Cinque Terre's five coastal villages, just three hours from Milan, offer an incredible culinary journey best explored by researching restaurants ahead of time since crowded lunch spots don't always mean good food.
Fritto Misto, a paper cone of lightly fried seafood and vegetables, stands out as the region's must-eat dish, alongside fresh catch-of-the-day seafood at pricier restaurants.
Lemons and pesto Genovese define Ligurian cuisine, showing up in everything from lemon gelato and focaccia to handmade pasta dishes across every town.
Farinata, a savory chickpea pancake with mysterious Ligurian origins, is a hidden gem worth seeking out at local focaccerias.
The article rounds out with a curated list of favorite restaurants, focaccerias, and gelaterias across Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, each with specific dish recommendations.
Sandwiched, or panini-ed, between the Ligurian Sea and the Apennine Mountains are the five small medieval villages of Cinque Terre. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore make up this Italian coast. Cinque Terre feels worlds away from Milan, but it only takes a 3-hour train trip to reach. My girlfriend and I spent three days hiking, swimming, eating, and exploring our way through this region of Italy.
This article will give you tips for eating your way through the towns of Cinque Terre.
5 small medieval villages of Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore make up this Italian coast.
Too Many Options
Our culinary experience in Cinque Terre was incredible.
That being said, we did encounter some less-than-stellar meals. We could have avoided these mistakes by doing more research before we got hungry. The restaurants, focaccerias, and gelaterias that we chose based on high Google reviews rarely steered us wrong. The restaurants we found with 4 stars and up on Google all met the expectations that one has for Italian food.
Even still, there were a plethora of disappointing food stalls that were full of people. The towns of Cinque Terre are small and can become crowded during the lunch rush hours, which makes deciding where to eat based on traffic alone difficult.
The Must Eats
There are some must-eat and must-drink items in Cinque Terre. Being a seaside collection of towns, it should be obvious that the seafood in this area is amazing. Every fancy restaurant has catch-of-the-day seafood specials, but my favorite meal was much more affordable. Fritto Misto, or “mixed fry,” is a combination of lightly fried seafood, vegetables, and sometimes fries. It is served wrapped in a cone of paper with salt and a lemon wedge. You can also choose one type of seafood, of which I prefer anchovy.
Historically, the people who settled in the hills of Cinque Terre were not fishermen. They were farmers. Set foot in any of the five towns of Cinque Terre and you will be surrounded by terraced hills of olives, grapes, and lemons. When you have a chance to eat something made with lemon, eat it! We had locally made lemon soda, lemon focaccia, lemon gelato, lemon croissants, lemonade, limoncello, lemon pastries, and lemon squirted on fried seafood.
Ligurian Specialties
Basil-based pesto, or pesto Genovese, has become synonymous with Italy. It was created in the Ligurian region of Italy, an area that includes Cinque Terre. This makes pesto a must-eat at any restaurant, especially combined with handmade pasta!
A pleasant surprise that I encountered while stopping by a focacceria in Manarola was farinata. While I thought I was ordering a slice of pizza, I actually paid for a savory chickpea pancake.
Boy, was I happy about the mistake! Farinata, like pesto, also originated in the Ligurian region of Italy. It’s a common street food with a mysterious origin story. I ordered the Farinata con Cipolle, which is a chickpea pancake with onions added to the batter.
Our Favorite Meals
Cinque Terre is known for its wine across the region. It’s also known for salted anchovies, farinata, pesto Genovese, olive oil, and the abundance of locally grown produce.
Here is a list of our favorite restaurants and the meals we ate there, in no particular order:
Focacceria A Pie de Campo – This restaurant is known for its focaccia “pizza” that serves two. It is going to be the best focaccia I eat for the rest of my life. We ordered the lard, pecorino, and honey focaccia, and the potato, sausage from Pignone, and rosemary focaccia. The restaurant has only outdoor seating on a covered patio and beneath a grove of lemon trees. The rosemary was picked from the garden in front of our table. The lemonade was made from lemons above my head! Reservations by phone are necessary.
Farm Shop – Azienda Agricola Sentiero Azzurro Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre – This shop and outdoor space is on the blue trail between Vernazza and Corniglia. The blue trail is a walking path that connects all five towns of Cinque Terre. It’s worth the hike if you have a day or two to spare. The farmers market has fresh juice, smoothies, wine, and other snacks from local farmers. You won’t find a better oasis on a trail in your life. I got to squeeze my own oranges for juice as a much-needed pick-me-up.
Il Porticciolo – This restaurant serves the best Fritto Misto in Manarola. It is also the earliest place to open, serving pastries and coffee in the morning. There are two locations for this restaurant on either side of the street. One is a sit-down venue, while the other is more casual. The latter is the side that serves the Fritto Misto and pastries. I had the mixed fish basket and the anchovy basket, as well as several cappuccinos and croissants, during our stay.
Da Aristide – The best breakfast and coffee drinks in Manarola can be found at Da Aristide. It’s the only restaurant in Cinque Terre that serves an “American breakfast” with bacon and eggs. It also seems to be the only restaurant in Manarola serving any kind of protein for breakfast before 10 a.m. We had 10+ cappuccinos, dozens of pastries, and the American breakfast.
Pan & Pumate – Solid, quick-stop focaccia shop in Manarola with several choices of focaccia and toppings to choose from. This is where I discovered farinata by accident.
Gelataria Yogurteria Crepes E Granite – INCREDIBLE gelato in Riomaggiore and my second favorite gelato that I had during my entire trip in Italy. The ricotta-fig-and-honey or coffee flavors were my favorite.
Trattoria dal Billy – This was by far the best meal we had while in Cinque Terre, and in Italy as a whole. This restaurant overlooks the town and sea of Manarola and serves the freshest seafood, pasta, and other Ligurian classics. This is a great date-night spot! Although it’s on the more expensive side for the area, it is well worth the price. We enjoyed the tuna tartare special, the caprese salad, the grilled swordfish special, the pesto pasta, and tiramisu for dessert. Reservations by phone are a must! If you can’t reach the restaurant by phone, make a reservation in person. There are only two seating times: 5:30 and 9:30.
Bar Pan e Vin – This deli in Corniglia didn’t have the best service, but the focaccia sandwiches were affordable, quick, and good. We had the pesto sandwich, the salami sandwich, and ice-cold lemon sodas. There is some inside seating, but the shop is small, so take your food to go.
Alberto Gelateria – This was my favorite gelateria in all of Italy. This store in Corniglia has a bohemian vibe and uses its own herb garden to create some of the flavors. You must try the basil gelato and the lemon granita (basically a lemon slushy). These two make a stunning bite-for-bite combo.
Bottega del Frito – This small walk-up stall next to the train station in Monterosso has the best fried anchovies in Cinque Terre. Monterosso specializes in anchovies, and Cinque Terre specializes in Fritto Misto. This makes Bottega a winning combination. Bottega is pricier than other fried fish stalls, but it’s worth the stop.
Poche Musse – This is the best gelateria in Manarola. It’s located right next to the ramp into the lower part of town. The dark chocolate flavor is the best and tastes just like brownie batter.
Batti Batti – This was the first Fritto Misto restaurant I found in Cinque Terre that had fried whole shrimp. The shell and head were still on, similar to soft-shell crab. This might turn some people off, but I loved it! The calamari and sardine cones were also very good. This shop is located in central Vernazza.
Conclusion
Cinque Terre gave us some of the best meals of our entire trip through Italy, along with a few forgettable ones. That’s just part of traveling somewhere new. Don’t let one disappointing food stall scare you off. The next bite of Fritto Misto or scoop of gelato is always just a few steps away. Pack your appetite, wear good shoes for all that hiking, and say yes to anything with lemon in it. You won’t regret it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Fritto Misto, or “mixed fry,” is a Cinque Terre specialty made of lightly fried seafood, vegetables, and sometimes fries, served in a paper cone with salt and a lemon wedge. You can also order a single type of seafood on its own, like anchovy.
Cinque Terre is about a 3-hour train ride from Milan, making it an easy day trip or short getaway from the city.
Don’t skip the Ligurian specialties. Pesto Genovese, farinata (a savory chickpea pancake), focaccia, and anything made with locally grown lemons are all must-eats in the region.
There are several great options, but Tratoria dal Billy stands out as the best meal of the whole trip. It overlooks the town and sea, serves the freshest seafood and pasta, and is a great date-night spot. Just know reservations by phone are a must, and there are only two seating times: 5:30pm and 9:30pm.
Google reviews. Restaurants with 4 stars and up consistently met expectations, while some of the most crowded food stalls turned out to be disappointing. Popularity and quality don’t always line up in Cinque Terre’s small, busy towns.
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