This was one of my favorite experiences of our trip. We had a beautiful dinner at Belforte in Vernazza. We were drawn to the breathtaking views and had to eat here for our last meal in Cinque Terre. The Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp was delicious! I've never had squid ink pasta but thoroughly enjoyed it. The noodles were cooked al dente and the shrimp was flavorful, fresh, and succulent. Highly recommend, whether you're celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a vacation in Cinque Terre! read more

Belforte - Squid Ink Pasta - Seafood Near Me - Vernazza, SP

We were coming down from Castello Doria and decided to stop in this restaurant for lunch. The view was spectacular from the restaurant patio. The patio slopes down towards one side so all the tables are sloping too. The service was good but the food was average. The fried shrimp and squid plate was a little plain and the batter was a bit soft so I don't recommend that dish. The fried fresh fish that another in our group ordered was delicious. After you pay, they give you limoncello and an assortment of biscuits. They have a restroom for customers. read more

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Over a month ago my wife and I made a dinner reservation to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Dinner at Belforte was to be the celebratory event of our trip from the US to Vernazza. We arrived to find they had no reservation on record despite our confirmation email. On further review they had scheduled the incorrect date for our reservation. They offered a table in the corner where we were rudely greeted by a waiter who clearly was irritated to have us added on. When I presented their error they said it wasn't their fault as reservations are handled elsewhere. No real effort to resolve their error and a throwaway apology for our inconvenience. We left disappointed and our anniversary dinner was ruined. No thanks Belforte! You ruined one of the significant events of our marriage. read more

Great atmosphere and the view at sunset is stunning. Had the sea bass prepared in salt and it was a great show as well as expertly prepared. Also had the bolognese and it was wonderful read more

This restaurant is in one of the two most ideal locations in town for epic views. The staff was very friendly and the food was very good too. However I feel like the price of the food reflected the toll you pay for those views. One of the highlights was drinking excellent wine from grapes grown on the hills across from the restaurant. read more

Belforte - Wine grown on the hills shown in the pictures. Delicious. - Seafood Near Me - Vernazza, SP

We made a reservation here months in advance, and made a trip to the town specifically for lunch. Due to a power outage the restaurant sent us away, but did not notify us via email or telephone in advance. But they are sure to ask that we, the patrons, let them know if we won't make our reservation. The workers were seating less discerning tourists, perhaps hoping to serve them cold cuts and caprese before letting them know the microwave isn't in operation. read more

Great food and service. One of the better meals I had while I was there. Highly recommend this place.

Delicious food, everything we got was incredible, even the drinks! The service was timely and so nice. The view was superb over the ocean and the ambiance is upscale yet friendly. We loved dining here and would go again! read more

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Great spot when visiting Vernazza! You definitely need a reservation so I would plan to book far in advance. Highly recommend the fish belforte style or cooked in salt. read more

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Asked to reserve a table for the next night by the water and the guy laughed at me. No alternative suggestion, they don't need your business. He said people reserve months in advance. read more

September 2024 We are still reeling from the inattentive, rude and condescending staff, a month later. We are a youthful mid 60 couple who travel extensively and are very low maintenance. We simply enjoy a decent meal and a nice experience. The food was good, and the ambiance of the 1100 yr old tower was charming. The weather was a downpour of rain, so eating inside was our only option. It was my husbands 65th birthday and I made the reservation months in advance as I wanted a special evening. It was anything but! From the moment we entered, soaking wet and 20 mins. late because of train delays,(We called well before our reservation time to advise them we would be late) it was evident that they hoped we would not show. They wanted to close up and go home! They actually made fun of the fact that I made the reservation so far in advance! We were not actually seated, just pointed to a table where we waited for the waiter to come and take our wine order and explain the menu. We had to ask for both! Our food was quite good, the spaghetti with clams and the sea bass with vegetables was light and fresh. Thank goodness because the service continued to decline. They brought a tiramisu with a candle to humour the birthday celebration which was appreciated. However, within minutes of us putting down the spoons, we were asked to do 'them a favor' and could we leave as it has been a long season and they were tired. We had a third of a carafe of wine left! At that point, we had had enough of rude and inattentive service so we gladly left with plastic glasses of our wine, to finish, what was to be a very special evening. One staff member grabbed a bottle of wine and shoved it at us and said 'Take it, it's cheap wine anyway '. We refused the offer! We were flabbergasted and furious! We cannot have that night back! Do yourself a favor and don't waste your precious hours and money in an establishment that treats customers with total and complete disregard! Lots of other lovely restaurants to choose! read more

The waiter we had did not want to be at work and they were not friendly whatsoever. When we finally got our food, the bolognese was mediocre and the spaghetti with clams was extremely salty and inedible. read more

The most obvious character of this restaurant is the spectacular location and view, but the real star is the food. The menu consists of a variety of fresh seafood and delicate pasta dishes. We made a reservation before we arrived in Vernazza, so we were seated immediately. Plan to get there around sunset, and you will be treated to an unforgettable romantic Ligurian meal. read more

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More of a 3.5. Food is good, view is unreal. Any seafood you order is going to be good. I got the mussels and really enjoyed them. Service is not great. Do not eat here if you are in any sort of a rush. We were rushing to make a train and told them this and our server proceeded to completely ignore us for 20 mins after that. GET A RESERVATION IN ADVANCE. You will need one in busy season. read more

The lobster spaghetti was excellent. The staff was kind friendly and helpful. We had a driver from Lucca who recommended this place and it was on our list of places to go. So we knew it was a go to place and it surely was. read more

It wasn't just dining it was entertainment and amazing food. Our server had the most delightful and funny personality. Everything we had on the menu was phenomenal, the restaurant is overlooking the ocean with waves crashing below the weather was perfect and their squid in pasta WOW! I wish it wasn't in the other side of the world because I'd be there every week. For a truly amazing evening then this is the place! read more

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Excellent food. Reservations preferred but we came at opening time (before noon) and made the line. One waiter said NO they're full, came back in 5 minutes and another waiter sat us... Disorganized seating and no real book for writing down your name. It depends on the waiter I suppose. But sounded like many people sat without reservations. "Come back in 1 hour" is what they kept saying. 1- ANCHOVIES. 16€. three types, lemon, fried and salted. All were excellent and so fresh!!! Even if you're not an anchovies fan, try them. It'll change your mind. 2- MUSSELS. 15€. Amazinggg. So fresh they tasted sweet and almost undercooked which is fine. Delicious, rightly seasoned with garlic and white wine. 3- SQUID INK PASTA MARINARA. 18€ Also good, al dente, sweet savory tomatoes for the sauce with some subpar shrimp. Still, devoured everything. 4- WHITE WINE 5€. House. Good enough. 5- TIRAMISU. 8€. Nothing like US tiramisu. Soft, sweet. Can't describe it but definitely tasted different in a good way. 6- Still water? 3€ bottle. RECOMMENDED. View is out of this world but try to seat further from the people waiting near the stairs. Too much foot traffic. Pricy but hey, look where you are now. read more

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The service was amazing. They got us in quickly and sat us at an amazing table with beautiful view. The food here was some of the best we had on our trip. 100% recommendation read more

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The ambiance and views were great, but that's where it ends. It was just mediocre for a hefty price tag. I got the sea bass and it was unseasoned (no lemon or anything?!) and my husband got the mixed seafood plate - which came with no sides - and said it was just alright. The house white wine was average. The service was average - nothing extraordinary or bad. We ended up getting our bill and heading back to the town we were staying in early because we were not interested in dessert or any more wine. read more

The view on the upper floor is spectacular, even more so during sunset. Now here's the issue with restaurants like this. The menu prices are obviously upcharged for the view. Unfortunately, if you don't have a table with a view, then you'd at least hope that the food is spectacular, otherwise, you'd feel cheated. Well ... I felt cheated. The staff are very direct. I wouldn't have a problem with this because it seems to be cultural; HOWEVER, the staff did NOT treat us like the rest of the patrons. Whether they were a group of 10 or a couple dining or friends, the staff were outwardly friendly and joking around. When it came to me and my boyfriend, they were direct and even began to walk away even though we were in the middle of ordering our food. Strange, but ok. We sat at the top floor. The kitchen was a couple of floors below. When the food would come up from the kitchen, the staff would place the food on a communal table before serving. Unfortunately, that communal table was swarming with flies that the staff ignored was happening. Now the food: the octopus was well cooked. The potatoes were undercooked. The seafood pasta was surprisingly bland considering how much sauce was on it. The lobster was tiny and barely had any meat. The only thing I enjoyed was their house wine. read more

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Beautiful views at this spot up high on the edge of Vernazza by the water. Food: 3.5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Eve award: One of the best caprese I've had Return worthiness: yes! Highlights: - Caprese: sweet bright tomatoes, thick fresh mozzarella, stellar olive oil, and small olives and caper berries to add just enough salt. 5 stars. - Seafood mixed grill: huge prawns, lobster tail, and small shrimp. Was impressive but was just ok and didn't need so much tomato sauce. 3.5 stars. - Atmosphere: amazing open air stunning uninterrupted view of the sea. - Service: funny waiter who changed into silly hats each time he came back out. - Rose wine: one of the best bottles we had. Midlights: - Bolognese pasta: fresh pasta was good but the dish was a bit too tomatoey and not enough meat. 3 stars Lowlights: - Only 3 tables with the best views. There are a few tables along a skinny balcony area and up front that have smaller views. - You need reservations even for lunch. Monumental dining experience in Cinque Terre. read more

I can only give them a 3. Mainly because of very poor service. Food is very good though. But they do not have enough servers to go around. I also saw preferences to people they were familiar with in seating. We had reservations we made a couple a months prior. Yet, the couple standing in line before they opened had no reservations. I saw them friending up to the host...even possibly transfer of money. They were seated with a beautiful ocean view. We were seated further away from the total view. Not cool. read more

This restaurant is extremely overrated. The server was rude and barely spoke to us, seemed like he just wanted to rush us out of the restaurant as fast as possible. The bread came out in a paper bag, was stale, and there were no plates available or provided to use the oil and balsamic vinegar. On top of that the cheese was given to us in pre packaged plastic to go bags like you would see at a much cheaper restaurant or grocery store. The food was just okay, not worth the price we paid. We were in and out of there in an hour and left hungry. Yeah the views are nice but not worth the hype, you can walk up somewhere else and get an equally good view. Would NOT recommend and will never return. read more

This was great. We got the mussels, the octopus salad (with potatoes and tomatoes), the squid ink tagliolini with shrimp, and the spaghetti with mussels, clams, and shrimp. Everything was great, and the much-hyped tagliolini lived up to that hype, but the thing I'll remember most was the octopus, which was possibly the best I've ever had. Great food, great scenery -- definitely a great spot to go to in Vernazza. Also, I'd definitely make a reservation -- it wasn't easy to get in here. read more

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My husband and i went to Italy for our wedding anniversary. We stopped at Vernazza and had lunch at Belforte to celebrate our anniversary. We were welcomed by Andrea #thewaiterwiththehat. He was was outstanding, friendly, kind and very nice to us, even introduced us to Diego, the chef. His happiness was contagious, fun, full of life, friendly , just amazing and if that wasn't all , every time he came to our table he had a different hat. Andrea made our lunch even more memorable. We had a amazing time at Belforte and will definitely go back again in our future trip. read more

Belforte - Seafood Near Me - Vernazza, SP

Super confused on the reviews as this place was not at all what was expected. Reserved ahead of time. Sat in a decent place (not on the cliff but close). Had a group of six just expecting a normal dinner. The first red flag was the staff being utterly silent wearing their "staff" shirts not explaining any dishes or standard operations around the menu - they seemed to not care. Second- the food came out way fast - almost premade - and tasted that way, as though it had been sitting for some time. Many people had the pesto pasta and I had the lobster and spaghetti. Nothing really to write home about. Third red flag was the plastic bags of packaged Parmesan. Almost like we were having an airline/in-flight meal - with the drop off and pick up attendant. Not sure how our experience was so different from these reviews but the Hype is not real as of fall 2023. Don't bother - support the smaller dining spots. read more

Ended our time in Varenna at Belforte for dinner. great ambiance with an attentive, English speaking staff. There is indoor and outdoor seating, but like most Italian places, the tables are small. Interior decoration is cozy with a small kitchen. Good wine selection and menu is in Italian and English. Of the item we tried, my favorite would be the eggplant starter and caprese salad. It's neat they put the balsamic vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper on the side to put per our preference. The taste of our entrees was good, but the presentation was too simplistic. The two desserts were delicious. Tiramisu is a must try! Be there early as they do turn patrons away once seating is filled. read more

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My husband and I came to Belforte on our last night inCinque Terre and I did not disappoint. I had the spaghetti Bruno and he had the bolognese. Great food! Great service! Amazing views! read more

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Reservations are definitely advisable, but not strictly necessary. We arrived a few minutes after 7:00 (when it opened) and were able to get a table for 2 with a view "as long as we were out by 9:00." A handful of people got lucky this way early on, and then we saw TONS of people get turned away (for the most part they would try to make you a reservation for sometime in the next few days if you weren't leaving town too soon). Also saw one couple manage to score a walk in at 9:30. All depends on how the tables are flowing. In terms of the food, it was great! My fave food in Italy thus far, and we've been here about 5 days. Appetizer: octopus and carpaccio. Both were ENORMOUS. Even splitting them between 2 people, one would've been plenty. Octopus was huge and tender and tasted like tuna. Carpaccio was very fresh and delicious. Mains: We got pacchieri alla Belforte (sauce was tomato/wine based and we really liked, but the Norwegian couple at the next table wasn't impressed!) and the squid ink taglioloni (super tasty- definitely salty with the sea weed; this one was a hit with both us and The Norwegians who happened to order the same mains as us)! Dessert: got the tiramisu and the "recommended" strawberry/ice cream concoction. Really liked the tiramisu, the normal marscapone was more like a custard. The strawberry concoction was, dare I say, too sweet? (I'm a sugar addict, so it is a rare day I'll say that about anything, but I couldn't finish it; it was like liquid candy. But, interesting to try). The waiters/waitresses were awesome and super entertaining and all loved to sing, apparently? The singing waitstaff seemed to be kind of a thing with this restaurant. Service was good, but crazy slow like everywhere in Italy. Just relax and surrender to italian-time. :) read more

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Oh. My. Freakin'. God. We made a reservation by email well in advance, and asked to sit on their beautiful terrace. We had a table overlooking the small harbor, with views of Monterosso and the open ocean. Wow! Our waiter is quite the character. Andre is fun, lively and very good at his job. Not at all pretentious, helpful and entertaining. He really helped make our experience. They have lots and lots of seafood options as well as a few non-seafood selections. We started with a bottle of wine and an appetizer of anchovy which included three different small fish varieties. Every bit disappeared. All the dishes were generous and delicious. The waiter was always available but never hovering. It was fun to watch him greet new guests and listen to his conversations, which seem to be intended to be over heard. In normal Italian style, our reserved table was ours for the afternoon. The reservation was at 1:00. We showed up about 12:30 and the table was waiting for us. We were there until about 3:00. First up, our drinks and a bread basket. The appetizers came out after a glass of wine or so. Typically in Italian fine dining restaurants, the entrees are not prepared until the appetizers are cleared. That was the case here. We enjoyed the company of friends, the view and the beautiful weather. It was a lovely, leisurely meal of good company, good food and good drink. If you are unfamiliar with Italian fine dining, you may think this is poor service. In reality, it is the Italian way to linger over a meal and wine and not be rushed along as often done in an American establishment. At the end of the meal our waiter brought us an iced lemon drink to clear our pallets. Very much appreciated. There are two small things that I would love to see changed. The entrance to the restaurant is just past the ferry pick up / drop off point and there is no sign. That is the first thing I would like to see updated, with business hours, phone number, website information and an inclusion that 'reservations are suggested'. Once you find the entrance, you walk up a great deal of stairs and at the top of the stairs, there is no one available to assist you with your table location; and there are a lot of tables on a variety of terraces! That is the second thing I would like to see changed. Either post a host/ hostess, or a sign indicating where to ask for a table. So, as a public service to those reading this review I offer the following: once at the top of the stair, walk forward to the staircase going down to the right and enter a small stone building where you can speak to a woman behind a bar. She will direct you to your appropriate table. Easy once you know the drill. It did begin to sprinkle while we were dining. It was nothing serious, but made me realize if it begins to pour, we had no where to go. We were under a canopy made of a light, woven, natural material. Wood? Vines? Nothing that would provide protection from the elements. Definitely make a reservation for the views and the food. And pray for a sunny day. read more

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As I strolled through the 5 terraces of Cinque Terre, I came across the Belforte. I was in the mood for grilled octopus, and they delivered an A+ meal. Truly delicious. My server Andrea was an added bonus. Funny, knowledgeable, and attentive. Great place!!! read more

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Service was not good. Food was average for the price. Views were great. Would recommend the Caprese read more

This restaurant in Vernazza is perched atop a rock formation at the front of the town just where the water meets the earth. Our favorite dish was the fish that was baked in pounds of salt. We doused it with olive oil and lemon and devoured about 4 of them between the 10 of us. The view is excellent- you can see the boats heading in and out of Monterosso. If the ocean is calm enough, sometimes you can see people swimming in the little beach below. This restaurant was busy and we had a large party so we were glad we made a reservation. If you have more than one meal to spend in Vernazza, this is a close second to my all-time favorite, La Torre. You will enjoy the friendly and entertaining service! read more

5 stars for lunch!! It was my favorite meal at the time! The squid ink pasta was amazing!!! The server who generally works towards the ocean side of the restaurant is kind and adorable!!! LOVED HIM! Since I liked it so much, and were staying above the restaurant, we made a second reservation for dinner another night. Dinner didn't go as well just because they were SO busy, and the weather turned to shit. It was still lovely for a while, and the food was still "good", just not mind blowing like the first time. My pasta was cold and broken, and the wind was unbearable ( not their fault, but perhaps they could have made something in the years to help for these situations). You must make a reservation!! I'll be back read more

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Recommend by our tour operator . Service was slow and food was ok but not for the price. The service charge here is the highest we had seen in Italy. We did enjoy a local white wine from the Cinque Terra. Looking a other helpers photos we got the raw deal of seating views, looks like u must get the higher seats to get the best views. Tourist trap but I guess what do u expect in this tiny town read more

Absolutely loved this place! I came here after my friend recommended it to me, and it was simply amazing. The view was unparalleled. You got a nice view of the sea wherever you sit, unless indoors. The vista was so breathtaking that lot of tourists took it as a observation desk. The food was also great and reasonably priced, considering the facilities of this place. I ordered squid ink pasta, which is their recommended dish for 18€. It was really tasty. I also had a glass of house wine for 5€. The service was also friendly and welcoming. The food was served quickly and the staff was very nice. They only had one toilet so there might be a wait if you want to use it, but the bathroom window was very unique and looked like a porthole. Very nice place. Definitely would recommend if you're visiting Vernazza in Cinque Terre! read more

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If it's day time, it must be really nice view! The staff are really nice and friendly, especially Andrea! The food were amazing, no need to say much about the wine there's no doubt! read more

Belforte - Seafood Near Me - Vernazza, SP

If we had known in advance that they were reservation only then we wouldn't have wasted our time. We even showed up an hour before they opened and their employee just kept repeating that they don't open until 7:00 pm. We tried asking if we had to have a reservation and he wouldn't answer us. Looking back I should have taken that as a hint, but either way now we know. We ended up having a fantastic dinner at another place with great reviews-no wait at all. Seems a little silly to be booked out so far in advance for just the view, since so many of the actual food reviews are mediocre. If it's that important to you though, then book at least a week in advance if you come in July. Otherwise catch a more breathtaking view on a nearby hike and get the same or better dining experience at a number of the other spots around. read more

Food is very average if not less than average. Definitely not worth the high cost. Tried the mixed salad, anchovies, squid ink pasta, baked fish and tagliatelle with shrimp. Views are pretty good but we happened to be seated in a lower area with more of a view of the harbor and less of the ocean. If I were to come back I'd just get the pesto and some wine while insisting on a seat above to enjoy the view. read more

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Amazing dinner! My favorite two items on the menu are Zuppa Michela (a seafood stew with seabass, crawfish, clams, and mussels) and Tagliolini al Nero di Seppia con Gamberi (cuttlefish ink pasta with shrimp). Flavors of the sea all meld together very well in the dishes, and I am not surprised couple of the dishes on the menu won awards. I ate a lot of seafood while visiting Cinque Terre, but thought the food here was the best. We got one of the few tables that overlooked the ocean, but many of the outdoor tables here have some view of the ocean. The restaurant gets quite busy during peak tourist season in the summertime, so our food came out slower than some of the other tables. We did not mind as we were on vacation. Do make reservations couple days in advance during peak tourist season so you don't end up like many disappointed tourists who hike up the stairs to the restaurant only to get turned away. read more