Great restaurant! Food and wait staff were excellent. This restaurant enhanced our Cinque Terrre experience! read more

Rio Bistrot - Romantic table for two! - Italian Near Me - Riomaggiore, SP

More of a nicer resturant to dine in and if you get an outside seat it has a glimpse of the harbor. The crudo platter and fish of the day were quite excellent. read more

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First of all make a reservation they take them weeks in advance !! The food is outstanding from pastas , to seafood and even their pork dishes are truly amazing The ambiance is elegant and the service is professional and matches the upscale elegance of. Rio Bistro yes of course the prices are a bit higher than other spots but the overall experience is truly worth every penny oh and the wine list is superb !! One of the very best meals on our 2 week adventure in Italy HIGHLY recommend for a shear gastronomical treat !!! Bravo to the chef and staff read more

Absolutely incredible. It has always been on my bucket list to dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and Rio Bistrot did not disappoint. We ordered the tasting menu and every single dish was cooked to perfection. What I found especially interesting was that the table next to us also chose the tasting menu, yet some of their dishes were different from ours, which made it feel like each night holds a unique surprise. We were told everything is locally caught that day, and you could really taste the freshness in each bite. The mussels melted in your mouth, the cod had a beautiful consistency, the scallop was like butter in its carrot sauce, and the sea bass was perfectly balanced with the stracciatella cheese and red pepper. The anchovy was delicious and paired so well with the onion jelly. On top of the incredible food, the ambiance made the entire experience unforgettable. The restaurant sits overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the view is absolutely picturesque, especially as the sun sets over the water. If you are visiting Riomaggiore, I highly recommend treating yourself to this special meal in such a stunning setting. read more

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Great location and awesome food in the cinque Terre region. Must try. Very reasonably priced. Fantastic views from here !!

We had dinner here. Fancy dishes with a modern flare. Be ready to spend 2-3 hours here and get very full if you go with the pre fixed menu which is what we did. Service overall was very good and food was good as well if you're looking to eat some innovative dishes and not the typical seafood and pasta dishes from the area. read more

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The most amazing tasting menu and service, with incredible ambience ... and that view!!!! read more

Rio Bistrot - The view from our table! It can not get any better! - Italian Near Me - Riomaggiore, SP

Fantastic restaurant, and the views are the least of it. Remarkable cuisine, perfectly executed, with impeccably fresh local seafood. And very reasonably priced. A nice surprise in the Cinque Terre where food is often mediocre and usually (quite) overpriced. Perfetto! read more

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Tourist Trap. I don't understand how this place is Michelin rated?! Mediocre food and service. Boxed pasta. Ridiculously overpriced check was up charged further to US dollars without my permission after my card was taken. Avoid. Wish I would have checked other poor reviews before sitting down. read more

A charming, authentic dinner spot perfect for a night in Cinque Terre. Our waiter, Eduardo, was so personable and funny. The sea bass (branzino) was delicious. This is your sign: go! read more

Rio Bistrot - Branzino - Italian Near Me - Riomaggiore, SP

When I was younger, all I wanted to do was own a restaurant. My head was teeming with ideas about opening a classy little bakery somewhere in Paris, or perhaps a hip New York supper establishment. Over time, as a result of realism and routine, these desires somehow faded to the back burner of my mind. I had heard it all -- most small businesses fail, labor issues plague the food and beverage industry, the reality is much less glamorous than it may seem. Every once in a while, however, I'm blessed with an experience that makes me feel that same giddiness about creating a space where food is eaten but also esteemed, ingested but also idolized. Dining at Rio Bistrot was one of those nights. On a stroll down by the marina in Riomaggiore, my home base for the week in Cinque Terre, I was intrigued to find a red Michelin plaque hanging outside a little restaurant nestled into the town's vibrant tangle of colorful houses. My traveling companion and I snagged a reservation for our last night in Italy, and I couldn't be more ecstatic we did. We were slated to dine outside on a cold and rainy evening in March, planting an inkling of doubt in my mind about just how enjoyable the experience would be. Luckily for me, I could not have been more wrong. The incredibly kind staff warmed up the patio more than an outdoor heater ever could, marking the first time I've ever been asked my name at a restaurant for it to be subsequently used and remembered later in the evening. (Shout out to you, Eduardo!) The service was just impeccable, and the meal followed suit. I wouldn't dare depart from a week in Italia without savoring a plate of pasta, so I swiftly selected the spaghetti mancini. The pasta was perfectly al dente, an excellent complement to the rich, soft sauce made with anchovies, butter, and pepper. Crispy breadcrumbs formed a perfectly golden topping, adding a touch of crunch to perfectly round out the textures on the plate. In many ways, the dish was a dose of pure nostalgia, a delicious reminder of the days in my youth where I would avoid red sauce at all costs in favor of plain pasta with butter. This spaghetti mancini was so simple yet executed so immaculately, an elevated take on a tried-and-true childhood favorite. I couldn't help but sop up every last bit of butter with my bread, which I must note was some of my favorite I've ever had the pleasure of tasting -- delightfully yeasty with a touch of salt, almost reminiscent of a mild sourdough. I rarely skip out on dessert, and this night was no exception. I opted for the tartellette con crema al cioccolato, topped with dried apricot and a ridiculously perfect red fruit gel. The presentation was sheer beauty, visual excellence that gave way to excellence on the palate. My dining companion selected (at Eduardo's suggestion) the "colazione ligure" of cappucino and focaccia, which came served in a mug with a creamy, milky coffee base with a golden crumble of focaccia and an olive oil gel. It was truly one of the most unique dessert options I had ever laid my eyes on, something that so perfectly encapsulated the locality in which we found ourselves. Dining at Rio Bistrot might just be my most beloved culinary experience to date, for the establishment's unyielding commitment to hospitality and their purely exceptional food. If you find yourself in Cinque Terre -- perhaps in the colorful bay at Vernazza or the cobbled hills of Monterosso -- take the short train ride over to Riomaggiore and prepare yourself for an evening that will restore your faith in food as art, food as comfort, and food as community. Read more reviews at letsgetdinner8.wordpress.com. read more

I don't recall ever leaving a review this poor but if ever an experience deserved it, it would be this. The service was inattentive, the food was disappointing, and when the manager asked how things were I tried to be diplomatic and kind but he pressed for examples and I gave them. He stormed off, returned with the check, and then vanished. I waited and waited and waited for the credit card machine so I could leave, and finally had to go chase someone down to pay my tab. I didn't start this. I would have chalked it up to a bad night and left it alone. But the butthurt manager put it over the top. If you go, I hope your experience is better than mine was. But wow. Shameful. read more

Outstanding meal. What a delight in the town of Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre. This lovely space including an outdoor patio was a romantic, tranquil space overlooking the harbor. We loved the Michelin quality tasting menu. With unique fish appetizers, a delicious calamari pasta, a moist fish entree and a light unusual dessert. Our host Manuel and server Ome were full of joy. The entire experience made our day in Riomaggiore the most meaningful. read more

AMAZING food right by the water!! Fresh seafood served with a different menu every day depending on the fish they get from the market, which definitely goes to show you that they keep things super fresh. Legit dining experience! They definitely deserved their title of being a Michelin-started restaurant in 2019. Food: +++++ Delicious seafood and pasta, especially the pesto dishes. We had a pesto ravioli that was SO delicious. The fish tasted perfectly cooked and seasoned. Also, you must get some of their delicious dessert. We got the tiramisu that was very unique, more of a creamy dessert than the standard espresso-tasting ones that I have had. Service: +++++ The two waiters that we had were both very helpful with getting us their recommendations and explaining the menu to us. Also helped with some information about exploring the local towns after dinner. Location: +++++ Great view of the water and the sunset! This is the first restaurant you will see when you are in the marina. They have inside and outside seating, both of which would be great. We sat inside because the outside was full, but still really enjoyed the coastal-feel. Price: €€€ For a full dinner for 3 people, we paid 90 € in total and our food included 2 pasta dishes, 2 fish entrees, coffee and dessert. Worth it? Yes, can't beat the freshness of the fish and the ambience. read more

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This place was highly recommended and we were underwhelmed. The food was bland and the presentation was uninspiring. The only good bites were the chocolate torte with mango sauce. Being a Michelin Star restaurant we would have expected a lot more. read more

So amazing! We stumbled onto this gem of a restaurant on accident after a debacle train travel day. It was two days before Christmas, which essentially made the little seaside village a ghost town. While trying to get our bearings and figure out where to eat, here Rio Bistrot was! Situated right in the Marina, which I'd imagine is spectacular in summer. We walked in, sat down and were greeted with amazing service and a lovely overall ambiance. FOOD: One member of our party did not eat seafood - no problem! We opted for chefs choice tasting menu and I'm so glad we did. The chef, tailored non seafood alternatives as needed but the rest of us enjoyed The FRESHEST seafood dishes with amazing wine. Every plate was so tasty, no other way to put it. A couple of members of our group had never been adventurous eaters and they licked their plates clean. SERVICE: I wish I could give 6 stars. This staff welcomed a group of exhausted Americans who were wandering around lost and treated us like family. Explained wines, food, cracked jokes with us, and by the end of our meal - what could have been an epic fail of a day turned into one of the best of our trip. Absolutely a can't miss! read more

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One of the best restaurants while I was vacationing in Italy. All of the ingredients are extremely fresh. We ordered the 5-course tasting experience and would highly recommend to any who visit. Must have a reservation!! read more

Tried the seafood apps and they were great. Service was wonderful, and both our pasta dishes were fantastic. Would definitely go again. read more

Perfect setting for a fantastic experience. Views, food, service were above the top; highly recommended.

This was a wonderful dining experience, even though it stared with a hiccup. We went at 9pm for our reservation and they said our name wasn't on the list, I guess they had misunderstood and made our reservation for 9pm the night before. But while we were waiting for them to make room for us they gave us each a glass of sparkling wine which was amazing. We decided to do the tasting menu (for less than €50, you can't go wrong!) which had 6 dishes. I was so sad by the last entree I was so full I could only take a taster bite and I was stuffed. Everything had such great flavor and taste! The only thing I was not a fan of was the dessert which was a runny lemon sorbet thing... I just don't like lemon dessert period so it never really stood a chance with me. I can't wait to go because to cinque terre and dine here again! read more

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Fresh ingredients & Local wine. The food was both classic and unique, but most importantly, delicious. Employees were friendly and the atmosphere can't be beat. Make a reservation* read more

Outstanding service (Eduardo) and the food was amazing. Highly recommended for lunch or dinner.

My friend and I are huge foodies (she's a chef). This restaurant is not good. No flavor in the dishes. Super disappointing.

We did prix fix and the meal was amazing! Excellent service and unique dishes - definitely worth the cost!

We made reservations and had a nice seat on the outdoor veranda. The service was good. The servers had some character and personality. They offered a chefs tasting menu. But we were not in the mood. The menu is rather limited. We ordered the calamari starter which was ok. The sauce lacked a bit of flavor. The. We had the fish with pine de Terre. Fish was fresh and the red potatoes were delicious. Small to medium sized portion. The lasagnetta that has a small amount of crab in the sauce was rather bland. I did have a nice fry glass of local white wine. The dessert, a coconut and white chocolate pearl panna cotta, was the highlight of the meal. read more

Excellent seafood. I had the tasting menu and everything was exceptional, owner was cool and nice. Highly recommended if you are in the area. Need reservations for best results. read more

Definitely have the €45 fixed menu at Rio Bistrot. Its amazing, as is the service. It comes with three appetizers, a pasta, a main, and dessert. And as a 200lb+ guy, trust me you won't leave hungry. We came here after trekking late in the day from Monterosso, 170 flights of stairs and a total of 10 miles for the day and we were definitely hungry. They gladly seated us 30 min before close. Favorite dish was the first appetizer, fish of the day over roasted red pepper, and greens. The pasta was delicate with a sauce of olives and seafood, the Sea Bass main with Artichokes was incredible. You almost wont have room for the Hazelnut Gelato to finish. read more

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The staff was awesome and genuine. They took care of everything and let us enjoy an amazing meal with wine pairings.

Delicious dinner with exceptional service. I had called to make this reservation and asked for a table with a view. He had said if we came at 9:30pm we would get a lovely table with a view of the harbor. When we arrived there was one table at the railing and the maître d brought us to a table along the back wall. I had asked about the other table and he said it was reserved for someone else. I could have argued that it should be for us since that was what was promised, but we sat anyway. We didn't let the lack of view detract from the experience nor my 5 star rating. As mentioned, the service was exceptional - very personable & professional staff. The food was beautifully presented and superb. I would definitely recommend dining here! read more

The fish was amazing, but the pastas were mediocre at best. I cannot recommend the seafood crudo enough. read more

KenScale: 9.0/10 Of all the places in Italy my girlfriend and I had visited, Cinque Terre (a series of five seaside coastal villages in the Italian Riviera) was by far the most memorable with its exquisite beauty. Each town we had visited had its own distinct charm and there were spots worthy of photos of the year everywhere. We were also lucky that we were traveling Italy at the beginning of off-peak season as I heard Cinque Terre can now be really crowded with tourists. I didn't have high expectations for food in this region and planned this leg of the trip more for the scenery, but surprisingly my best meal happened in Cinque Terre too. I honestly thought most if not all restaurants in Cinque Terre would be over-priced and dull tourist traps; Rio Bistrot in the town of Riomaggiore is definitely not one of them and my lunch here was such a wonderful memory that I can still picture the restaurant's lovely dining space and awesome food. The concise menu at Rio really emphasizes the freshness of local ingredients in Italy that I've been encountering at other restaurants in the country. I've had several outstanding caprese or other similar salads in Italy by now, but the one at Rio might've been the best, with the texture of mozzarella cheese that I have hard time forgetting even to this day. Then came a simple yet exquisite spaghetti dish with seafood that was just perfection in the firmness of the noodle's texture, the level of seasoning and oiliness of the plate and the way fresh seafood interacted with the noodle. In terms of seafood pasta, the one at Rio is really something you should be eating if you're on the seaside. What about the fritto misto? I've had this dish countless times in New York City and elsewhere, and this assortment of fried seafood is surprisingly not easy to pull off very well; many places put too much salt into the dish, and other times the fried shells just come out too soggy. Rio really shows how this dish is done right. The mix of squids, anchovies and little shrimps was fried at more or less perfect level of condition, with minimal seasoning to make sure the freshness of seafood shines. I was almost starting to feel baffled why no other Italian restaurant I had visited prepared the fritto misto this way and wonder whether I would try this dish elsewhere in the future. Add a delightful plate of chocolate cake with caramel sauce and the lunch at Rio turned into an amazing affair that put an exclamation point to an already magical Cinque Terre trip. Adding to the delicious food is the beautiful space overlooking the marina area of Riomaggiore. We were lucky enough to get seated next to the terrace overlooking the marina and I'm not going to be able to forget that magical moment when we were watching people and boats in action on a perfect October day. If you feel adventurous, try a bottle of Cinque Terre wine (it seems the region's strength lies in white wine). Rio is an absolute must during your stay at Cinque Terre. I was somewhat surprised that the restaurant was still relatively quiet even after it was covered in a New York Times article. It shouldn't be! read more

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Tried the tasting menu at this restaurant and honestly felt the food here is overrated. Very bland tasting for the tasting menu.

On our first night in riomaggiore we basically decided to go to the only place that had availability, but we did not land anywhere wrong. We had the gnocchi and the catch of the day which were supplemented with a nice rose wine by the glass. If you aren't looking for a quick and spontaneous dinner then this is your place to go while on riomaggiore! read more

Came here because our guesthouse owner recommends it. Besides, this is the only restaurant still opens around marina area after 3pm on Sunday afternoon. Nice location! You can have some water view sitting outside. The dishes we ordered were just fine. The lady server was very busy since this IS the choice for sit down meal. There were some guests left after been told that they need to oder meal not just drink. I suppose their tables are hot commodities at that time slot that they prefer to maximize the business? We'll try some other choices in town. Probably won't revisit again during our stay. read more

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Prix Fixe was excellent. Best calamari I've had. 5 small plates. Zucchini soup was very tasty. Plenty of food. No air conditioning but the windows were large & the breeze was pleasant. read more

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You will be very happy when you come to this place. Not happy just because the food is excellent, but because it's one of the few places that has it all. Beautiful view, relaxing vibe, excellent staff, and of course amazing food. This place makes me want to kiss strangers. Definitely come if you are anywhere near Cinque Terre (get the anchovies and burrata) read more

Rio Bistrot - Italian Near Me - Riomaggiore, SP

We came here as recommended by our accommodation host. We tried to have dinner here but at 7:15, were told that they were booked for the whole evening. Apparently they only do two sittings. There is a 7:30 and a 9:30. The next evening we called early and they happen to have an opening. The restaurant is very nice and there are a few tables with a sea view. Large overpriced wine list. As a matter of fact, we got the very same bottle of wine at another restaurant for $7 less! They have a, "chef's choice", course menu as an option. All of the courses are made by the chef and there is no description as to what may come out and it can change based on availability. We opted for the fresh pea, shrimp and sausage pasta. This dish was very light and fresh and it seemed the sausage was home made. The servings were small, overpriced and to be honest it left us underwhelmed. We watched another couple who ordered the prawns, make fun of and were obviously disappointed in the lack of meat. This restaurant, while way better than the one directly across from it, I would not recommend. read more

We came here for dinner in mid-December and absolutely enjoyed every bite of our meal! I can understand how this restaurant would get slammed during the peak season, but tonight our waiter was very attentive and there was plenty of room! Like most restaurants in Italy, it isn't open for dinner until after 7:00pm. The seafood was extremely fresh and the taste was amazing. I highly recommend! read more

Rio Bistrot - Fried Squid, Prawn and Vegetable was amazing! - Italian Near Me - Riomaggiore, SP

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Good spot with a great staff. I had the Pesto Pasta and a plate of anchovies. Honestly the best meal I had in my 3 days in the Cinque Terre. Probably my best meal in my 6 days in Italy. read more

Did the tasting menu here with my boyfriend, and we had a beautiful experience. You need a reservation to sit outside, but def. call ahead, it's worth it. Good service and great food. The 3 appetizers were ALL delicious, fresh pasta and seafood for the mains was great too. This place is worth it for views and food alone. read more