We had amazing service and the mushroom risotto was incredibly creamy. The walnut cream ravioli…read morehome made pasta was delicious!

After a long day at sea and sightseeing, we were starving. It was packed outside so we decided to…read morecheck out the inside. Thankfully there were three levels of seating inside and they were able to sit us on the bottom floor. Everything at others tables looked really good and smelled even better. We ordered... LEMON SPRITZ HUGO SPRITZ TAGLIOLINI MEZZ'ASTICE (LOBSTER PASTA) TROFIE AL PESTO (PASTA WITH GREEN BEANS AND PESTO) Both our drinks were very crisp and refreshing. But my husband and I loved Hugo Spritz more. My lobster pasta was incredible! My husband loved his pasta as well. It was definitely a great choice to eat here. There's a restroom for males and females in the basement. It was for one person at a time and led to long lines. The staff are very welcoming and pleasant. We were charged 6€ cover charge. If you end up here via boat or train, do yourself a favor and eat here.

Everything was perfect... food was delicious. Tried the focaccia, lasagna, panacotta and cannoli…read morefor dinner. Came back for great breakfast with some eggs and fresh fruit tarts. Service was exceptional and the owner and all the staff loved to interact with customers, so be open to chatting a bit

We were only in Vernazza for 2 days, but visited Il Pirata multiple times. The main guy running the…read morecafe is very chatty and runs the pastry side of the business, while his brother apparently runs the rest of the food menu. Everything we tried was delicious, and appealed to me more than the super-touristy spots further down the road (though obviously most of the clientele here are also tourists). Prices seemed reasonable for the amount/quantity of food. Most importantly, Il Parata sells toilet paper, which proved hard to come by in Vernazza. Be sure to arrive before 5pm if you want food (outside of cannolis, which were available later).

I am a Director of an upscale travel agency, I have traveled extensively since the age of 12, and I…read moreconsider myself a demanding consumer. And yet I don't think I can add to the countless 5-star reviews that the extraordinary Denise and her exceptional staff have earned at this renovated castle. The renovation retained all the ambience of a 900-year-old castle while adding the amenities essential to a luxurious stay. However, it is the services that make the difference here. The daily itinerary is carefully planned by people who know the wineries, restaurants, and experiences like cooking classes intimately. And everyone is courteous, happy, and well trained, carefully attending to every detail of the property and services. Yet most mind-blowing is the dinner. For whatever reason, the restaurant doesn't get the one or likely two Michelin stars that I know it deserves. The menu is based on regional ingredients but uses Denise's expertise and creativity that I couldn't find at any of the many other tradition-bound restaurants we tried while in Barolo and its neighbors. I have read several reviews that rate a dinner at the Costello the best of their entire trip to Italy. So stop reading. Make your reservations!

We found this gem online while looking for a place to stay during a 4-day visit to Piemonte for…read morewine tasting. Located in the tiny residential village of Sinio its a little island by itself up on a breezy hilltop. Since this is a restored castle dating from the 12th century the stone walls are thick and windows are tiny to keep out medieval marauders and the rooms are all unique. We stayed in room 7 on the 1st (2nd the way we count) floor at the end of the hall featuring a large bedroom and sitting area that was a few steps below the hallway. It also had two small twin beds in a loft above so this room would be a good choice for family groups. The staff opened the wrought iron gate and greeted us at the top of the drive along with the owner. While the owner, Denise (who is American) checked us in and provided an extensive orientation while we sipped prosecco, the luggage was taken off to our room. One of the features of the property is an immaculately landscaped courtyard bespectacled with colorful blooms-an oasis of tranquility and beauty in an otherwise unremarkable village. The hotel also has an amazing restaurant open only to guests and we opted to try it our first night-oh my God! It turns out Denise is also the executive chef-perhaps her primary love-and we enjoyed a memorable 2-hour meal seated in the open-air Terrace tasting exquisite delights. We started by sharing the "into the garden pasta"-handmade ravioli artfully displayed with bits of shaved garden vegetables and herbs followed by a most delicious sole perfectly crispy on the edges and succulent with al dente vegetables and a beautiful sauce of lemon and passion fruit. Words just cannot describe how good this restaurant's food was. In fact, the dining is reason enough alone to stay here for anyone who enjoys the culinary experience of a master chef. We followed the meal with a decadent chocolate and cherry mouse cake that was the perfect finale to a beautiful evening. All in all a nice place to stay Positives: -great staff -unique, comfortable and quiet rooms with great AC -great restaurant - fantastic dinner Challenges: -tiny shower in our room (loft suite)-size of old time phone booth -breakfast NOT included and at 14€ per person per day it adds up -onerous cancellation policy (perhaps they've had an issue once people arrive to this small isolated town) -location a bit off the beaten path and very few other places to eat in tiny village-one pizzeria nearby that was nice

This is a pleasant restaurant located about 100m south of the Pisa Tower complex. The service is…read moreprompt and polite; food is excellent and the prices are reasonable. People-watching from the outdoor patio is a fun diversion.

Very accommodating and kind staff. While it is in a tourist area, this place is a great find. Would…read morehighly recommend.

Everything is great except for the food. Really hard to believe so many people still go there…read more Everyone I've talk to since I've been there has said the same thing: for that price, it should be a lot better. I do have to say that the service was great, they waiters are all very kind and they all speak English, and the wine was good. But go eat somewhere else.

I was in Pietrasanta for two nights a couple of weeks ago with one of my best friends and can…read morehonestly say that our dinner at Enoteca Marcucci was a highlight of my almost three-week trip to Europe. We'd been given the recommendation by an acquaintance and were delighted to find that the patrons of the restaurant were all Italian. I think it's fair to say that we were the only Spanglish-speaking patrons there. Although the restaurant was quite busy, we were quickly seated and the service was exceptional. If you're looking for a meal of pizza or pasta, this isn't the place to go. But, if you're looking for fresh fish or meat, you've found treasure. Most impressive i'd say is their wine list, which looks more like several volumes of an encyclepdia glued together. To say it's extensive would be a gross understatement. The food itself was extremely fresh and flavorful, but my favorite part of our meal was the delicious chocolate cake and the complimentary digestivo. If you're in Pietrasanta, DO NOT miss this amazing little restaurant!

Nice restaurant. It was on our way to our hotel in Cherasco from Genoa in Italy. A lot of families…read morewith kids were here and it had live music outside.

Amazing food I am very picky about Pasta... actually I eat…read moresame type of pasta at many resturant in Italy past 3 weeks . This resturant is 10+

From the owner: La griglia e la cucina tipica toscana sono stati i nostri punti di partenza. A cena offriamo anche…read moreun'ottima pizza cotta nel forno a legna. Il nostro forno ha cinquant'anni e con i suoi mattoni e le sue rifiniture in rame battuto è un biglietto da visita a tutti noto. Il pesce arriva dalla vicina Viareggio ed è sempre fresco. Quando entrate nel nostro locale, chiedete di gustare un'orata oppure un branzino, osservate la sua preparazione sulla brace grazie alla griglia a vista. A seconda delle vostre preferenze potete chiedere una preparazione classica o speziata. Nel caso abbiate voglia di degustare crostacei, vi proponiamo la grigliata di pesce con seppie, gamberoni e scampi oppure un buon trancio di pesce spada. Se il pesce non è di vostro gradimento, l'alternativa ad esso è altrettanto allettante. Toscana terra di buona cucina e in particolar modo terra di bistecche e fiorentine, la nostra passione. Immaginatevi manzo di prima scelta, un buon bicchiere di vino rosso della casa e poi sta solo a voi decidere la cottura. Se amate la carne e la volete accompagnare con un buon contorno ad hoc, allora scegliete una tagliata rucola e grana oppure ai funghi porcini o addirittura unite entrambe le cose. A pranzo, nell'attesa che la preparazione di questi piatti richiede, vi offriremo una deliziosa bruschetta di pane casereccio condita con dell'ottimo olio d'oliva toscano, se verrete a trovarci per la cena potrete assaggiare la nostra pizza.

Friendly staff and food was soooo yummy! My kids loved it too. We recommended it to family and they…read morewent and loved it also.

Trattoria Gatto Nero is a great local Italian restaurant in Pietrasanta. I came here over the…read moreweekend and they were very friendly and helpful as Italian is not our first language. The meal was delicious as we started with the house vino and charcuterie board. For a meal i got the whole grilled fish and it was delicious. Well priced for the portions as well as the local feel i recommed.