I'Il Grotto isn't really an "overlook" restaurant in the traditional sense-- you wont find the…read moredramatic, panoramic sea views that some of Riomaggiore's restaurants are known for. Instead, its charm comes from being right in the heart of the village, with a cozy, intimate atmosphere that lets you soak in the energy of Riomaggiore and indulge in a little people watching. And honestly the food was a very pleasant surprise. I was craving steamed mussels, and theirs were absolutely delicious-- fresh, flavorful, and cooked just right. For my main, I went for something simple: a sea bream fillet with garlic and olive oil. It was beautifully prepared and delicious. My husband had the seafood spaghetti, which was equally satisfying packed with the flavors of the sea without feeling fishy or overly heavy. It's the kind of place that reminds you that restaurant doesn't necessarily need a spectacular view or a complicated menu to leave an impression. The cozy setting, quality of ingredients, and straightforward, well executed cooking were more than enough. A very pleasant-- and unexpected-- surprise in Riomaggiore.

I am obsessed with this place! My sister and I were looking for nice dinner close to where we were…read morestaying in Riomagiorre, and I'm so glad we stumbled upon this spot. First off, everyone working there was genuinely kind. My sister and I were set on trying the octopus however this was an appetizer item, and we knew we wouldn't be able to finish an appetizer and two entrees. A lot of places sometimes get mad if you order just an appetizer and an entree to share, however they were very understanding and even brought out extra plates for us. We also got the mussel ravioli, which was to die for! Of course we had wine as well, which was also delicious! Love this place and would give 10 stars if I could!

Our first time in Vernazza and we wanted to get some lunch. We got Caprese salad, spaghetti…read moreBolognese, and breaded veal (Milanese). It was delicious!!! I'm married to a Sicilian, so I know what great Italian food tastes like. I was really surprised to see 3 stars on Yelp! The waitress she was managing multiple tables, so the service was not ideal. The restaurant is nestled in a perfect spot with a beautiful view of the marina. We would definitely return! I wish I captured pictures of our food!

"The tale of two different waiters" was our experience as we dined two night at Gianni Franzi…read morerestaurant in the fishing village of Vernazza. We were staying at the hotel with the same name. We made reservations and came down to be seated in a beautiful town center over-looking the ocean. The weather was perfect and multiple colored umbrellas kept us in the shade. The place was busy and this is by far the best food in Vernazza. The physical setting is idealic and screams beautiful Italian dining. A man near the water was playing musical instruments to famous songs, an absolute "perfect" setting. We will start with the food. Bread is always provided and the accompanying balsalmic vinegar and olive oil are a hit or miss, no consistency. Our first selection was the penne com scampi with a good briny tomato sauce, shrimp, white wine, brandy, curry and salsa pomodoro. A very good taste and perfectly prepared penne. Our other dishes was the black flat spaghetti with garlic, tomato sauce, salted anchovies and red chili flakes. A absolutely delightful dish. We also have not had any American food for 10 days and caved in for an order of french fries, decadent. The food our second night was different and equally good. Service is where the Jekyll and Hyde brings us consternation. The first night was lovely and the young man serving us was on task and providing us excellent service before it was needed. The experience the first night led us to eat here again, two night later. Here is where the tide turned. The owner's son was our waiter the second night. The wine was delivered after the meal was served. A salad was ordered but never delivered and asked about twice. The young man scolded us for asking for EVOO and balsalmic vinegar. He then proceeded to lecture us on added parmesan cheese after we tried the dish. He explained that the dish was perfect and we should not drown it in cheese. Our bill came 40 minutes after we requested it and was wrong. 3 separate diners next to experienced the same lousy service and arrogant attitude. You cannot go wrong with the setting at Gianni Franzi restaurant for view, ambiance, color and food quality. The service makes one question is it worth it? The owner's son needs to find another career chioce or take some customer service training classes. His is arrogant and I would guess in the job because of his family. He has no right to tell people how they should enjoy their food. The real disconnect was after the bill was corrected, he had the gall to ask for "American gratuity". I would of given a five star review but his attitude can not be over- looked. The family needs to cut the "cord".

The house red wine was superb. Filet fish was fresh with pine nuts and well done. The salad was…read moremore than great - baby spinach off the soil. Dessert was ice cream with raisins and amazing. Owened by Rocci and his sister. Recommending this unequivocally.

Cute little restaurant at the bottom of the hill. Everything was absolutely delicious and affordableread more

Excellent Choice For Dinner…read more.. My wife and I arrived in Monterosso al Mare for the first week of our vacation around Cinque Terre. Where to eat? Our hotel - Villa Steno.....a wonderful place - plotted several recommendations on a map. The first place we tried was Oscar. Our impressions were as follows: Pros: - Most of the seating was on the patio out front which was delightful - We shared the Seafood Salad and Pasta with Seafood. Both were great! The second dish was among the best I've ever tried. - Dark bread accompanying dinner was amazing - A bottle of local Sauvignon Blanc went perfectly with the meal - It seemed the owner or one of the owners served all the customers. She was friendly, efficient and how she did it I'll never know. - Prices were very reasonable for everything we ordered Cons: - Only one: Oscar, like most restaurants in town, opened at 7 PM which was a bit late for us Americans. Both my wife and I heartily suggest trying Oscar.

It's good clean food for a fair price don't get me wrong. But this as the same menu and same…read moretasting food as like 75% of restaurants on cinque terre. Pesto pasta, seafood pasta, calamari, mussels... pretty much the only thing a great handful of restaurants around here serve (usually pizza too) Overall it's fine it just won't be a memorable meal. Service is mediocre.

We stayed in town 3 nights and came here all of them. The ravioli is wonderful. The pasta was…read morestuffed to the max. We had it 2 nights. The desserts are to die for. The owners wife is the awesome maker. And he is just the kindest man. We had the chocolate pistachio cake twice ! Definitely a must taste experience.

Best Clams with zucchini I've had since being in Italy for the past week…read moreHusband had meat ravioli, he said the meat sauce has been his favorite in Cinque Terre

Antonio took fantastic care of us for our dinner visit in Monterosso. After a long day of touring,…read morewe opted for a local dinner nearby our apartment, and this came highly recommended for fresh seafoods! Strongly suggest you make a reservation if you desire to sit on the patio at peak dinner hour around 20:30p. You can see lots of people walking the area, enjoy the fresh air, central piazza location and delicious food and drinks. The seafood sampler was an amazing way to share a variety of starters, from sardines, anchovies, calamari, shrimp, bacon wrapped mussels, stuffed mussels, swordfish, etc. in small plates "tapas" style presentation - a true feast!! For main dishes, the Swordfish was the best I've ever had, freshly caught that morning and prepared grilled "thinly" sliced - very tender and tasty! This is not the swordfish type steak I'm familiar, but eating it so fresh was perfect! The homemade Gnocchi with Pesto was wonderful; eating flavorful Pesto sauce known in this region was a special treat, but I'd also say a filling and heavy dish as I could only eat a couple pieces - but everyone loved them! Finally the stuffed seafood ravioli was amazing ... homemade tender raviolis created and served in a rich pomodoro type sauce which was fantastic, definitely a shared dish for 2 (plus we took some leftover home for snack next day). And we finished our meal by trying the specialty dessert wine, Sciacchetra with biscotti. It was too sweet for me, but a real "local" treat! What a marvelous and beautiful dining experience, I'd recommend you must try CIAK if in Monterosso, Cinque Terre! Cheers, ENJOY!!!

The rudest staff I have ever experienced. They won't bring you drinks until you order your food and…read morethey demanded everyone order something. After they came to our table 4 times in 5 minutes we were so uncomfortable we left and when we left the diners next to us said they wished they left as the food was below average. We left something behind and they threw it in the street !! I would give zero stars if that was an option

The chicken salad, focaccia and 1/2 liter of sangria was perfect after a long hike. I definitely…read morerecommend this restaurant.

Came here for dinner after hiking from Monterosso, as we were seeking a casual place to eat. This…read morerestaurant is located right near the train station. We were seated outside and our waiter was very friendly and welcoming. For an appetizer we got the stuffed anchovies. Definitely something I would have never tried back home but was recommended to us and we definitely enjoyed them. It didn't taste too fishy and was a good light appetizer to share (comes with 5 pieces). For dinner my husband and I split the seafood spaghetti (minimum of 2 must be ordered) and it was amazing!!! The seafood was fresh and the tomato sauce was delicious! This was one of the few pasta dishes I've had that didn't make me feel full and heavy afterwards. This is definitely a dish I would specifically come back for in the future!

Best meal we had in Cinque Terre! Saw good reviews on Yelp. Off the beaten path. Great old…read morefashioned atmosphere. Great service. I was craving grilled fish and boy did this deliver. Delicious grilled sea bass - best seafood I've had in years and only 25 euros! A bargain. My husband really enjoyed his spicy salami pizza too. Saw they had tasty looking steaks and pasta as well. Highly recommend!

On the positive side, the food was decent and met my expectations in terms of quality and taste…read more However, the service was significantly lacking, which really impacted the overall experience. Throughout our meal, it was difficult to get any assistance. Most of the waitstaff appeared to be disengaged, spending their time watching videos on their phones with AirPods in rather than attending to the dining room. I want to give a special shout-out to one gentleman on the floor who was the only person actively working and checking on tables. He was professional and clearly trying his best to cover for the lack of attentiveness from the rest of the team. It's a shame because the kitchen is clearly doing a good job, but the lack of service standards makes it hard to recommend a return visit. I hope management addresses the staff's focus, as it currently feels like the front-of-house team is not prioritizing the guests.