simply the best meal we had over the past two weeks. seafood linguine, trio of anchovies.... so so good

Casual and quick service salad misto good but the trofie with pesto...OMG!!! Please more, more, more.

Charming little place hidden up a small street in Monterosso. I tried the trofie Al pesto! So yummy. We also enjoyed anchovies in lemon, caprese salad, and crudités Del Mar. I loved the local pasta with pesto! Everyone enjoyed the meal. We also had filter DI orata (baked sea bream) and that was yummy too! Great service!! read more

We ate here for lunch from a recommendation from our Gate 1 Tour Manager! We weren't disappointed at all. To err on the safe side I ordered the stuffed mussels after the Black Ink Cuttlefish kerfuffle back in Murano. My SO ordered the stuffed anchovies. The restaurant itself is quite small. We were seated immediately and one of the other tour group members were at the table only inches away from ours. Not the most romantic setting. All that aside the food was mouth watering. I can't believe how much I enjoyed the stuffed ANCHOVIES. No these aren't the slimy salty creatures that we put on top of pizzas back in the US. They were huge stuffed delicious morsels. Of course I enjoyed my stuffed mussels as well, but I think I would have enjoyed getting a plate of the stuffed anchovies for myself! The prices were reasonable for the portion size. We were quite full after our meal. More details about our day in Cinque Terre: http://tinyurl.com/RBHItalyDay6 read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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The restaurant itself was very nice & clean on one of the very cute winding streets. The negative is that they did not have an outside patio but the doors were wide open to the street. The food all around was just okay and we would try other resturnts before ever going back here. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Shrimp scampi - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

Great, friendly service. The food was the best we had while being in Cinque Terre. The house red wine, salmon pasta, bolognese and steak were all perfectly made. Will definitely be returning. read more

Another cute place in Cinque Terre with fresh home made pastas! Our hotel recommended this to us and we decided to go one night after our first choice was packed and couldn't take us in. They have two sides so lots of space.. and service was friendly. We ordered the roasted vegetables - as you would expect it. I had the Swordfish Ragu and it was fantastic! I didn't know Swordfish cooks like ground turkey, but they use it a lot on the coast and I ended up liking it both times we've ordered it. The flavors were delicious and the pasta was fresh and cooked perfectly. My friend got this weird round flat circle looking pasta with anchovies, and it was light and also really good. Pastas here are cooked perfectly al dente and we loved both dishes! read more

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The BEST food I had during my whole stay in Italy! My family took a tour through Cinque Terre and being the foodie that I am, I was a bit nervous with what restaurant the tour guide would choose for us. I was even more nervous when I found out we didn't get to choose from the menu because he'd pre-ordered our dishes! We were seated and immediately served our first course. An octopus potato salad with pesto, mussels stuffed with a meat sauce, some sort of pan fried fish, and a slice of vegetable quiche. You could see the disappointment in my face when the food was placed because it was the type of dish I wouldn't order in a million years. I took a bite of the octopus salad. BOOM, my mind was blown. It was SO DELICIOUS, especially considering how simple the ingredients were. The mussels stuffed with meat sauce were so savory. The tomato-meat sauce wasn't too overpowering, so you still got a hint of the fishy mussel taste. The pan fried fish was very tasty, seafoody (Is that a word? It tasted like it'd just been caught!) and salty. Although it was bony and hard to eat, it was still enjoyable. The vegetable quiche was crunchy, crispy, chewy, just down right heavenly. I was just about stuffed when we were surprised to be served a second course! With dishes so good looking and smelling, it was easy to make room in our stomachs. Spaghetti tossed in oil and a hint of tomato sauce topped with mixed seafood and chopped basil. It was DIVINE. It was my first time having seafood with pasta in Italy and i was not disappointed. The mussels, clams, and octopus were beyond delicious with the spaghetti. The dish was so tasty. As if the two courses weren't enough, we were served dessert! A large slice of panettone with whipped cream on the side topped with cocoa powder. It's the best panettone I've ever eaten. It was so moist and sweet, it went great with the whipped cream. I was so stuffed when we left the restaurant, I was practically waddling. The service was great, everyone was really friendly. The atmosphere was very nice and inviting and the restaurant's decor was beautiful. I almost want to fly back to Monterosso al Mare just to eat here again. If you're visiting the cities of Cinque Terre, don't even think about eating anywhere else. Il Piccolo Diavolo is the place to be. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Vegetable quiche, potato octopus salad with pesto, mussels stuffed with meat sauce, and pan fried fish. - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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I knew people came to Cinque Terre more for the beaches, hikes, and amazing views than for their restaurants, so I tried to temper my expectations after being spoiled in Rome and Florence. Convenience was the main factor for our meals in Monterosso, so we just walked down the path from our hotel and randomly scoped out restaurants. None of the menus really blew us away, so we just chose Piccolo Diavolo mainly because it looked cute inside haha. They had a sort of all white wooden décor, and looked like one of those country style brunch restaurants. A bunch of people entered when they opened, but we had no problem getting a table. Food: The prices were a bit on the higher end, which is not surprising considering how touristy Cinque Terre was. It also wasn't surprising that much of the menu was seafood-centric. We each got an entree and split an appetizer. Appetizer - To start off, we got an "appetizer" of fried dough, salami, and stracchino cheese. I was thinking it would be a normal appetizer portion, but when it came out it was just massive. The order came with two plates: one plate just covered end to end with 4 types of salami and a big ball of fresh cheese. Then there was also an entire second plate with a pile of fried dough. The dough was hollow inside, so it was the perfect pocket to stuff with meat and cheese. They were freshly fried too, so the heat from the dough warmed up the meat and melted the cheese a little bit. The only problem was that it was so massive, it stuffed us right at the start of the meal haha. Trofie pasta with prawns and spicy tomato sauce - Trofie is basically a local Ligurian specialty pasta. They were small braids of pasta that sort've looked like little worms. They were pretty dense considering their small size, a lot like the gnocchi. When it came out, I knew it was the right choice for me. The sauce was super creamy, and not too spicy. Maybe I'm too used to eating Red Lobster and didn't really know what fresh seafood was supposed to taste like, but this shrimp had a really creamy consistency, and wasn't firm as it came out of the shell, which made it a little hard to extract. Also, all these years I thought a prawn was just another term for jumbo shrimp, but these things were huge. It looked like a shrimp and a lobster combined. Stuffed Calamari - My girlfriend got the the stuffed calamari from the daily specials. In both of our minds we were picturing deep fried calamari rings that were stuffed with breading. But after we ordered, we started to think...would a coastal town really be serving deep fried calamari? These were gonna be the full on real squid. When the food came out, we guessed correctly. Once the plate hit the table we both saw a plate full of 4 fat ass squids stuffed to the max, and covered in a shit looking brown sauce with peas. Not gonna lie...it did not look appetizing at all. When we first tasted the sauce though, it was actually tolerable. Then she cut a piece of the squid and it was ok, especially the breading. I actually enjoyed the breading, which was like typical stuffing from Thanksgiving. This dish wasn't bad, but we probably wouldn't order that again haha. To be fair though, the table next to us also ordered this dish, and absolutely loved it. Overall, Piccolo Diavolo was pretty decent. It was a nice looking place that served generous portions of authentic Ligurian cuisine. read more

Mussels! Pizza was good too. But those mussels.. Had some house red wine with dinner, it came chilled. We were very pleased with the service and the food. Recommend to all. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

Initially getting in was abut of a problem. Waite staff it very helpful. In fact when I asked how long is the waite they just shrugged and when I asked is there a list to place my name they said no and walked away?! Ok, so we waited outside in rain and when a couple left I walked in and asked if we could take then table and they said maybe. Fortunately the other poor couple was not willing to waite in rain indefinitely and left. On e this fiasco was over the experience was quite nice. We had the pasta with pesto and the spaghetti bolognese. Bother were really delicious . The appetizer was ok, crostini one with salmon, one with pesto and one with bruschetta . Finally we had the sirloin steak with mushroom sauce and fries. Steak and fries were good but mushroom sauce was too heavy with butter and cream. Dish was good but not great. Wine was good a reasonably priced! Overall I recommend this spot, great place to eat while in Monterosso. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pasta with pesto ! Very I good. - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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This is my first time in Italy so please take my 5 stars with a grain of salt. I also only ate appetizers and dessert :) I ordered prosciutto and melon and it was delicious. The melon was chilled and the prosciutto slightly warm. The saltiness of the the prosciutto went so well with the melon. Only recommendation I would have for them would be to cut off a bit more of the green bitter rind. Not a big deal - with a knife at the table, I did it myself. (€9) The tiramisu looks very different from that in the US, but all the same, it was delicious and I'm not even a huge tiramisu fan! (€5) I ordered the house red wine which was also pretty good (1/4 L for €3) All in all, very pleased with the food and I plan to go back tonight for pizza. I wish the melon and prosciutto was a bit less expensive but this restaurant was pretty on par with the prices in the area, if not a little cheaper. They do have a cover charge (I think it was €1.50 or €2 which is a little annoying). read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Tiramisu - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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Spaghetti riviera with tomato sauce, pesto, almond and pine nuts was good! Not fancy, just well made. rabbit in white wine sauce and olives with potatoes was also good. It's been a long time since I had rabbit, so not much to compare it to. But it was tender and tasted good. Overall, I'd recommend this place, even with glasses from Ikea. By the way, not really outdoor seating. The front is completely open,so it feels like being outside. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Spaghetti Riviera - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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Oh Judita! This was the best meal of our tour of Italy! The amount of food almost killed me. We started with a meat plate, a cheese plate, a house salad, roasted veggies and TO-DIE-FOR fried bread. I should mention that we were with a large group, so I did not tackle all of this by myself. The second plate was pasta/raviolis with sardines. As other reviewers have noted, these are not the slimy, salty fish we have in the US - they are light, delicate fish served alongside the ravioli. We also have trofiie (little squiggles of pasta) with pesto. We were told elsewhere that "pesto" was invented (or at least perfected) in this region. The basil grows quite easily on the cliffs and the olive oil has a lemony taste to it. THEN we had seabass with roasted veggies! Truly a stunning amount of food to eat, but somehow we fit it all in. Throughout the meal, the wait staff was excellent - always attentive, always bringing more water (and wine!) Finally, for dessert we shared panettone, which was a perfect light way to end the meal. I would be remiss in writing this 5-star review if I did not mention that after the dinner, the owner "Judita" came around with free lemoncino shots. Then she brought out the grappa! read more

Quite possibly the best fish and chips ever. Mediterranean Sea bass is such a nice light fish and I'm not sure why but the "chips" in Italy are very well done. Perhaps their potato is a special spud? We also tried the house pasta with pesto and potato which although we couldn't finish it was superb - such delicious pesto!! If you have the opportunity to dine here in Cinque Terre you won't be disappointed read more

The pesto is a joke for the pesto capital....pureed to a thin falsely green sauce with little to no flavor. I ordered scampi. I got prawns with little to no meat. Everything was so sub par. Very disappointing! We wound up here after hiking all day and we were starved and had no reservations. Mediocre is an overstatement! Make reservations and go elsewhere!! read more

We had a similar meal the night prior at Gastronomia San Martino which had a smaller menu, but we ordered nearly the same meals at this place. The atmosphere was lacking, bright florescent lights...at night? Felt like we were eating in an old bathroom. The large water was E1.5 the first place, but this restaurant had a water half the size for E2.50, what? The food wasn't bad, it just was more money, and less good than the other spot. The service was good. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Trofi with pesto, green beans and potatoes...but barely there. And Pasta Riviera. - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

Had hiked the Cinque Terre paths all day and were looking for a nice place to unwind for dinner. Stumbled upon Il Piccolo and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the dishes. Ordered the Ligurian style pasta with anchovies, fennel, raisins, and pine nuts (really good!), Spaghetti with pesto and marinara (ok, nothing special), grilled veggies, and sea bass with seafood. Fish was nicely grilled. Overall good meal, but on the more expensive side (60 euros). Loud and busy ambiance. Not a romantic spot but good food. read more

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We were looking for a restaurant for dinner when it suddenly began pouring. We found this restaurant in a whim and we are so glad we did. Their food here is pretty good and service was also nice! read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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Excellent food and good service, reasonably priced for the area. Young chef showing his stuff.

Best pizza in Monterosso! We stopped by this place upon stepping in to town and we weren't disappointed. We are pizza foodies and this was our favorite within this town. We are here 2 times during our 5 day stay. The pizzas almost taste wood fired even though they are not because "the town is too small for wood fire ovens" as one of the servers explained. The servers were friendly unlike some other spots in town. Would recommend to friends. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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Stopped in for dinner and wanting pizza. The other dishes looked good as well. We started with the Caprese salad which had nice ripe tomatoes and fresh cheese. They sprinkled dried oregano on the tomatoes, I do wish there had been more fresh basil included. The pizza was good with ham, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and olives. The crust and sauce were good. The olives were the black kind we stuck on our fingers as kids. We both wished they were the delicious olives we've been served with drinks at the local restaurants. I'll happily chew around a pit for a great olive on my pizza. The house red wine was good with a nice raspberry finish. They do offer a large selection of the Cinque Terre beer. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Pizza...oh if only the olives had been different! We asked for the arugula to be added for a kick. - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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We had an amazing lunch here. The food was outstanding, staff was so accommodating. Defiantly recommend as a great place to have lunch

This family-run restaurant just off the main drag in Monterosso is a must-visit. I've been here with large groups and also just in two, and whatever the size of the group the service is always quick and the wait staff friendly. The seafood was outstanding. I got octopus with sauteed vegetables which was extremely fresh and light. Their antipasti di mare and pesto pasta are also delicious, and the local house wine was good quality. It is not always easy to find restaurants in the Cinque Terre that aren't overpriced tourist traps. This is one of those precious few. read more

We came here on our first night in Monterosso, based on a recommendation from our hotel and also good reviews on Yelp. My meal was not good at all. The stuffed mussels were not flavorful and the consistency was not pleasant to me- sort of spongey. The tomato salad was a sliced tomato (topped with a bit of onion) that seemed like a sad mid-winter grocery store tomato- taste free. My husband's grilled octopus and vegetables was very nice- the one yummy dish on our table. But my two children ordered pizzas- and both were very wet and soggy. The carbonara pizza was the better of the two- the other, a sausage and onion pizza, was soggy and not very flavorful. The red sauce had very little taste. The staff is friendly and we wanted to love this place, but I had to eat french fries to fill up, so I have to say we would not return. read more

Fantastic food and friendly service! Their pesto is wonderfully fresh, and not too strong!

It was OK. Not 5 stars. Pizza was just OK and the octopus was too. Not horrible but not 5 stars.

Loved the pizza. Very filling with lots of options. Perfect place for lunch after hiking in from Vernazza. Nice, shady, outdoor seating.

If you visit Cinque Terre, this is a good restaurant to have on your list. We found this restaurant in Rick Steve's travel guide. They serve great food at affordable prices. The fried calamari is very good. We tried the fried calamari at several restaurants and stands during our stay and found II Piccolo Diavolo's fried calamari to be the best. My daughter had the pesto pasta and she ate her plate clean. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good food and a casual, family setting. read more

Probably my favorite place in Cinque Terre. The pesto and aglio y olio dishes are incredible. Wonderfully located in the middle of town. Service is always top notch. Very good house wines. Tiramisu also very good. read more

Il Piccolo Diavolo - Trofie al pesto and minestrone - Pizza Near Me - Monterosso Al Mare, SP

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Do not miss dinner at this restaurant on your trip to monterosso. They have a great selection of standard Italian dishes and Ligurian specialities. The prosciutto was sliced perfectly and the sweet melon an excellent compliment for antipasto. We also ordered a white pizza with pesto. They gave a wide variety of pizza and all looked delicious. Ours had a perfect thin crust and great proportion of fresh cheeses and pesto. We had a special house pasta with raisins, pignolis, anchovies and olive oil. The pasta was unique and went well with the dish. There was a little too much oil and anchovies for our taste, but we still cleaned the plate. Lastly, we enjoyed the calamari fritti, the best we have ever had. It was a bit salty, but easily overlooked because it was cooked so perfectly. Very nice wait staff with basic English skills. Loved this place! read more