78
Positano: the luxury city on the Amalfi Coast. You may decide to splurge on an unforgettable hotel with a gorgeous terrace. Or you might be in nearby Praiano and plan to spend the day in Positano. Either way, you’ll eventually feel the rumble in your belly telling you to find one of the best restaurants in Positano to satisfy those hunger cravings.
It might be harder to spot tourist traps here in Positano, and some of the best restaurants in Positano with a view might have varying quality, but we’re here to help you confidently find the perfect place to eat, from fine dining to casual spots. Before you go, be sure to brush up on how to order food in Italian so you can ask about dolce (dessert) or opzioni vegetariane (vegetarian options).
How to get to the best restaurants in Positano
Driving yourself around the Amalfi Coast isn’t recommended, especially if you’re a first-time visitor. The streets are incredibly narrow, often steep, and clogged with traffic. It’s likely that you’ll hire a private driver (not as expensive as you may think) or use the local bus system (somewhat limited).
However, there’s a third option for getting to many of the best hotels and restaurants in Positano, Italy. Many high-end hotels and restaurants can call a car for you or they may offer a shuttle service that you can reserve. It might be shared with other guests, so you’ll need to plan plenty of time to arrive. But it’s one of the easiest ways to get to some delicious places to eat that are beyond walking distance.
Ristorante Don Giovanni
Price: $$$; iconic location; vegan and gluten-free options; reservations recommended
When you envision eating at a restaurant on the Amalfi Coast with a view of Positano, the terrace at Ristorante Don Giovanni is probably what you’re dreaming of. It’s one of the most photographed restaurant terraces, and for good reason. The location, the view, the service, the food—it’s everything you’d hope for. Just plan ahead since reservations book well in advance!
Located inside Hotel California Positano, this restaurant has a menu that is creative, delicious, and authentic (handmade pasta from scratch!). Start with the sea bass salad with melon and celery, then the lemon spaghetti with clams. The filet of beef is amazing, too. You’ll need to save room for the lemon parfait that’s accented with mint—a refreshing ending to a perfect evening.
Ohimà Restaurant
Price: $$; extensive wine list; open for breakfast
While the name might almost sound like you’ll enjoy Japanese food, the cuisine here is definitely Italian. It’s fine dining that isn’t overly formal but will leave a lasting impression on your taste buds and memories. The view you get at Ohimà is when the plate of fresh food is placed in front of you—each dish looks like a work of art.
The caprese pizza is always a solid choice, but you can expand your palate further with baccalà in foglie di limone (cod cooked in lemon leaves) or a grilled lamb roulade. If you have a bigger budget, the 5-course tasting menu could be your most unforgettable meal in Positano. And finally, we recommend heading to Ohimà Restaurant if you’re in need of a real colazione (breakfast). Italians tend to eat light in the mornings, and sometimes you just need a hearty pancake breakfast or a familiar avocado toast.
Il Grottino Azzurro
Price: $$; takeaway options; open daily for all three meals
If you’re looking for a restaurant built into a cave in Positano, then Il Grottino Azzurro is the place for you. Perched near the top of the homes on the iconic Positano cliffs, this casual restaurant offers the kind of comfort Italian food you might be craving. Best of all, they’re open late on Sundays, which can be hard to find in small towns along the Amalfi Coast.
The portions are generous here, which may be a welcome departure from some of the fine dining restaurants that tend to keep portions smaller. The grilled octopus with potato cream is quite delicious, but you can trust that the catch of the day will be freshly prepared too. If you’re not going to get to experience any of the fun things to do in Sicily (like eating authentic cannoli), then try ordering the Sicilian pasta to enjoy the spicier flavors.
La Sponda (inside Le Sirenuse hotel)
Price: $$$$; utterly romantic; reservations recommended
The glow of hundreds of real candles lighting the vine-covered pillars and elegant tables make La Sponda one of the most romantic restaurants in Positano with a view. This Michelin-starred restaurant sits just above that eye-catching majolica-tiled dome of the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta with an amazing vista of the iconic homes perched on the cliffs of Positano.
We’re still drooling over their lemon risotto with capers—after all, eating lemon-flavored entrees is a top thing to do in Amalfi Coast, and La Sponda is a great place to do just that. The beef ravioli is also worth ordering, as is the mushroom and truffle pasta. Admittedly, the view can sometimes be a little better than the food and portion sizes, but that just adds to their claim to fame about having dozens of marriage proposals here. Will you be next?
Simone’s Sandwiches
Price: $; cheapest food in Positano; vegetarian option
Positano is an expensive place to eat, but there’s one place that is so cheap you won’t believe you can get such delicious food there. Simone’s Sandwiches is tucked in the heart of Positano and would easily be a place you’d walk right past—if it weren’t for the inevitable line snaking into the street. Normally, we don’t recommend eating at places with long lines as your vacation time is far too valuable, but this is one major exception if you need a cheap place to eat.
Since most restaurants in Amalfi Coast, Italy, are so expensive, you’ll be happy to enjoy one of the best Italian panini (sandwiches) or burgers you’ve ever had. The Americano is the most popular, but the Romano is also not one to skip. If you love melanzana (eggplant), then the eggplant parmesan will be your favorite. Pair it with a lemon slushie and you’ll be ready to power through the rest of your afternoon!
La Tagliata
Price: $$$; hillside restaurant, farm, and hotel; reservations recommended
You’re likely to hear people talk about eating at La Tagliata, which is a popular restaurant on a farm located in Montepertuso just above Positano. You can also try to book rooms here if you prefer to be a little out of the main city, but reservations for stays and dinner are both hard to come by. It can feel rather mainstream, which is why we tend to prefer Il Ritrovo in this area. But if you love to do trendy things, then come here.
Dinner comes at a price of about €60 for a 5-course meal. The food varies from gnocchi and ravioli to grilled veal and lamb. Often, the food is great here, but sometimes it’s a miss, and that may be due to how quickly it comes out of the kitchen, which is unusual for authentic Italian restaurants. The best part of eating here is the view and the vibe where you’ll likely make friends with fellow travelers.
Ristorante Adamo ed Eva
Price: $$-$$$; outdoor terrace with a view; vegan options; reservations recommended
For another restaurant in Positano with a view, try Ristorante Adama ed Eva. You’ll get to eat on a modern outdoor terrace with a glass wall for unobstructed views over the sea. This restaurant is located near Positano Marina Grande Spiaggia (main beach), and the vibe is light, airy, and welcoming.
As with most restaurants in Positano, frutti di mare (seafood) dominates the menu, but you can find carne (meat) entrees like pork loin or a rack of lamb. However, if the lemon-scented risotto with red prawns is on the menu when you go, we highly recommend ordering it! Come for lunch or dinner and plan to spend a leisurely meal enjoying the experience.
Gargiulo Bread and Wine
Price: $; takeaway; casual fare at great prices; open daily
On Mondays (and sometimes Sundays), you might have a hard time finding a restaurant open in the evenings. If that happens, and you’re looking for delicious food that’s ready to go, head over to the hidden gem Gargiulo Bread and Wine. It’s a little shop, open daily, that sells classic Italian food and dolci (sweets) that you can takeaway and enjoy back at your hotel or on the beach.
Salvatore and his mom Rosanna make the food here, so you’re getting a truly authentic experience from a small, family-run restaurant in Positano. That’s a rarity! Definitely order the lasagna or the meatballs. They’re as authentic as you’ll ever find. And be sure to take a tiramisu with you, but fair warning: It might ruin all other tiramisu forever.
Il Ritrovo
Price: $$-$$$; impressive wine list; shuttle service available
Great Italian restaurants show off their ingredients to prove how fresh they are. Il Ritrovo does just that. And while it might not have the most iconic view of the Mediterranean, this restaurant won’t disappoint when it comes to cibo, vino e servizio (food, wine, and service). You’ll also appreciate that they offer shuttle service (with dinner reservations) to and from most Positano hotels, since they’re located just out of the city in Montepertuso.
If you and your travel companions love seafood, then you’ll definitely want to order the seafood platter for two. It comes with options like squid, cuttlefish, king prawns, and the catch of the day. But if you’re hoping for the meat sweats, then order the tomahawk or T-bone steak. Make sure to save room for their delicious panna cotta—one of the best we had in Amalfi!
Zass (inside Il San Pietro)
Price: $$$; Michelin star; dress code enforced; reservations required
If you have a driver at your disposal and a desire to splurge on dinner, then you’ll want to head out of the main Positano city, to a little suburb to find Zass. It’s a Michelin-starred restaurant that puts the “fine” in fine dining (that also means no shorts and sneakers). With views for days, a welcoming interior, and incredible cuisine, Zass is easily one of the best restaurants in Positano on the Amalfi Coast.
They have their own organic garden that ensures you eat the freshest ingredients. For the best experience, we recommend trusting the chef and ordering the tasting menu paired with his recommendations for one of their 600 vini (wines). From the mussels and bean soup to the grilled rabbit or gnocchi with cod, you’ll want to linger on every single bite here.
Carlino Restaurant
Price: $$-$$$; restaurant on the beach; reservations recommended
We’d be woefully in the wrong to not mention the other restaurant here at hotel Il San Pietro: Carlino Restaurant. While Zass is located at the top of the hotel with majestic views of the sea, Carlino sits at the bottom of the cliff so you can dine on the beach where the waves lap against the rocks. Take the elevator that’s built into the cliff or walk through their orti (vegetable gardens) to get to this picturesque Positano restaurant.
There’s a more casual vibe down here, but the food is anything but casual. Those gardens you’ll walk through provide some of the freshest food you’ll eat in Amalfi. Their biggest claim is the lemon spaghetti, and it lives up to its reputation. But whatever you order will be amazing—and the view from sea level is far more unique than most of the other restaurants in Positano, Italy.
Saraceno d’Oro
Price: $$; pizza and seafood entrees; indoor and outdoor seating
If you’re looking for a restaurant that feels homey and has a “comfort food” type of menu, then Saraceno d’Orco is for you. It’s located on Viale Pasitea, north of Fornillo spiaggia, where you can opt to sit inside the cozy restaurant or outside along the street. The prices here are average for Positano, but you get large portion sizes.
This is where you can get a solid, wood-fired pizza that tastes amazing. We loved the capriccioso pizza that came loaded with toppings like prosciutto, funghi (mushrooms), and carciofi (artichoke). They have a selection of bianca (white) pizzas, but be aware that means there’s no sauce at all. You could ask to add tomato sauce to the Sicilian pizza though! Otherwise, we recommend the mouthwatering bolognese ragu here and the panna cotta.
Lo Guarracino
Price: $$; seaside restaurant; vegetarian options; reservations recommended
One of the best things about Lo Guarracino is that it’s off the main roads and near the beach, so it’s more secluded than most of the other popular restaurants in Positano. If you spend the day at Fornillo beach, you’ll be within walking distance to get this incredible vista with both modern and rustic areas to sit in. Though it started as a pizzeria, Lo Guarracino also offers amazing frutti di mare (seafood) entrees.
As you probably know by now, lemons are king on the Amalfi Coast, and this restaurant does something unique: a lemon zest pizza. If you’re a fan of all things lemon flavored, definitely order it and expect to crave it after you’re home. We also recommend trying the leg of lamb that’s tender and juicy, but save room for their crème brûlée!