Headed to Sorrento, Capri, and Amalfi coast for spring break! Any restaurant recommendations? Hoping we are avoiding tourist season.
Sorrento is pretty touristy, but at least you’re avoiding peak season. Likewise Capri, but it’s mostly transient via the ferries dropping off day trippers.
I don’t know any restaurant reccos for Sorrento or Capri (it’s over 35 years since I’ve seen either), but will call out the old but still very good walking guide to this coast by Julian Tippett in the landscapes series. The directions aren’t perfect, but are good enough, and the range of routes (and general lack of walkers) is amazing. The locals don’t use them much, preferring to drive (brave souls), but that’s their mistake. They are missing out.
In general, avoid the obvious / easy locations, and hunt down the out of the way. Not only will you likely get better value / more authenticity, but you’ll be enjoying the stunning views there and back.
If you make it to Amalfi, Pasticceria Andrea Pansa was always superb for cakes. I can’t recall which one, but one of the places in Amalfi’s marina, looking out onto the boats, was surprisingly good given the location.
Atrani has the superb seafood restaurant A’Paranza, and is a lovely location if the sun is beating down (you’ll understand when you’re there)
My wife and I went a few years ago and stayed in Ravello. It is up on the hill away from the water but the views are fabulous and it is less crowded. The hotels generally have good restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean. The Belmond Caruso has two restuarants ,one more formal than the other, but both are excellent with al fresco dining and scenic views. The Hotel Palazzo Avino and the Hotel Villa Maria had similar restaurants as well. My wife and I really enjoyed Ravello. If you are outdoorsy, there is a nice hike from Ravello to Amalfi, about 4 miles.
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Was there 10 years ago.
Il Ritrovo near Positano/Montepertuso was awesome. Still gets rave reviews. They will pick you up-depending on where you are staying .
We were in Ravelllo for the day. We went to a market in the town square, bought a bunch of food items, and had a great meal just people watching in the square.
And this was great-what makes traveling so awesome.
Wife was clothes shopping in a store in Capri town. I am sitting on a bench outside . On the other end of the bench was an older Italian woman . So apparently My wife asks the shopkeeper for a restaurant recommendation. The shopkeeper yells across the street to the woman, who my wife tells me is her mother. My wife joins me, and the woman grabs my arm we all start walking down a cobblestone path weaving behind a number of buildings. We end up in a restaurant where we are the only non-locals, and get an awesome meal for a great price.
We did the ferry over last September. Unfortunately didn’t stay into the night to get to dinner. But the two recs we got for Sorrento were Il Buco and Terraza Bosquet.
Dined at Il Buco many moons ago but still getting strong reviews.
There’s also a bus service to Montepertuso, leaving from outside bar internazionale in Positano. The walk down surprisingly fast, with views that feel like you are suspended over Positano (similar views from torre dello ziro above Amalfi).
Ravello lovely, ideally staying there, as mornings and evenings in the main square are charming (I recall a time when the buses used to traverse it. If staying in Sorrento, I’d not fancy the 2x buses to get there, but it is doable.
Hi Mike- where will you be staying on Amalfi coast ? That will determine some of your choices. Here’s a good list of places we really enjoy
Sorrento- can’t help with any in Sorrento but a short drive away is Book at Ristorante Don Alfonso 1890 on the Sorrento Coast
We’ve had dinner there and then on our last trip stayed at the property which I highly recommend if your looking for a spot away from the crowds. The restaurant is outstanding *2 designation and worth it. Nice ala carte options as well if you don’t want to do tasting menu. Splurge spot
Capri- 2 options we loved
https://www.dagelsomina.com/ in Anacapri at the end of the island. This family run restaurant is excellent, we went twice for dinner we enjoyed so much. They have a little shuttle that picks you up in Anacapri village. Incredible views as well of the Faraglioni rocks. Make sure to try the Caprese Ravioli.
https://www.fontelina-capri.com/ It will be too cold potentially to enjoy the beach club but we loved our lunch at La Fontelina. You have to walk down to the water from the village or catch their water taxi from Marina Piccola. We walked down but took the water taxi to the Marina and then taxi back to the village. Very fresh with lots of excellent seafood options and extensive wine list. Excellent views as well of the famous rocks but food was just as good as the view
Positano
La Taverna de Leone- wonderful family run spot popular with locals
Zass- *1 with excellent food and incredible views of Positano in the beautiful Il San Pietro resort
Da Vincenzo- had an excellent lunch on the main road heading into Positano.
Ravello- a must visit for at least a few hours. Have enjoyed lunch at Hotel Villa Marie. Great views but we did feel our last lunch the food was a bit tired and not up to prior experiences
Cumpa Cosimo- we haven’t been but several on the board love the spot. it’s on our list for our next visit.
Lo Scoglio- sits in between Sorrento and Positano. Best option is to arrive by boat but you could do a taxi from Sorrento. Excellent lunch spot and popular with the celeb’s.
Enjoy !
Thank you Everyone! Looks like we are 1 night Sorrento, 2 Capri, 2 Amalfi, 2 Salerno. Does anyone have a Pompeii guide to recommend?
When we had a car from Napoli airport to Positano the driver offered to stop at Pompeii. We, or my wife, declined due to jet lag. I would take advantage next time.
Wow that’s a lot of transfers, which means a lot of disruption packing, unpacking, checking in and out, lugging cases up and down stairs, waiting for transfers etc. time I consider wasted time, not enjoyable holiday time.
I’d consider (if you can) dropping the two ends of that trip and reallocating the time between Capri (+1) and Amalfi (+2)
Amalfi to either of the dropped locations is an easy day trip, without needing to lug heavy bags. Indeed Amalfi-Salerno gives the option of SITA bus one way and ferry the other. Finding a base within an easy walk (10-15 mins) of the bus station would be ideal. Amalfi also the base that makes Ravello feasible.
Pompeii guide - when I went, IIRC we used l’Altracostiera, a super travel agent, apartment agent & tour operator in Amalfi. Whilst a coach trip puts you on other people’s schedule, it will ease the logistics. They’ll also do Paestum day trips. There used to be guides hanging around the entrance, but self-navigation is absolutely viable. Maybe also research if the Villa dei Misteri vineyard is still there (I’d be surprised if it wasn’t). See Otto’s notes on the wine itself from a few years ago.
Herculaneum also a decent, much more compact option, and there’s a surprisingly interesting Roman villa in Minori.
Arrival / departure the only minor issue with such a rationalisation. Amalfi easy to access, and worth checking if there is a direct airport service, as there has been at times in the past. Otherwise shuttle bus to Napoli and SITA bus to amalfi. For Capri, it makes sense to get the ferry from Napoli and make the choice of arrival or departure, based on timings of flights.
Try one of the beach restaurants at Marina Grande area in Sorrento. Wife and I were there startNew Years day 2023, not (yet) overwhelmingly touristy, and enjoyed the freshest seafoods at Trattoria da Emilia in the Marina Grande area, the quaint, traditional fishing neighborhood in Sorrento.