When grapevines and olive trees cover the hillsides, wine and oil are a must on our tables. They prove excellent companions for the salted anchovies of Monterosso served in olive oil as well as the many specialty fish dishes, authentic gastronomic delights.
The cuisine of the Cinque Terre almost perfectly conserves the characteristics of yesteryear; the respect for the flavors and fragrances of the primary ingredients.Trofie is a kind of pasta made from chestnut or wheat flour and is one of the forefathers of modern and more sophisticated pasta. Its condiment is still pesto sauce; an original Ligurian sauce made from basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, grated cheese, pine nuts, and marjoram.Tagliatelle, a broad handmade pasta, is used with sauces that contain mushrooms, cabbage and potatoes, beans, chickpeas or sometimes with pesto.
Vegetable pies, 'torte di verdura' are prepared with a stuffing containing borage borago officinalis, parsley, marjoram, other local herbs that grow wild, artichokes, swiss chard, zucchini, potatoes, and leeks are combined with egg and ricotta cheese or with stale bread soaked in milk or béchamel sauce depending on each family's traditions, parmesan cheese. The pie crust is very thin, because flour was a very precious commodity.
Rice pie, or 'torta di riso' is a specialty of every grandma in the region. In Monterosso this rice pie was made even more delectable by adding a bit of dried mushrooms to the filling. In Manarola, the tradition is to make this dish for the feast of the patron saint Saint Lawrence on August 10th.
Egg 'frittate', or flat omelettes, are popular today as the 'frittata' has been rediscovered as a tasty antipasto.Another important dish on the tables of the Cinque Terre population was the 'cotoletta di acciuga', anchovies stuffed with a breadcrumb based filling and then fried. The 'fritelle di bianchetti', fritters made from tiny newborn anchovies or sardines were also highly appreciated. Following the seamen's gastronomic traditions, other dishes included stewed cuttlefish, stuffed calamari and spiced octopus.
Mussels, another protected designation of origin product from the Gulf of La Spezia are prepared in a variety of ways: stuffed, stewed, baked.
Farinata, like a focaccia but made with chickpea flour. A regional speciality.
Pizzeria Fratelli Basso on via Roma is one of only two places in town where you can eat farinataâlike a focaccia but made with chickpea flour. The wood-fired pizzeria down the road will make it if they donât have any left.
Riomaggiore
La Grotta
Via Dell'Amore across the railway station, their 'tourist menus' are actually quite OK
Manarola
Restaurant Il Porticciolo
Da Billy
Marina Piccola
5 Terre Gelateria e Creperia for extraordinarily delicious gelato
Vernazza
Monterosso
Ristorante Belvedere under the railway viaduct in the old town is a busy and popular place to eat, serving tasty food that's not too expensive.
La Voglia in the new part of Monterosso serves gluten-free pasta and sauces vouched for by a Coeliac!
