Our visit to Nessun Dorma for their pesto-making class ended up being the highlight of our entire…read moretrip to Cinque Terre. We came in not knowing what to expect--whether it would feel overly touristy or genuinely authentic--but it exceeded every expectation. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel incredibly welcome, especially traveling with our young daughter. The class itself was both fun and informative. The owner took the time to explain the history and importance of each fresh ingredient, which made the experience feel meaningful rather than just a cooking demo. What really set this apart was the atmosphere. It was interactive, relaxed, and genuinely joyful--we even found ourselves dancing with our daughter by the end. Enjoying freshly made pesto and burrata while overlooking one of the most stunning views in Cinque Terre made it unforgettable. A special thank you to Michael, who went above and beyond--answering all our questions and sharing great local recommendations, especially for swimming spots. If you're visiting Manarola, this is an absolute must-do experience.

We visited about two months ago and I'm just getting around to writing the review…read more Nessun Dorma is one of those places that hits you the second you walk in. The view alone is insane -- straight-up postcard-level Manarola cliffs and pastel houses glowing in the sun. And then there's the owner, whose energy could power half of Cinque Terre. He literally won this failing spot in a contest and turned it into a full-on experience. Locals may not love that he's a southerner who made it big, but honestly? He's built something incredible. The pesto class is a highlight. You learn exactly where every ingredient comes from, and you realize how tiny an amount of that super-strong garlic you actually need. And smashing basil by hand in a mortar and pestle? Way better than a blender -- you can taste the difference. After class, you're absolutely not leaving hungry. They load you up with wine and a charcuterie board that's basically a meal. And yes -- at some point, you will dance. It's just that kind of place. And the sign you pass on the way in? "Today is a good day to be happy." At Nessun Dorma, it really is.

Great panoramic view with less tourist traffic, grab a mini bottle of wine & enjoy the view.read more

This restaurant has such a charming little look and it is tucked up on the hill out of the way,…read morejust past the train station. The view here is amazing! Almost certainly the best you'll get in Riomaggiore while eating. There are 10 tables on the rail with a perfect view to the sea. The sad news is that they don't do reservations anymore so planners don't get a leg up on setting a table aside. The service here was sub-par, but the server was very nice. We started with the cheese plate and some moscato. I didn't like a couple of the cheeses but the wine was great. For dinner, I ended up with the classic lasagna and I thought it was just ho hum. I got to try some of my daughter's pesto and that I found to be better than the lasagna.

I came here to enjoy drinks at sunset! The view was gorgeous and the wine was great…read more We enjoyed the white wine tasting which had local wines to the region. They also served olives and focaccia bread. I took off a star because the service structure was confusing to us. There was a sign at the table to order at the bar but then when we went to order at the bar we were told to wait for our server. The server only came around occasionally so service was very slow. This was still however a 4 star review because even with slow service, these views at sunset are hard to beat! This was also a convenient location just up the stairs from the train station.

Tiny, but unassuming spot in Riomaggiore, Italy. Their cocktail menu is extensive for a place that…read moreonly has 14 seats or so. The food is very good as well.

Very cool atmosphere and delicious food!! It was our first night here and we were just wandering…read morearound when we found this place. We got the house red wine, the three of a kind bruscetta, cheese and cold cuts plate, and the anchovies plate, and everything was so tasty! We were especially surprised about the anchovies, as neither of us likes them, but we liked these so much we got more. Most notably, the owner (and bar tender, and chef) was incredibly fun to talk to! He recommended really good things and kept us company. The breakfast menu also looks great, so we'll definitely be back.

Eliseo is a wonderful host at his wine bar! We came in around 6 pm off season on a comfortably cool…read morelate November evening. His shop was full of locals enjoying apertivo outside. The sangria was delicious and Eliseo gave us an awesome dinning suggestion.

Cute place for drinks! They have seating inside and out. Everyone was very nice with a large…read moreselection of options. They weren't serving food but did give us some snacks

I will recommend this place until I am out of breath. Every dish so thought out and delicate. I…read morecan't wait to come back and I hope this place sticks around because, damn, what an experience.

We went here following a recommendation from a fellow American traveler. What an absolute waste of…read moretime and a meal in beautiful Cinque Terre. $60 USD pre fixe menu with $20 USD wine paring left us unsatisfied and thirsty. Courses come very far apart, aren't warm, food is meh at best, and the bill couldn't come soon enough. Service and environment were very nice.

This place is seriously overrated... and maybe it's because there is a scarcity of good restaurants…read morein Riomaggiore, but there is usually a line to get a table, but I can tell you it is very likely not worth the wait (we waited around 30 min). Beef ravioli (€15) - Really really disappointing. It clearly tasted just like frozen ravioli with sauce likely from a can. In fact, I think most frozen ravioli I've gotten from grocery stores tastes better than this. What a shame. Steak (€36 for 260g) - It seemed like steak was this place's specialty, so I was hopefully this could redeem it from the ravioli... but I was wrong. For €36, I would have expected a high quality steak, but instead I got a very mediocre, kinda chewy steak that was of no higher quality than the cuts that I can buy from the grocery store. The owner is American (maybe with Italian heritage), but I still expected better from a place like this with the popularity and reviews that I saw. The interior of the restaurant is cozy without many tables (hence the line to get in). Bottom line is I think you are better off finding a different place to eat in Cinque Terre / Riomaggiore with actual good quality authentic Italian food.

Riomaggiore has very few high-quality dining options, which is why I chose this place based on the…read morerelatively decent reviews. If I could give it a negative five-star rating, I would. I ordered a burger and beef ravioli ragu, and I have to say, the only reason this restaurant gets any business is because there are only five restaurants open in the area. They DO NOT serve fresh pasta. I asked the owner, who is from New Jersey, if the pasta was made in-house, and she told me it was "outsourced." She said the information was included in the menu but I did not see that. I personally watched the "chef" pour frozen pasta into the pot. To make matters worse, I was expecting pasta with actual meat sauce but was served plain red sauce that seemed like it came from a can. Dining here was a deeply disappointing experience. I would recommend not being fooled by their reviews and just choosing a place that has fresh food. The owner is also extremely cold and rude. There are hidden charges so beware. Make sure to ask about the food you are ordering and any hidden fees if you do choose to dine here.

While visiting the town of Vernazza - Cinque Terre, my party and I stumbled upon this quaint wine…read moreshop just a stone's throw from the train station. This a great place to do a little wine tasting and to pick up some wine from the Cinque Terre region. One of the wines we sampled and immediately purchased was the Sciacchetra, a dry dessert wine produced only in the Cinque Terre. I'm not usually a fan of dessert wine, but I enjoyed the Sciacchetra. This wine is not exported out of the area due to the limited production quantity, so you should buy it if you are in the area. Vineria Santa Maria was one of the few places that allowed you to sample the wine for about 9 euro. They offered a bottle for about 33 euro and I noticed that this variety can easy go up to 60 to 80 euro per bottle. You can also purchase other varieties of white wine from Cinque Terre and the surrounding regions as well. If I ever find myself back in Vernazza, I will definitely stop in for more wine from Vineria Santa Maria.

The patio's tha real MVP here. The food is enjoyable, but not remarkable. The menu is small and…read moredoesn't offer much outside of pesto dishes, pizza, and a few seafood dishes. My wife and I split the Trofie Al Pesto E Fagiolini and the Pizza Con Prosciutto Crudo Di Parma. We liked both--no ragrets! (If you don't get that reference, get off Yelp and go to Yellow Pages or Trip Advisor) However, we expect to be wowed here in Italy, and while the food was enjoyable, we wouldn't recommend it.

Small bistro style pasta place. We had the trofie pasta with pesto which was super fresh and tasty…read more The place also serves coffee. There's no bathroom, but there are several options nearby.

Yum! Great desserts! We had the taramisu and the lemon cake and both were delicious.read more