Position Caring Staff…read more- brilliant service Food exceptional Amazing choices Wine list Attention to detail Ambiance amazing

We went to Rio Bistro because it had been highly recommended to us by several locals, so of course…read morewe had to give it a try. It's also listed in the Michelin Guide selection, which definitely gives it a credibility and caught our attention. We got lucky with a little table on the terrace overlooking Riomaggiore's tiny harbor. The setting was so picturesque and charming-- colorful boats, the sea, and quintessential Cinque Terre atmosphere. The service was nice and welcoming, and the food was really good. We started with burrata with sashimi and tomato, which was such a delicious combination. By the way, tomatoes here in Italy are the juiciest and flavorful that I had ever tried. For the main, I had pasta... and somehow I completely forgot to take a photo. I must have either been very hungry or it must have been really good, because I absolutely devoured it. Of course, we had a couple of Aperol Spritzes to match the vibe, and they were just as good as they looked. A lovely little spot with great local approval, beautiful views, and food that definitely delivered. Sometimes that's all you need.

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".

I had a hankering for meatballs, and we stopped by after seeing them on the menu…read more The meatballs were delicious! They came with a heaping amount of sauce for dipping. We also had pasta & wine. Everything was tasty and came out hot. If you're looking for a great meal in Riomaggiore this is it! Service was great. The food does take a time to come out but remember, this is not fast food-it's good food!

Arrived in Monterosso around 2pm and was looking for a place to eat. Many restaurants are closed…read morebetween their lunch service and dinner service. This was one of the only restaurants we found that were open for dining. We ordered off the daily special menu - meat lasagna and spaghetti with mussels. Both were tasty. My husband mentioned his lasagna was hard/had "a crunch on top" that he didn't quite like. I loved the mussels in my dish. The staff were ok. The lady that greeted us told us we couldn't be seated outside facing the main road because there were only 2 of us. I'm pretty sure that I saw other outdoor tables with only 2 guests. Oh well, got a restaurant to be open when we needed deserves a 4 star review,

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

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.

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

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.

We were immediately greeted and chose a table outside with a view. Everything else was closed on a…read morecold holiday afternoon in January, so despite the bad reviews, we chose to eat here. Staff were cordial, and no one was rude; however, there was only one other customer sitting outside with us. There wasn't a lot of choice on the menu, and the linguine with crab for €16 sounded good, so I ordered that and a glass of white wine for €6. We were given a brown paper bag with bread inside it (see pic), and because I'd read reviews, I asked whether the bread was extra, and was told that the bread was included in the cover charge of €2.50 per person. The reviews stating the bread is stale were correct; the dry bread was inedible, and we weren't given anything to go with it. I gave a little bit to the pigeons walking around our table, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I was extremely disappointed when my meal arrived. A plate of pasta (I can't tell you the flavor of the sauce) with several small crabs on top and below, with nothing to crack open the shell! I asked the waiter how I was supposed to crack the crabs open, and he brought me a plate with 2 wipes and a seafood cracker, but no seafood pick. This would have worked if the crabs on my pasta were larger and not so rubbery, but I ended up having to use my fingers and fingernails to extract the crab meat and place it on my pasta (a seafood pick would have been nice.) My hands were absolutely filthy & cold, and my pasta was cold by the time I finished fighting with the crabs. My suggestion to the restaurant would be to serve only the crab meat on the pasta instead of serving the crabs whole, so the guest can enjoy their pasta. My pasta and wine were fine. They served the purpose of filling my stomach on a very cold day. The bathroom, however, was disgusting. I hope they clean it more often during high season!

Location, location, location! This place is on the lower square at bottom of Vernazza (Cinque…read moreTerre) just steps away from the water on Gulf of Genoa & Ligurian Sea. We had party of 6, and all but 1 liked our dishes a lot (shrimp/anchovies was not loved). The house red wine is a lighter style Cinque Terre DOC that pleased everyone. Since pasta with pesto is one of the regional specialties, 3 of us ordered this and we're not disappointed. The ravioli came in a walnut sauce that was fantastic! Despite having a reservation requested for outside, we had to sit inside. This was a bit disappointing on a beautiful afternoon, but not a big deal. The service was hurried and not friendly, hence my reduced rating.