10 Best Local Restaurants in Sorrento

Il Leone Rosso is the perfect spot to start a culinary city tour as it welcomes visitors hungry for genuine Neapolitan pizza in the lively centre of Sorrento. It’s a pleasure to sit at one of the outdoor tables, enjoy the weather and choose from the rich, varied menu before heading out into the buzzing streets of the historical centre.

One thing all of the many ingredients have in common is being high quality and local, such as the buffalo mozzarella and the aromatic home-grown basil.

Pizzeria Da Franco on Corso Italia shows how Sorrento is big enough to amaze you but intimate enough to be homely. That’s exactly how you’ll feel when you have a tasty bite seated at one of the tables here. The ambience is cosy, welcoming and easy-going, but what will soon catch your eye are the rows of Parma ham legs hanging from the ceiling.

The menu is simple and traditional, offering light, digestible pizza with various ingredients including, of course, Parma ham. It’s also an ideal restaurant for trying one of the many local street food dishes during a quick stop.

Chantecler’s Trattoria is the perfect spot for some respite from the tourist hustle and bustle of the town centre in a calm, cool restaurant that also offers the option to dine outside. You'll find this restaurant down one of the many shaded alleyways that lead off from Corso Italia, a stone’s throw from the central Piazza Tasso.

The specialities range from traditional dishes to the fish menu, but the highlight is the artisan pasta made fresh every day. Chantecler's Trattoria is a family business, so you’ll be able to sample the real flavours of local recipes and enjoy some shade before setting off again to shop in the surrounding streets.

La Cantinaccia del Popolo is waiting for you if you've made it all the way down Corso Italia without even realising. If you suddenly find yourself at the eastern end and you start feeling some hunger pangs, this is an ideal place to stop. The setting and recipes are in perfect harmony here, with an easygoing, genuine ambience that’s a great match for the rustic dishes made with local ingredients.

There’s both indoor and outdoor seating where you can order meat and cheese boards, tasty gnocchi alla sorrentina (gnocchi in tomato sauce, topped with cheese and baked in the oven) and delicious meat dishes. To finish, order one of the house liqueurs, made by hand and famous throughout the town.

Gelateria David in the town centre is the perfect place to stop for some ice cream during an afternoon stroll. The ice creams at Gelateria David are extra delicious and are an experience of their own that you’ll want to tell your friends about when you go home. In addition to the classic flavours, you can also try savoury ice creams.

Other specialities not to be missed are the made-to-order waffles and crepes. If you want to go for a more traditional taste, the only option is the fully local Sorrento lemon ice cream.

A’Marenna is the place to stop for a savoury snack or dishes made with care and passion using local products. A’marenna means ‘afternoon snack’ in the Neapolitan dialect, and this bakery and bistro is the perfect place to treat yourself to just that.

The star dishes here are the gourmet sandwiches filled with all sorts of things, with a particular emphasis on the quality of the ingredients. There’s also a wide selection of sandwiches for vegans and vegetarians.

’86 Bistrò is located in the shaded, lively alleys of Sorrento’s historical centre and is a place that doesn’t skimp on the presentation of the dishes on the small but exquisite menu. In a wonderful place like Sorrento, where blue skies and fairy-tale surroundings compete for attention, the concept of beauty takes on a whole new meaning, and you can even find beauty in your dinner at ’86 Bistrò.

Their particular style is also apparent in the flawless furnishings and high-quality, local produce, paired in an original but always spot-on way. The fish dishes are unmissable, whether raw or cooked, for a flavour experience that will leave you with a lasting memory.

Trattoria dei Mori is an off-the-beaten-path restaurant that's perfect for those who aren’t fans of touristy places and want to relax and eat well. Once you’ve reached Parco di Villa Fiorentino (Villa Fiorentino Park) on your stroll along Corso Italia, if you take one of the streets heading towards the sea, after a couple of blocks you’ll reach Via San Nicola. Here, you can visit the original Museo della Tarsia Lignea (Museum of Wood Inlay) and the Casa di Cornelia Tasso (Cornelia Tasso House) before sitting down at the Trattoria dei Mori.

The menu is based around traditional dishes with an accent on fresh fish at very good prices for the area. An added bonus is the live music that will accompany your dinner.

Pepe Bianco is for you if you're looking for a romantic spot without leaving the centre of Sorrento. Located close to the seafront in a beautiful square, Pepe Bianco marries a romantic, classy setting with a sophisticated menu. Fish dishes and traditional, high-quality produce characterise the food on offer, and the presentation is bound to catch your eye.

As its name suggests, the mood of the restaurant is based on the colour white (bianco), being chic and minimalistic. It’s perfect for an unforgettable evening, rounding off dinner for 2 with a walk with sea views.

Da Lucariello offers a menu with endless choices of reasonably priced, hearty sandwiches that have made this spot one of the hottest places for street food in town. The hardest part of a holiday in Sorrento is definitely when it’s time to go back home, but luckily you can brighten your mood with one last walk down Corso Italia and a stop at Da Lucariello.

If you want to have lunch here, we recommend coming early to avoid having to wait for a seat. They use a wide range of ingredients, with vegan and vegetarian sandwiches to satisfy all tastes and requirements.