Strong drinks and friendly service. Highly recommend aperol spritz and Long Island. Delishread more

Small with only a few outside seats. Free snacks and a nice selection of drinks. The guys running…read morethe place are probably the nicest people I had the pleasure of dealing with in the Cinque Terre. I sat there for a couple of hours enjoying the people watching a drinking beer.

Don't waste your time or money here. Bruno (the staff/owner) was rude and unfriendly.read more

A Great find with an amazing bartender that has been the topic of multiple conversations about…read moremaking it a point to return! Great Bar with a Great Vibe!

The atmosphere (namely the view) gets 10 stars. You have one of the best views of the sunset,…read morewater, and sunset in Riomaggiore. Note, from town ground level, it is a climb - 225 steps to the restaurant. The food was great, we had the spaghetti alla mari and lasagna al ragu, plus a limoncello and a local sweet wine, Sciacchetrà, which reminded us of a port but less sweet. The service was fantastic - our waitress was friendly and checked in with us occasionally which was perfect. We didn't have reservations but they kindly sat us at a table with an amazing view.

(Spring Italy Trip 2025) Remember when Frodo and Sam had to…read moreclimb the stairs of Cirith Ungol? Quite similar. I've heard about "earning your meal" by doing a workout but this was a bit extreme. First, just trying to find the bottom of the stairway was a task as every map app we used brought us to a dead end including literally a break in a wall where the tide was rolling in. So we used the Force. The Force worked. At least right up to the point where we found ourselves behind the restaurant supplier who, and I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP, is using a motorized push cart with TANK tracks to bring produce, meat, drinks etc, from the bottom to the restaurant. The good news was it forced us to slow down to catch our breath. The bad news is it forced us to slow down and catch our breath. Reminded me when I'm at the gym and I'm silently cursing my trainer to hurry the F-up and get this session over with. You come to Cinque Terre and you definitely want to combine some great food with some great views. Ristorante La Torre hits both of those at a price. That price was a "I'm lost" and "I'm going to die on this path" hike up winding stairs wondering if the restaurant is ever going to appear. But its worth it. The view of Vernazza and the neighboring towns and of course the glistening Ligurian Sea are just breathtaking. There is inside dining but thankfully the weather permitted us to sit on their multilevel patio. We did opt for some shade because by the time we got up there it was a little bit of sun and my buttery body was melting. I really could have used some wine but I was dehydrated enough so skip. Service was surprisingly attentive, perhaps a nod to understanding the American tourist. Is this a touristy place? For the quality of service and food I want to say no. It has been my experience that a tourist trap sacrifices one or both. Yes I was sweaty and wondering how much will a hospital stay in Italy cost me but this was a great visit. Food: sadly, no gnocchi (which is what I zeroed in on first) related dishes that day. Maybe the ingredients were stuck in the bottom of the hill. I'd normally dock off some love but given I literally witnessed the effort to get supplies I'm not going to complain for a shortage of a dish. Fritto misto : great lightly fried batter on sardines, calamari, shrimp. Spaghetti alla Mari (seafood spaghetti): perfectly cooked pasta with generous amount of shrimp, langostino, calamari in a simple olive oil and garlic sauce. Tagliolino all' Aragostella (taglino with lobster): again perfect al dente pasta in a pomodoro sauce Pasta (forget which style substituted for said absent gnocchi) in pesto. Simple and comforting. All the food was super fresh and tasty Oh and downhill was easy.

The totally outdoor restaurant is actually very nice, and a perfect setting for Vernazza. One of…read morethe 3 actual seaside dining options, the others set inland. It's a casual place with nice service, a decent menu, and well-priced considering they could actual gage you for being in this magical touristy place. My gf and I got 2 of the pesto dishes: gnocchi, a small twisted pasta called Trofie -- slightly chewy, and because of the twist, hold a nice amount of pesto in each bite). Both were excellent and nice portions. [10 euros each, 4.5 stars]. I enjoyed the pasta, got a beer, and reveled in all that Vernazza offers: aged, faded, and patchy pastel buildings; small beach, crystal clear and clean water, small boats, and the freshest breeze.

Located right out on the breakwater in Vernazza, Baia Saracena has one of the best views while…read moredining in a village filled with great views. While the restaurant in the tower above provides a good view of the water, from Saracena you can see the water, hillsides and a gorgeous view of the pastel buildings of Vernazza. Plus you don't have to climb any stairs. There was a good crowd when we arrived at dusk, but it was never totally full, which was on par with our experience in Vernazza where the town empties of day tourists come early evening. As with any place that's right on the water in a seaside town, there was plenty of seafood on the menu, but I was feeling like a different local tradition - pesto. They've got a variety of options, and my wife and I chose to try a few of them - she the pesto lasagna, and I ordered the pesto bruschetta as a starter to share, and the traditional trofie al pesto for my main. The bruschetta was composed of four slices of heavily toasted bread piled high with chopped tomatoes, a dusting of herbs and an interesting pesto cream, rather than just the spread of dark green basil sauce that I was expecting. The pieces were big enough and had enough toppings that a knife and fork was the obvious way to go. The tomatoes were good and fresh, and the pesto cream was pleasantly smooth and I enjoyed its more dialed back pesto flavour, compared to what pure pesto would have been like. The thorough, but not burnt, toasting stood up nicely to the tomatoes and pesto. Pesto course #2 for me was a very large serving of a local favourite pasta, trofie. The semi-thick, semi-twisted sticks of pasta were plump and had an enjoyable chew. The pesto flavour was more pronounced than the bruschetta and that of pesto trofie I'd had elsewhere in Vernazza, but despite not being as much of a basil-lover as my wife, I still ate eagerly. We got tiramisu for dessert; the cream was wonderfully airy, but the cake parts could have used a more generous soaking in coffee. All in all, I would definitely suggest that hit this place up at dusk if you're in Vernazza for a few nights, and take in the sunset on the water and tasty local flavours that Baia Saracena has to offer.

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.

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.

The food is very good here but honestly you will be gazing out at the beautiful views from the…read morepatio. We had just hiked from Vernazza to Corniglia and were looking for lunch with a view. Terza Terra is the perfect restaurant for that. We took the stairs down from the alleyway to the patio. Terza Terra also has a bar that is totally separate and does not have the views. We ordered bruschetta with prosciutto and melted cheese and a panini and shared them. Also had a couple glasses of wine. Very relaxing lunch on the patio, it was a beautiful day and took several photos during lunch. Terza Terre is a great place to have a relaxing lunch with awesome views.

In Corniglia for the day and wanted a place where we can nibble on some bites with good views so we…read morecould unwind and read our kindles. They have terrace seating with Manorola in the far left view. Though it was sunny, it's shaded enough so you don't have to worry about sun in your eyes and it also helps keep the heat at bay. We got the combo with light toast appetizer and two glasses of white wine (at 10am) and got lost with the views of the sea while enjoying some light reading. Perfect pit stop if you're in this town.

The name is a little misleading and that this place serves breakfast lunch and dinner. The service…read morestaff is charming and the food is rock solid. It was our go to place every day we were in Vernazza.

Visiting for a day and this place definitely hit the spot for lunch. So good..highly recommend.read more

A good stop for a quick bite to eat in a less congested area of Monterosso - had the trofie al…read morepesto and bruschetta. Reasonably priced for the area.

This little breakfast cafe was a welcome find. We had the full breakfast with coffee latte,…read morescrambled eggs, ham, cheese, toast and they also brought muffins and croissants out (we choose the outdoor seating with quaint city views). Oh, and fresh squeezed orange juice. A bit hard to find, unless you see the sign in the plaza leading up a cute little street and about 50' in. It was a great way to start a beautiful day in a fabulous place.

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