The 10 most suggestive restaurants by the sea in Italy

Intrigued with romance and illuminated by the blue of the sea and the green of the pine forests, the Mediterranean aesthetic would be nothing if it were not also for its flavors. Jacquemus knows this well, as last year he opened café Citron in Paris: a small corner of the Mediterranean cut out inside the Galeries LaFayette. Italy, the epicenter of the Mediterranean and all its culture, has always been full of restaurants overlooking the sea which are characterized both by their breathtaking locations and by the reinterpretation of typical Mediterranean cuisine. While a new food culture is developing in Milan, with the restaurants becoming the most recognizable brands in the city, many clubs survive along the Mediterranean coasts that with the tables set on the beaches and the wooden terraces overlooking the sea continue to attract customers from all over the world.

nss magazine has selected the 10 most suggestive, but also the best restaurants overlooking the sea in Italy.

Da Paolino - Capri

Da Paolino, in Capri, is one of the most reassuring images of the Mediterranean tradition: thanks to its rustic interiors, romantic atmospheres and above all its lemon garden, it is one of the most famous restaurants in the island. Over the years it has hosted international celebrities: from Will Smith to Kris Jenner, Leonardo DiCaprio and Olivia Palermo. Last year he was chosen by Kylie Jenner to celebrate her birthday. Eating at Paolino is an unforgettable experience, both for the magic of the place and for the quality of the Neapolitan cuisine.

Via Palazzo a Mare, 11 - 80073, Capri
Prices: 80€ - 200€
To try: home-made limoncello

Ristorante Grotta Palazzese - Polignano a Mare

Many call it the most romantic restaurant in the world. Gem of Polignano a Mare, in Puglia, Grotta Palazzese is unique in its kind: built inside a limestone cave overlooking the Adriatic Sea and the adjacent cliffs, it is such a suggestive location that it was already used by the nobility in the eighteenth century to organize banquets. Ideal for elegant dinners, even if at not really cheap prices, visitors can choose from a menu of typical Apulian products, traditional Mediterranean cuisine and a long wine list.

Via Narciso, 59 - 70044, Polignano a Mare
Prices: 200€ - 350€
To try: Two-cooked octopus, Pappa al Pomodoro and Scarola Ripassata

Maria Grazia - Nerano

In the heart of the Sorrento Peninsula, a few kilometers from Sorrento and Positano, Maria Grazia is the most famous restaurant in Marina del Cantone, the bay of Nerano. On the beach, at the foot of the church of Sant'Antonio, the same family has run it for three generations: its dishes are simple, but of excellent quality, but among the first remains in history the most famous is undoubtedly the pasta with cucuzzielli (zucchini), invented as a joke in 1952 by grandmother Rosa and Prince Pupetto Sirignano.

Via Marina del Cantone, 65 - 80061, Nerano
Prices: 40€
To try: Pasta with cucuzzielli

La Sponda - Positano

Still in the Sorrento Peninsula, in Positano, the La Sponda restaurant (part of the hotel complex of Le Sireneuse) offers a menu based on the quality of local ingredients. The chef is Gennaro Russo, who arrived in 2014. The atmosphere is one of the most romantic: every evening, 400 candles are lit in the restaurant and the tastings are accompanied by the sound of a mandolin that plays old motifs of light music. Awarded 1 Michelin star.

Via San Sebastiano, 2 - 84017, Positano
Prices: 90€ - 180€
To try: Spaghetti di Don Alfonso / Linguine from Gragnano with clams and zucchini pesto with lemon

Clandestino Susci Bar - Portonovo

At the foot of Monte Conèro, in the bay of Portonovo, on a pristine beach stands the Clandestino susci bar by Moreno Cedroni, a stilt house inside the bay that bears the colors of the sky and the sea. Founded in 2000 and inspired by the notes of the Manu Chao song of the same name, every year the restaurant offers an always new themed menu. Its most famous dish is a free reinterpretation of sushi, which has become susci. The prices are not prohibitive: an octopus or swordfish salad costs 12€ and for the aperitif there is no shortage of gourmet pizzas.

Via Portonovo - 60100, Portonovo, Ancona
Prices: 45€ - 90€
To try: Susci

Ristorante Uliassi - Senigallia

Also in the Marche, another fundamental stop is the Uliassi Restaurant, founded by chef Mauro Uliassi. A reference point for all lovers of Mediterranean and gourmet cuisine, in 2018 the restaurant was awarded 3 Michelin stars. Considering the fame, the prices are not excessive: 125 € the tasting menu, 150 € the Lab 2018 tasting menu. The cuisine combines seafood with the tradition of the hinterland.

Via Banchina di Levante, 6 - 60019, Senigallia
Prices: 125€ - 150€
To try: Rimini fest / Sea bass, peaches, morchelle in white wine / Millefeuille, Cantiano cherries, parfait with verdicchio and chantilly with cinnamon

Pascucci al Porticciolo - Fiumicino

1 Michelin star since 2012, three forks on the Gambero Rosso guide, three hats on the Espresso Guide; these are only a few of the most important certificates confirming the quality of Pascucci al Porticciolo, the restaurant in Fiumicino under the direction of chef Gianfranco Pascucci. His cuisine, which starts from research on raw materials and the catch of the territory, has also opened up to the most modern techniques over the years. In 2017 it was awarded the best fish restaurant in Italy for Espresso.

Viale Traiano, 85 - 00054, Fiumicino, Roma
Prices: 55€ - 120€
To try: Roasted calamari, fermented roots and herbs / Crispy red mullet, foie gras with Marsala and raspberries / Eclipse in chocolate variation

Ristorante Capofaro - Locanda & Malvasia - Isole Eolie

Immersed in the Mediterranean scrub of Salina, the greenest of the Aeolian Islands in Sicily, the Capofaro vineyards stretch out, owned by the Tasca d'Almerita family. The restaurant, under the guidance of chef Ludovico De Vivo, offers a route that reflects the ingredients of nature, enriching the dishes with the different types of Malvasia grown on the island. The prices are not soaring: the tasting menus range from 80€ to a maximum of 150€, but the real gem is the selection of wines.

Via Capo Faro, 3 - 98050, Malfa
Prices: 80€ - 150€
To try: the wine list

B Bistrot - Portoferraio, Isola d'Elba

The B. Bistrot restaurant is the gourmet and slow food proposal of Baia Bianca Suites, a resort near Portoferraio and Procchio, on the Island of Elba. The structure, made up of white furnishings and a wooden frame, opens onto a breathtaking panorama: a true culinary oasis by the sea, which interprets traditional Tuscan cuisine and offers only raw materials. The menu is typically Mediterranean and Italian, mainly based on fresh fish.

Località la Biodola, 16 - 57037, Portoferraio, Isola d'Elba
Prices: 50€ (excluding wines and drinks)
To try: any slow food proposal

Fusion - Taormina

In Taormina, on the east coast of Sicily, halfway between Messina and Catania, the coast road leads to the splendid structure of La Plage Resort: as a natural paradise facing the Isola Bella (also known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean), the resort enjoys a unique view of the sea and Etna. The restaurant is called Fusion and its philosophy is evident from the name: in its menu the Mediterranean flavors and traditions merge with the popular tradition of Sicilian cuisine. The panorama and the sea breeze make the experience unforgettable.

Via Nazionale, 107/A - 98039, Isola Bella, Taormina
Prices: 51€
To try: Tasting Menu between Land and Sea (minimum 2 people, € 50) / Arancini in three flavors: cuttlefish ink, vegetables and Nebrodi black pig ragout