I am going to give you the best Sorrento restaurants I can remember. Please consider that this is still a tourist town, so the food will be a notch lower. Like Positano, when thinking of the best restaurants in Sorrento there was one stand out and others that were just very good, but not outstanding. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the restaurants in Sorrento, I was not expecting much but I did not think the food was bad.

I probably should discuss the elephant in the room. Clearly these days many of us Americans will  not be traveling to Sorrento anytime soon. It is still good to have a couple of the best Sorrento restaurants in your back pocket for when travel does open again. I will also give you an alternative spot to eat, near Pompeii if you are site seeing from Sorrento. Additionally, I will add three spots in Sorrento that I was told were good, but did not make it to. To begin with here is where to eat in Sorrento, my 5 best Sorrento restaurants. One last disclaimer, I wanted all the places on my list to be within walking distance from the main square, there may be a lot of good ones on the outskirts, but these are not mentioned here.

1. Porta Marina Seafood

This restaurant is a little gem right near the docks. It is a bit of a maze to find, and it is exceedingly small, but worth the work to discover. Even though it was only a lunch, I would say this was one of my favorite lifetime eating experiences and certainly the best restaurant in Sorrento.

The Atmosphere

Maybe it was the (almost) perfect weather…although it did sprinkle for about 10 minutes. Or more likely it was the view since we were almost on top of the water. We must have sat outside for over two hours after eating, just drinking wine and relaxing. This is the kind of restaurant experience you do not get in the United States, where a 17-year old waitress comes by every two seconds and then just drops the bill off after 15 minutes. The relaxed atmosphere of Porta Marina Seafood makes you realize we are doing something wrong in America. Unfortunately, our way of eating is spreading to other countries.

The Food

All the great atmosphere in the world means nothing if the food is not up to par, luckily the food is just as good as the setting. The first course was fried calamari, I usually hate calamari (or anything) fried. Give me a grilled squid any day. This was the best fried dish I have ever had. The calamari were so light you could blow them off the plate. It was so good that after our meal, we ordered a second round.

My main course was Frutti di mare, with beautiful shrimp and mussels. The seafood was so fresh I looked over in the water and I noticed the mother of the shrimp crying (holding his lunchbox) as I bit into him. The octopus was also delicious, my one regret is that we missed out on visiting this establishment a second time. To make this all even better, the price was right, I think it was like $60 (after conversion) for all the food and at least two liters of wine. It almost makes me sad to think about how poorly we eat in the United States.

The Service

I believe (do not quote me) this place is run by two sisters who were both genuinely nice. Once again, a family run establishment shows why it is superior to a chain. Yes, maybe it takes longer to get your check, but I was not trying too hard to grab it. I would much rather have a long, relaxed meal where I felt like I was at someone’s home, than a rushed Applebee’s experience. Therefore, Porta Marina Seafood was one of the best Sorrento restaurants (if not the best).

2. Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso

This place was odd, it felt like a fine dining establishment, yet once you cleared your plate, some things did not add to that environment. Still I really enjoyed my meal here, since the restaurant has such good Margherita pizza, it is hard not to like. I found the pizza here to be better than most places and I certainly would return.

The Atmosphere

The restaurant was quiet when we arrived, but nice inside. White tablecloths and an open, almost courtyard like atmosphere and interesting decorations. One of the more interesting decorations was our plate, which had a naked woman staring at us. It was a weird combination, like someone from Teasers Strip Club snuck over and swapped dinnerware. Yet, I liked the inside, it was quiet and a bit more upscale.

The Food

The wine was great, but all wine in Italy is typically good. I did not sample a large array of the menu, it is called Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso, so I ordered…you guessed it Pizza. Two different types, one plain Margherita and one with sausage. The pizza was of course, incredibly good. Margherita pizza is in a different class then what we get in the United States (although I love New York Pizza also). The price is also right, the pizza was on average only 10 euro. You can get out of there for under $40 even if you go crazy on drinks. I am always looking for the best Pizza in an area, if you are looking for the best pizza in Sorrento Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso is a good contender.

The Service

I found the service to be good, but not too memorable. The wait staff was friendly and professional given the upscale atmosphere. Overall, no complaints with the service.

3. Fauno Bar

Of all the Sorrento restaurants I went to the Fauno bar was the most frequented. It happened to be right outside the apartment style condo I was staying in. Located in the middle of Piazza Tasso, you would think this place would be a tourist trap. In some ways it is, but it had consistently good food and service. I felt like this is the best option when trying to figure out where to eat in Sorrento and you are in the Piazza Tasso. Do not expect a fancy meal, just a solid bite to eat at a good price.

Atmosphere

This place feels big, and yes it feels a bit touristy. It is still a really nice atmosphere; I personally like to watch people and this Piazza is a nice place to do it. Sit back enjoy some wine and watch the hustle a bustle of the family from Louisville wearing cargo shorts holding an upside-down map. It could get crowded due to its location, but overall a nice spot.

Food

I was pleasantly surprised that everything we tried we liked in this establishment. Somethings were just pretty good, others were excellent. I think we ate at Fauno Bar at least 7 times in our short stay. It was open late, so it made for a perfect evening snack. The pizza here was almost as good as the Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso (some would say better), and I believe a bit cheaper. Everything was surprisingly fresh for a place that looks so touristy, especially when compared to other places in the area, and we tried them all in the Piazza

Service

We had an unfair advantage here, since we came back so many times and at such off hours, people remembered us. Therefore, I found the service to be great, very personable. There was one time I had something wrong and they replaced it without a second thought. The staff really worked hard to make things right. I do not care if there are errors, I care how spots respond to those errors. People were very nice here, but we were turning into regulars by the end of our trip.

4. Da Lucariello

I should probably give a full disclosure on this one. There was a lot of alcohol involved when we stumbled into this place. Still from the flashes I have it was an excellent experience. If you are looking for the best sandwich in Sorrento, Da Lucariello can be given that distinction. The service was great, and the sandwiches are perfect for a late-night snack/meal.

Atmosphere

This is not a place to bring your date after the prom…it is a small shop with barely enough room for a tiny group. The owner was extremely friendly, and we talked most of the time. One odd thing, it is always strange to see dogs in a restaurant, but this is something that is common in Italy, so I had to accept it.

Food

As mentioned, Da Lucariello serves up the best sandwich in Sorrento that I could find. This establishment is a perfect snack after you just got through sampling every limoncello within a mile. It is drunk food for sure, but good drunk food. Da Lucariello probably will even make a nice quick lunch. Not a sit-down dinner with the family, but something unique and high quality for a quick meal.

Service

Just good people work at Da Lucariello, they were friendly and welcoming. As opposed to Positano (read my review here) the restaurants in Sorrento just had nicer locals. That might be why I hate Positano so much, the staff in all the restaurants were cold and aloof. Places like Da Lucariello had a much warmer atmosphere.

5. Acqu’ e sale

If you are looking for another solid seafood place near the water come to Acqu’ e sale. I do not think it holds a candle to the food at Porta Marina Seafood, but it is better than anything you will get in almost every corner of the United States. Take the long (kind of cool) staircase down to the docks, and you will come across this establishment.

Atmosphere

Maybe the main reason why this is on the list is for the atmosphere. I can see fish swimming from my table, that is how close you are to the water. This was another spot that we were drinking at and before we knew it, they were picking up the tables. It is a perfect place to grab a cocktail and a snack. Maybe it was just the time of year we went, but I think the long walk prevents the crowds from overwhelming this establishment. The atmosphere is why I put Acqu’ e sale as one of the best restaurants in Sorrento.

Food

I am about to shock you…you get fresh seafood here. For me this was more of a drinks and snacks place than a full meal place, but others would disagree. The mussels we ordered were tasty as well as all the other seafood. Being that close to the water, even by accident a restaurant will have fresh seafood.

Service

Admittedly, fine, but not memorable. It is a big place, they do not have time to hobnob with all the guests which is understandable. The price was a bit higher than a lot of other places, but Sorrento is not known to be cheap. Overall, no real complaints.

That is where to eat in Sorrento: A Recap

• Porta Marina Seafood – Best overall restaurant in Sorrento. Laid back great food amazing atmosphere
• Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso – A little more upscale (but still a casual vibe), quality food…very nice pizza
• Fauno Bar– A great place to eat in Piazza Tasso, good for families and solid food.
• Da Lucariello – The best sandwiches in Sorrento. Perfect for those who were overserved wine. Nice people very good food.
• Acqu’ e sale – Really nice atmosphere, pretty solid food.

Other Restaurants in Sorrento

I did not try EVERY restaurant in Sorrento, I am only human. Below are a couple that I missed that some people recommended.

Il Buco – If you are looking for a fancy (IE expensive) place to have a romantic dinner Il Buco was recommended by more than one person(and website).

Bagni Delfino – Another Seafood spot right on the water. Just looked great, but for some reason it was closed when we went.

Trattoria dei Mori – We walked past this many times and I am still kicking myself for not trying it.

If you run into any of the above when deciding where to eat in Sorrento, please give me your opinion of the places you tried.

If You are Visiting Pompeii

I know this is an article on where to eat in Sorrento, and you are looking for the best Sorrento restaurants. If you are visiting Sorrento, there is a good chance you will be breaking off to see Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. I would be doing a disservice if I did not mention the following:

Cantina del Vesuvio Russo Family Winery

This is first and foremost a winery, but it is a great place to eat as well. There were kids here so it is not exclusively a wino establishment, but I am not sure if I would go if I did not drink. The wine was amazing, the pasta was very fresh. It is a preset meal, pasta, antipasto etc… So at least glance at the menu before you go to see if you like it. If you like Italian wine and great pasta stop by if you are in the area. It is somewhat of a trek from Pompeii, so you will need to take a cab…it is well worth the price.

Conclusion on Where to Eat in Sorrento: The Best Sorrento Restaurants

Everyone has their own list as to where to eat in Sorrento. I tried to find the best Sorrento restaurants that were somewhat close to the center of town. Sorrento is a walkable area; so there is no need to take a cab to find great food. Sorrento is still a touristy destination, the food was not stellar like much of Italy. It was still better that Positano; which is not hard to do and had its standouts.

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We resided in both Sorrento and Positano on our last trip to Italy and explored both extensively. When asking where to stay Positano or Sorrento there is no question as to my choice...The quick answer is Sorrento; an area which I liked (well enough). If one factors in all the reasons to make an area their base, Positano just does not stack up. Whether it is food, things to do, or just areas to explore, Sorrento is superior to Positano. If you think I am being too decisive about this, you haven’t read my Positano post here.

If we look at each condition more carefully, you will agree that Sorrento is the better place to stay. Whether you stay in Sorrento or Positano, you should not stay in either too long. I disliked Positano, I (somewhat) appreciated Sorrento, but was not overjoyed with the area. Either place may get boring if you stay too long, and neither are a good representation of Italy.

Sorrento or Positano: Things to Do

Sorrento just has more to occupy your time than Positano. Let me not beat around the bush, Positano was boring. Unless you love shopping for overprice clothes and art, the town has little to do. There was an interesting church and a tour of the ruins underneath. They barely advertised it, and it was only an hour, but given how much I like history it was worth it. Other than that, there are a handful of small art galleries, you could see in 20-minutes.

The nightlife in Positano was also terrible. A couple of tourist traps open late near the overpriced, underwhelming beach was all Positano could muster. Sorrento had slightly more churches, better beaches, and was bigger. The shopping was more interesting than Positano and seemed cheaper. There were certainly more bars that stayed open much later.

Since neither offers a ton to do, you will be taking day trips. We found that the train in Sorrento was extremely easy to navigate and allowed easy access to Pompeii (a must visit when in the area) and Naples. Both Sorrento and Positano offer a ferry to Capri, it is slightly quicker from Positano.

Overall, Positano was just not easy to get around due to the hills. I like to spend my Italy days strolling from one wine bar or café to the next. The hills made this extremely unenjoyable. Add to this that Positano had very few small ( and cheap) wine bars. Positano was also ridiculously small, with little to explore. We walked the same path over and over, never finding anything new. On the other hand, Sorrento was a more pleasant area to explore…not too many hills, but enough to annoy you at times… A nice square and more nooks and crannies to get lost in. If you are asking where to stay Sorrento or Positano for entertainment, Sorrento wins for me.

Positano vs. Sorrento: Food

Eating well is important to me and neither place delivered a home run in terms of things to eat. Having said this, Sorrento had much better food than Positano. I touched on this in the last section, but the idea of strolling someplace, grabbing a drink and small bite was foreign in Positano. There was one stand out restaurant that I think you should visit if spending a half day at Positano, La Tagliata. I did a more comprehensive guide to eating in Positano here. Even La Tagilata, which was great was not really in Positano. They picked us up from our hotel, I think it took nearly a half an hour by bus. We would have gone there more often if it were closer. Every other restaurant was at best forgettable, at worst you felt like you were being robbed.

There are several better inexpensive restaurants in Sorrento. Even though most were touristy, we had many good meals. Walk down the road a bit and you hear more Italian (as opposed to Janice from Long Island), and the tourist traps start to grow fewer. There was one stand out meal we had in Sorrento, Porta Marina Seafood. It is a bit tricky to get to, even with GPS, but it is well worth it. You can easily walk there and once you arrive you will enjoy an outstanding meal, with a beautiful view. If I were staying in Sorrento for any decent amount of time, I would hit this daily. On a whole, Sorrento just had better food with better prices than Positano.

When deciding between Positano or Sorrento for foodies, Sorrento is the best choice. If you are out all-day touring Capri or exploring Pompeii and want something when you get back, there are plenty of options. Neither has consistently excellent Italian food, but Sorrento has many more bright spots.

Positano vs. Sorrento: Views

I will give Positano this much, it is genuinely nice to look at. It may have the second best coastline I have visited, next to Santorini (read my post here). One benefit to all those hills was that it created a great backdrop. Our nightly drink at the hotel Poseidon was probably the highlight of our stay in Positano. Old homes and beautiful churches stacked up next to each other overlooking the sun coming down on the Mediterranean sea; it is something to be seen.

Sorrento is nice also, but you have to travel a little way to get to the coast (a small walk). The view from our hotel was of the square, nice, but nothing compared to Positano. When you get to the Sorrento coast, you do see how beautiful the area is. Sorrento has some very picturesque areas, but Positano is more beautiful. Unfortunately, Positano is like seeing a gorgeous model, then realizing she can’t put a sentence together. As in dating, looks are not everything, they can get old fast!

In terms of pure beauty, Sorrento vs. Positano…Positano wins.

To Recap…

Where to Stay Positano or Sorrento: Similarities

Even though I find Sorrento to be superior to Positano in terms of where to stay, both have more similarities than differences. Both Positano and Sorrento are tourist traps hubs…they did not give a full representation of Italy. Walking down the streets of Sorrento, hearing a drunk American girl streak ITAALLLY with her friends, reminded me this was not Palermo, Sicily (read my Review here).

Positano was worse in terms of tourists. Locals refuse to even entertain speaking to us in Italian. Whenever we ate, I made a note, I did not see one local at any restaurant we visited (staff excluded). You will be around mostly Americans and Brits, not Italians in both places. I would say more so in Positano than Sorrento, but both are bad.

Both are equally good for exploring the rest of the Amalfi coast, although Positano might be a bit easier to get to some of the smaller towns. Sorrento is a bit closer to Pompeii and Naples. Either way it will not be difficult to get to other areas from which ever location you pick.

What is lacking in both is the history, ruins, and beautiful churches that make Italy so great (not to mention the food). Personally, I may never see either area again, I like a little adventure in my trips…or at least to feel uncomfortable.

Final Thoughts: Where to Stay Sorrento or Positano

If you are hell bent on seeing the area, stay in Sorrento. It has better food, a better nightlife, and just an easier environment to walk around. If I had to, I would not spend more than a day in Positano…and that is pushing it. Maybe get there via ferry at 10 AM, walk up the obnoxious hills until you are tired. Browse some overpriced shops, then maybe grab the bus to La Taglita for lunch (or an early dinner). Then get the hell out. There is truly little to do in Positano, certainly not enough to keep you entertained for a week. Personally, I would combined both into a larger trip, that fits my travel style more..

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Reading some forums you may be given the impression that Sicily is a crime infested dump, where tourists are waking up with horse heads in their bed. In my experience during our time in Palermo, Sicily, this opinion could not have been further from the truth. Every place has its bad neighborhoods, but in terms of violent crimes, especially against tourist, Sicily is a wonderfully secure place to visit. The short answer to the question, Is Sicily safe for Tourists, is Yes! This is using my personal experience in the region as well as published crime stats.

As always, there are particular country and even regional risks to be aware of. As mentioned in the article I have written here regarding security, every area has its own unique scams or crimes. Criminals have truly little imagination, they usually just copy what everyone else is doing. If one were to just get their information from a certain mobster movie, Sicily looks like a haven for organized crime. While it is true there is a mobster presence to this day, it will be mostly unseen by tourists. There is more than just crime to worry about in the world, when someone asks me personally is Sicily safe for tourists, again yes…but read below to get a more complete answer.

Violent Crime in Palermo, Sicily

In the 70’s and 80;s Sicily had gotten a bad reputation for violent crime due to the Mafia presence. While it is still around today, the influence of the mafia is much smaller. The crime numbers for just Sicily were a bit hard to find…but when looking at Italy as a whole, we see the country has an extremely low homicide rate. According to the website Statista (link here) there were 307 homicides in ALL of Italy in 2019. This works out to a rate of about .6 per 100,000 people. Even if this rate were double for Sicily it would be far safer than places in the United States. To put this in perspective, New Orleans had a Homicide rate of over 40 per 100K.

From the data above we see Sicily is safe for tourists in terms of homicides compared to many tourist hubs. The vast majority of the few violent crimes Sicily does have hits locals, not visitors. As a tourist you most likely will not even see or know the mafia is in Palermo…let alone get a crowbar to the skull. There are restaurants that belong to a No Mafia group, that refuse to pay any retribution to the Mafia. That is about as much evidence of the Mafia I saw. We walked around a lot at night in Palermo, Sicily. Not just 9 PM, sometimes well past midnight. While there was a time or two that I felt slightly uneasy I did not witness any violent crime (or any crime).

Of course, it is always smart to take precautions. Walking around at night can be a bit dangerous even in the safest regions. Just have a general idea as to where you should go and not go, as well as take some basic precautions, and you should be OK. So to recap, despite its reputation, violent crime is low in Sicily…it is safer than cities like New York and New Orleans (review at link).

Is Sicily Safe for Tourist in Regards to Petty Crime?

Europe seems to be a hot spot for petty crimes and Sicily is no exception. I will preface this by again saying we did not experience any crime petty or violent. Mainly from hearsay and some stats I can tell you that the crimes tourist are most likely to face (if any) are pickpockets or purse snatchers. These crimes are prevalent all over Italy, and Sicily is no exception. Although, I believe these crimes are less prevalent in Sicily than Rome or Naples.

I know more than one person who has been pick pocketed in Europe, many times these criminals go out in gangs. They are even so brazen as to “work” in the airports. Purse or phone snatching is also common, although not so common that I saw it firsthand. You certainly can help lower your odds of being a victim with a few precautions.

Little things such as where you carry your wallet, front pocket is best, along with a button, can help you avoid being a victim. Other common-sense advice, leave any area that seems a bit off. In crowded places, especially markets, be vigilant. Certainly, don’t leave your phone or wallet on the table when dining, unless it is time for an upgrade anyway. Lastly, I like to split my cards and cash up, in case the worst happens I will have a backup. Sicily is safe for tourist in general. As in all of Europe (and everywhere else), take the necessary precautions to avoid being a victim. I speak about trip safety more in depth in this post HERE.

Safety in Sicily: Other Considerations

There are more things that can kill you than the crime. Below are a couple of things that stood out to me in terms of safety. As mentioned I believe Sicily is safe, there are just some things you need to look out for.

Cars/Motorcycles

Most People in the United States aren’t used to a 10-year old driving a motorcycle/scooter down a small alley. This is something that is eye opening in Sicily. I found Rome and Positano to both be hectic, but Sicily is in a league of its own. You need to keep your eyes out when walking or biking. If you stick to the most touristy areas you might avoid this totally, but if you walk a bit off the beaten path, keep your eyes peeled

Is Sicily safe four tourists on the streets? It is, but we must act in a safe way and pay attention. Remember you are in a foreign country, different morals, laws and norms. Just keep your head up and you should be fine.

Food safety

Maybe not as bad as Japan with some of the strange things we came across, (read more in my post here). Things always get a little dicey when it comes to countries with different food standards than ours. For the most part, most restaurant food seemed clean, although I wasn’t watching them make the food. We did have a couple of experiences that made us do a double take. Getting served raw pork (and again it is not Japan) and the manager just shrugging their shoulders was a bit scary. The attitude was like raw pork…so what! More than once I heard the pork begging for its life as I cut into it.

Then there are some of the street vendors, especially in the market. When you look over and see what looks like a fly block party on the food they are serving, health may be an issue. Is Sicily safe in terms of food, yes…but! You need to be a little more vigilant so as not to spend the majority of your trip in the hotel bathroom.

Covid-19 in Sicily

I hesitate to even put this area into this post. Most people are not going to Sicily any time soon. This is because most people aren’t traveling anywhere any time soon. Hopefully by the time you are reading this the only disease that you will be worried about is diabetes from all the pasta and cannoli’s you will eat. Still, it is worth touching on, especially in terms of safety in Sicily. Italy, at the time of writing this, has approximately 225K cases of Covid-19. That is one of the highest counts in the world. Luckily for Sicily, most of that is in Northern Italy. Currently there are about 3.3K case of Covid-19 in Sicily, less than 2% of the total in the country. Hopefully, if you are reading this in five years, this paragraph will not be an issue, but it is worth touching on.

Conclusion: Is Sicily Safe for Tourists

As stated yes, Sicily is safe for tourists. Do not let the movies or possibly grimy pictures deter you from traveling to this wonderful place. Palermo, Sicily was one of my favorite regions in the world. You can read more about my trip here, in this review. Always use common sense, whether it is New York or Italy, just do not let fear determine what you experience.

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Common Characteristics of a Positano Restaurant

Before I begin my list, what makes Positano restaurants inferior to other places in Italy? There are three things that put a bad taste in my mouth (literally) about the culinary environment of Positano.

No Value for Your Money

Even at the places I liked (with one exception) it felt like I was leaving with both my stomach and wallet empty. You know that little cafe with a 4 Euro half liter of wine and 7 Euro plate of overflowing pasta? It is a Positano unicorn, pizza in Positano was not cheap… more expensive than Sicily and Sorrento

Food was outrageously overpriced, especially for the quality and portions. Why am I eating grilled calamari that would be the bait to catch my real meal in other areas? I blame Hollywood…damn actors came to Positano and turned it into Italy light, plus you know they do not eat anything but kale.

Tourist Traps are Everywhere

I mentioned this in my last post, but it bears repeating, Positano restaurants are for the most part tourist traps. The ingredients are not as good, and the food is not as authentic as other areas of Italy. Positano restaurants are full of Americans, without a local to be found. These tourist traps seem to thrive on serving bad food for the masses. The food was like what Italians think Americans think Italian food should be. See if you can figure out that last sentence…

Positano Food Just Was Not that Good

I think they have an aversion to seasoning, because most of the time it was like the salt container was on strike. Things were OK in terms of freshness; it is just that many meals felt like someone removed my taste buds. I ate at a lot of places, most of the meals were forgettable, some I wish I could forget.

Most Positano restaurants lacked sole. The kind of love you get in other areas of Italy was lacking in their food. I think the years of serving Sandy from Virginia who loves olive garden has taken its toll on the hearts of Positano chefs.

There was a highly rated fish place that served us a beautiful platter of tasteless fish. The lack of seasoning was almost an art form in many Positano restaurants. This kind of blandness (along with the lack of value and love) is what separated Positano from other areas of Italy. So where to eat in Positano? There are a few Positano restaurants that were very good, and one excellent; La Tagliata

# 1 The Best Positano Restaurant: La Tagliata, Positano

Any search of the best restaurants in Positano and La Tagliata comes up. Hopefully you found my site first so I can be the one to tell you why you should go. If La Tagliata was easier to get to, I would have gone every night, and this would have helped pass my time in this wretched area considerably. Let me break down why I enjoyed La Tagliata so much.

The Service

Right off the bat they are picking you up from your hotel, yes, the bus gets kind of crowded, but it is a nice feature none the less. Once you get to the restaurant, they bring you to your table and explain the process, a prefixed menu, family style with multiple courses. All of the servers were excellent and accommodating. I heard other tables were vegetarians and they altered the standard dinner for them. If you wanted more pasta or wine, they provided it. They even corked our second bottle of wine (or third, can not remember) and sent us home. They really went above and beyond in making the experience great.

The Food at La Tagliata

Cheap (price, not value), excellent, and plentiful are the best ways to describe the food at La Tagliata. If you are still hungry after this meal than I look forward to watching you on the next episode of The Biggest Loser. There are (if I remember correctly) four set courses, An antipasto, pasta, various meats, and a dessert course. There are about 4-5 items on each course, wine is included, and as mentioned, keeps flowing. You can guide them with any dietary restrictions, but there is no menu.

The food was fabulous, the tomatoes were fresh, and all but one pasta dish reminded me as to why I came to Italy. Their one misstep was a pasta so under cooked I almost chipped my tooth. It crunched when I bit into it.

Everything Else…

Everything else, from the meats to the wine, was outstanding. By the time dessert came, I was almost too drunk to remember it, but the flashes I have were of greatness. You get this amazing meal for only 45 euro per person, and that is includes transportation.

Great food and service is combined with an amazing atmosphere. The views are incredible, and the area has a family style theme. Plus you can walk the grounds and see the freshly grown vegetables and farm animals, which you will be eating if you show up the next day. Some reviews complain that it is a tourist trap, which is fair, it does have a somewhat touristy feel. We did not have bad (touristy) music while we ate, but some people did. Having said this, ALL of Positano is a tourist trap, La Tagliata is more authentic than the rest of the city. Really for me, in Positano, there was La Tagliata and then every other Positano restaurant. Overall it probably falls on my top ten eating experiences anywhere…Finding other solid restaurants was not as easy, which brings me to my second choice.

#2 Da Gabrisa Restaurant & Wine Bar

Walking uphill from our spot, the Hotel Poseidon brought us to Da Gabrisa Restaurant & Wine Bar. This restaurant is attached to a hotel if I remember correctly, but that did not take away from the food. I really enjoyed our meal here for a number of reasons. First, it has some of the best views in the city. Second, the food, although miniscule, was delicious. I got a pasta dish, and my wife order the grilled squid. The squid had seasoning, which as previously mentioned, is rare. The pasta dish was very good as well, as was the wine.

Da Gabrisa Restaurant & Wine Bar was my second favorite Positano restaurant, expensive yes, but we had a very good meal. It was kind of a pain in the arse to get to, having to climb up hill, but what else are you doing in Positano? It is still easier to get to the La Tagliata …

#3 Buca di Bacco

Probably the best of the worst considering its location, Buca di Bacco is right near the beach. We had a satisfying meal here, me ordering a pasta dish and my wife ordering another squid dish (cannot get enough of good grilled calamari). Once again, she was hoping that they brought her the model version and the real sized food was coming out next.

My pasta dish was delicious, I said it a million times, I love the freshness of the tomatoes and basil in the region. The service was good, and it was affordable. Overall, not the best Positano restaurant, but a solid meal.

#4 The Best Pizza in Positano: La Pergola

Right below Buca Di Bacco is La Pergola, which has at best so-so food. At worst, they give you candied octopus which was an abomination. Having said this, their menu has one bright spot. It was the best pizza in Positano that we found. Being right outside of Naples, there still needs to be a bit of pride for pizza I guess.

Authentic margherita pizza does not have the crisp crust that we have in New York, but that might be the only downside. The cheese is amazing, the ingredients are outstanding and fresh. The place is right on the water, which makes the area even more of a tourist trap. There may be better Pizza in Positano up in the hills near La Tagliata, but if you are going that far might you as well jump on a train to Naples. When looking for Pizza in Positano, La Pergola is a very good choice.

#5 The Best Restaurants in Positano:
Il Tridente

This restaurant had the advantages of being on top of our hotel, the hotel Poseidon (a place that I enjoyed). Even from our room it still was not that easy to get to, it is like a maze, but I digress. We never got a full meal from here, mostly a bit or plate here and there. The view is amazing (as in much of Positano) and the atmosphere was beautiful. I not only recommend Il Tridente, but the hotel Poseidon on a whole. The prices are a bit high, even higher than most. This is to be expected at any hotel, but more so in Positano. The food we did have was great and other guests raved about their meal, so I believe it is a good choice.

There are other Positano restaurants, if you had a great experience with a place that is not on this list I would love to hear about it. It is my hope that most of these places make it through the tough times we are going through at the moment. Especially La Tagliata, which is the only real standout when it comes to eating in Positano for me. Before I go, I will mention one more place, more of a quick snack environment than a restaurant in Positano.

Honorable Mention: Latteria

My editor might have a problem with this, because we did not actually eat at Latteria, except for some cheese. Well, we tried, the website and review sites show these amazing meals, but they close their kitchen in October so I could not taste a lot of their food.

I did however try their wine and cheese which was good. The reason I am adding this to the list is that it is one of the few places you can sit down and get an inexpensive octopus salad (during peak season) and a glass of wine to just chill. There were so few opportunities where I felt comfortable just getting a small snack and some wine and enjoying the atmosphere. Latteria provides this, thus I thought it should be mentioned…

Conclusion: Where to Eat in Positano

There are not a lot of good Positano restaurants. La Tagliata was the best meal we had by far, even if it was a bit touristy. Most of the other food was overpriced and the dishes were far too small. This is not Palermo, Sicily… hell there are better/more authentic restaurants in New York. Still, if you are forced (yes, yes my privilege is showing) to visit Positano when exploring the Amalfi coast, the places on this list will help you get by until you reach a better destination. Whether you want pizza in Positano, or a more formal meal the above places should suffice. If I am wrong or you would like to give other suggestions, let me know and I will update this list, but …yeah, I’m not going back, so the knowledge will be second hand, Mangia!

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Imagine my dismay when I visited Italy and my vision was shattered a bit… My first trip being Rome, which is beautiful and full of history. It was also full of selfie sticks, cheap trinkets, and tourist traps. The food that was so revered, wasn’t that great (of course, there were exceptions…). The authentic pasta was being made by foreigners, heated in microwaves and mass fed to tourists. While, there were bright spots, overall, I was a bit disappointed…Except for the gelato, I would commit several crimes to get my hands on some of their gelato. I am not talking petty shit either, I am talking about something that would put me on Dateline. Overall Rome was both wonderful and disappointing…

My second trip to Italy started off in Positano AKA ‘poison town.’ I already wrote about this monstrosity in this post, but to give you the cliff notes, it was boring, overpriced, inauthentic; I actually think that I would rather have dental surgery, by a proctologist, during an earthquake than go back there…cliff notes over. Knowing that Venice and Florence were also overrun by tourism, I was starting to lose faith in my dream of a beautiful Italy...

Then it happened, I landed in Palermo, Sicily. Some say Sicily isn’t really Italy, but it was the closest thing to what I pictured in my head. Suddenly, I had everything I wanted in an Italian destination. All my dreams came roaring back. Palermo, Sicily saved Italy for me, below is why I love the area…

The Food in Palermo, Sicily

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Love for a country always starts with my stomach, and Sicily hit all the right notes. It took us a day or two to find what we were looking for, but once we did, we would eat until capacity. It isn’t cliche’ to say they have mastered Italian food. You would think that being in Italy would be enough, but Rome dropped the ball a lot. Whether it was a restaurant in Palermo, Sicily or just a street food vendor, you are usually in for an amazing meal. The reason food tastes so much better here boils down to three factors: ingredients, care of preparation, and simplicity…

Everything is Fresh

Walking through the Ballaro food market, you encounter the food that is fresh off the boat (or tree, vine, etc..). Some of it was still looking around wondering how the hell it got there. This is what most of the restaurants use to make your dinner. The fish are wiggling, and the vegetables were brought in that morning. Not only were the vegetables the freshest I have experienced, somehow they make their tomatoes taste like candy. The food in Palermo, Sicily is fresher, therefore better than almost any country I have visited. There are exceptions, but they are few and far between. A perfect example, we are walking near the water and we see Mojitos advertised. The guy making the drinks picks the mint out of his garden and a lime off a tree. Fresh ingredients make all the difference and the people of Palermo, Sicily know this…

Sicilians Actually Put effort into Food Preparation

Food is love in Italy and people still put their heart into the dishes they make. I don’t think I saw one fast food place in the entire country. Very little prepackaged junk makes its way to the table, food is a sense of pride in most of Italy (well OK, some of Italy), but especially in Palermo.

Even something as small as a cannoli was made with great care. Once again, there are exemptions, like the train wreck that served us raw pork and shrugged it off, but almost every restaurant had a skilled cook in the back, not someone who was in-sourced for cheap labor.

Simplicity

I think the thing that bothers me most about the food in America (besides the fact everything is loaded with preservatives) is that they over complicate it. I don’t want your fucking deconstructed mint cheesecake, or your Instagram worthy milkshake, I want real food. A simple bowl of pasta Bolognese or a grilled piece of fish. I’ll take the best version of a classic over some food fad. Don’t try to be fancy, the restaurants that try to appeal to the modern crowd, are almost always disappointing (I am looking at you La Galleria). The trattoria that is run by a older married couple is your best bet…

The People in Palermo, Sicily

I think we met one person we didn’t like in Palermo, Sicily…the previously mentioned gentleman (term loosely used..)who served us pork that was so raw that it almost bit us. Other than him, the people were some of the friendliest, most welcoming locals we have encountered while traveling. Sicily was more of a melting pot than much of Europe and is a factor in the country making everyone feel welcome…

The woman who ran our hotel/apartment style residence was welcoming and kind. The entire staff was excellent, it is surely a place we will go back to when we visit Palermo. As a side, I highly recommend the below hotel for a number of reasons, you can read the TripAdvisor reviews on the link below:

I Mori di Porta Nuova

People were authentic and kind everywhere we went. As opposed to Positano, where it was like hanging out at a Sbarro’s pizza, these people were welcoming and appreciative of tourists…

Beautiful History

Palermo, Sicily like so much of Italy is like walking around a museum. The city is beautiful and full of history (hence the title of this section). Palermo can hold its own against Rome in terms of beautiful churches and Roman ruins. All this without the flocks of elderly tourists with rascals and headsets.

Just wandering down the Via Roma, you come across more history than the entire United States. Passing the Palermo Cathedral, running into Quattro Canti, it is like my head never stops turning. It isn’t just the main strip where you run into all of this magnificent history. Around every corner you see a beautiful church or a grand fountain…

Look at the view from outside our hotel, I woke up to the demon statues of the Porta Nova, a 16th-century arched gateway, staring me down. I am not sure why history gets me more excited than a 14-year old boy that just got into a strip club…It just does. Palermo, Sicily has more than enough to satisfy the biggest nerd among you.

Other Things I love About Palermo Sicily

It’s Cheap – I touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating, Sicily is one of the more inexpensive places you can visit. I love to save a buck, and after Japan and Positano I needed to. My arms were so short that they were almost inside my body (short, so I can’t reach my wallet). Sicily helped ease the pain of Positano. We were getting pasta dinners with liters of wine for what amounted to $25. Even multi-course meals with wine at a fancier place was less than $100 for two.

The hotel accommodations were very inexpensive as well, I think I paid less than $100/night for our room. Palermo, Sicily is not an expensive place, cheaper than anywhere else I visited in Italy and most of Europe.

You Never Get Bored – There is always a church or statue somewhere to see. There are tons of museums as well, but I can spend all day just walking the nooks and crannies of Palermo. The little alleys, or the food market that appears out of nowhere, Palermo, Sicily were never dull.

There Are Plenty of Day Trips – Not like you need to go anywhere, but there is definitely an opportunity to branch out from Palermo if you pissed off a local “businessman” and need to hide. You may choose to combine Palermo with other major cities in Sicily or duck into Cefalu’ or Monareale for a day trip. There are beaches to sun on and mountains to climb, all are a hop, skip and a jump away from Palermo.

Conclusion: Palermo, Sicily

I say this a lot, but this time I mean it…Palermo Sicily is my favorite city in the world. The US is my country, Italy feels like my home; you know how a place just rubs you the right way, Palermo did that for me. So much so, that we are looking at houses for retirement (or a vacation home). The beauty, history, food and genuinely kind people, all make me want to go back…and keep going back…. The fact that I can get a bottle of wine and pasta for $25 doesn’t hurt either! CIAO!

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The town, which is located on the Amalfi Coast, was our first stop of three in Italy (Sicily, and Sorrento being the other two). On the surface Positano was beautiful, but not all that shines is silver (it cannot be compared to gold…unless you are amongst fools). Positano was like going on a date with a model only to find out she has a hairy back, webbed feet and a bad laugh…

Maybe it is just the way I travel, I like to explore, I love good food and I like to be a bit uncomfortable. Also, it is nice to get some deals on these activities, food and wine especially. Deals that are usually common around Europe. Positano had none of these qualities, in fact it represented everything I hate about travel, but first…

The One Thing I liked About Positano: The Views

I will keep this short, there is one thing that prevented this area from being a total train wreck. It is beautiful, deceptively so, it tricks you into thinking you are in paradise. Driving along the Almafi Coast you will see spectacular views. The large cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea were lined with expensive homes and hotels. I have always loved a good view and it is fair to say Positano had a lock on the 360 panoramic version of breathtaking scenes. When compared to Santorini, not so much, but there is no denying that it was still spectacular. Now that that, is out of the way, let me tell you why you shouldn’t go…

Reason #1) It is a Tourist Trap

Positano was about as authentic Italian as an Olive Garden in Utah. I like walking the streets and hearing the locals talk back and forth in Italian, and that is not what I heard. The main dialect was Becky from Georgia, asking where they can find spaghetti and meatballs. The area was almost entirely filled with Americans. The “locals” in the area don’t even try to speak to you in their native tongue. My wife speaks conversational Italian, and she was refuted at every instance.

At one point we were sitting at a restaurant and started talking to the couple next to us, I pointed out how many Americans were around. They said they hadn’t noticed, together we looked at twelve other tables, it was determined there was not one Italian eating at this restaurant. There is not a local spot in Positano, because there are very few locals (maybe 5?) that actually live in the town.

The touristy atmosphere can be witnessed in everything from the hundreds of trinket shops lining the streets to the band playing La Bamba (yes, that actually happened). I can’t tell you how many times I heard people say thank you in Spanish, as if all the languages are the same. The place is as big of a tourist trap as Times Square, even then 10x the trap, as at least the trinkets in New York aren’t $200.

Reason #2) It is a Rip-off

I felt like I needed to wear a chastity belt to avoid getting fucked in Positano. Everyone is up-selling, overcharging or just plain ripping you off. Restaurants were twice to four times as expensive as in Sicily, for much worse quality ( e’ tu microwave?) Yes, tourist traps are going to be more expensive, but this place is in a league of its own.

The trip didn’t start out stellar after losing my luggage, we finally get to our hotel, the Hotel Poseidon, a nice enough establishment. While we had a junior suite, the concierge was kind enough to offer me an upgrade for “very cheap” … only an extra 80 Euro a night. I know I lost my luggage, it didn’t mean I wanted to lose my innocence also. He was openly trying to screw me, in front of my wife no less. The room they showed was hot and had a balcony where one could play a scenic game of football… They didn’t even want me to look at the junior suite, which was perfect for us (and much cheaper). It was the first of many hustles.

Like when I realized that my luggage might never arrive, so I bought two shirts, a bathing suit, and a pair of shorts for nearly $300. After three days, I almost gave up and threw my wallet into the Mediterranean..

Reason #3) There is Really Nothing to Do

I like history, old churches, narrow alleys and places to explore. Positano has almost none of these. Remove the MAR Positano Villa Romana and I was struggling to find anything old, other than Gertrude from Long Island, who was looking for a casino. The Villa is under a nice, but unimpressive church and it is the only bit of history we could find…

We found ourselves walking the same beat up path over and over again. There wasn’t even a good bar scene, especially at night (the picture above was taken at 9:30). It was like a ghost town, in retrospect, fair fucks to them because I would rather be on my balcony then in any bar they had to offer.

The only thing to do there was shop for overpriced clothes! It was the second thing the hotel manager suggested that I should do after trying to upgrade our suite.

Positano is also home to a crummy beach, the chairs came with a charge of $80 for the day. I found myself in Italy…bored. I suppose one can take day trips, but why stay in a place you will be running from?

Reason #4) It isn’t Walkable

Not like there was anything to see, but the streets themselves are not easy to get around. They should give you a Sherpa as soon as you come into the town, because I felt like I needed one to help me up the cliffs they call streets. Unless you are part goat, you will not enjoy walking from place to place in Positano.

Secondly, the sidewalks range from tiny to nonexistent. There was almost no place to go when one of those scooters comes roaring out of nowhere. I don’t know if they just push the bodies off the cliffs to cover it up, but people are dying, DAILY, on those roadways…

One of my favorite things to do is stroll the streets, I hated Positano for taking that option away from me.

Reason #5) The Food wasn’t really good

Was this used to catch my Calamari or my actual meal?

‘I am in Italy, hungry and I can’t find a good meal’…is something that should NEVER come out of one’s mouth. Yet it happened on numerous occasions on our trip. There were a couple of decent places to eat, but seriously, the food was disappointing. Shockingly, it was also expensive. When I get a better pasta dish, with twice as much food, for a quarter of the price in Sicily, you know there are some problems. The food ranged from bad to just OK (there were some bright spots which I will mention in later posts).

I fasted for five days before the trip and we couldn’t get decent calamari (not fried, not grilled, just plenty of frozen calamari for Jim from Florida). Why is Santorini giving me a full grilled squid for about half the price of the slither I found in Positano? Santorini can be an expensive island, but they have pride in what they do and serve. I hated Positano for giving me so many underwhelming meals.

Conclusion

I hated Positano and I hate saying that I hated Positano. It was our first stop on an amazing Italy trip. Maybe it was the loss of luggage or the hotel trying to hustle me, but I can’t help feeling such disappointment…

I hated Positano because it was Italy-lite… it is the Epcot center built on a beautiful coastline..without the rides or the fun.

Positano is Italy for someone who doesn’t want to be bothered to step out of their comfort zone. It started our trip off badly..thank god for Sicily!

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