating is worth it. Most memorable meal we had in Italy this time. You can eat in, or on their patio or deck.

this place is in the old town (we were north in the newer part of town, so we walked over)

Our appetizer was unique: mozzarella di buffalo with pimodorini and guacamole
I had sea bass for dinner over potatoes with pesto
For dessert we had the "chocolate egg". Ice cream in a chocolate covering which the waiter melted with a hot cream sauce.

After seeing all the good reviews for Monterosso's Miky, I took my husband there as a 10th Anniversary celebration ( a supposed highlight of out 3 days in Cinque Terre from me). This was really the only restaurant that I had specifically chosen, everything else has been fly by the seat of our pants. I felt like an inconvenience the moment we arrived. The waiter seemed generally irritated. I don't know if he had a bad day or what. Unfortunately not the experience I thought we would have. The food was decently good, but the cold reception and service was unfortunate🙁

michelle,

I'm surprised to hear of your dining experience in Monterosso. Just to clarify, were you dining at Cantina di Miky or at Miky?

Since we are staying in Monterosso, what is the best way to get to and from Ristorante Belforte in Vernazza?

If by train, what time is the last train from Vernazza to Monterosso?

Is it a long walk to the restaurant? One person in our party has some difficulty with stairs.

Thanks again!

twg,

The easiest way to get from Monterosso to Vernazza is via the frequent Cinque Terre Express local trains. That trip is only about 3 minutes in length.

Regarding the issue of stairs, you will have to deal with stairs at both the station in Monterosso and in Vernazza, as well as one or two in boarding the train and a few to reach the restaurant.

To reach the restaurant, after you arrive in Vernazza go down the stairs to the main street (Via Roma?). Continue downhill and around the corner to the right until you see the small enclosed harbour and beach. When you're about adjacent to the beach, look to your left. I can't remember if they have a sign or not.

The last train of the night appears to depart Vernazza at 23:30. However it would be a good idea to confirm that on the day of travel.

We also enjoyed Il Pirata in Vernazza. Yummy pastries and coffee at breakfast, and delicious seafood pasta for lunch. The only downside is that the location isn't as scenic, not being down by the water. For a casual bite to eat in Vernazza, we really liked the pesto pizza at Bar Baia down by the water...you can take it to go and eat it on the waterfront (much better than the focaccia-style pesto pizza a little further up the street).

In Monterroso, Restaurant Ciak was fantastic. It's in the piazza near the churches & had outdoor seating.

Another vote for Cantina di Miky in Monterosso. Loved it so much we ate there 3 nights out of 5 and I still think of the wonderful meals we had there. Their prices were extremely reasonable and the quality of food was excellent. My husband had a huge piece of fish there and we were amazed at the generous amount he got for the price (much larger quantity for less money than we can get in the greater L.A. area). We loved the pesto soup & the fried cheese appetizer too (YUM). We looked at the more expensive Miky restaurant on our last night and both agreed it we'd had another night in town, we would have liked to dine there.

Ken,

I would love to receive your recommendations for restaurants in Monterosso..

Kathy

Ken,
I just ran across this post while researching for our upcoming stay in Monterosso. I'd love to see your list recommended restaurants.

Thanks! Nancy

Hi Ken,
Leaving in 2 wks and spending 3 nights in Monterosso. Would love to receive your restaurant list for 5T! Thanks so much!

Me too, Ken. Perhaps you could post here rather than PM all of us!?
Gratzzi!

I recently returned from Cinque Terre and stayed in Old Monterosso. The following is a list of my favorites.....

Enoteca Da Eliseo ~ Bar with wine barrels outside. Great wine options and spritzers and delicious apps before dinner.
La Cantina del Pescatore ~ We enjoyed before dinner appetizers and wine here.
Gastronomia San Martino ~ Down a small alley. We ate here for dinner and ate true italian cooking.
Pizzeria La Smorfia ~ Best pizzeria in old town.
Trattoria da Oscar ~ Great seafood and pesto dishes. One of our favorite restuarants.
La Tortuga ~ Sitting out on the patio allows for best views in Monterosso and food delicious.
Bar Pasticceria Laura ~ Go here for breakfast! Best cappucini and pastries.

Buon Viaggio!