Where to eat in Sorrento: gnocchi, seafood and lemon desserts
Sorrento eats from the sea and the lemon grove: gnocchi baked with mozzarella, pasta with shellfish and desserts made with local lemons. Marina Grande is best for fish, and the lanes behind Piazza Tasso for pizza and pasta. Book dinner in summer, and avoid the square itself.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- Marina Grande for fish by the water, and the lanes behind Corso Italia for pizza and pasta.
- Order this
- Gnocchi alla sorrentina, pasta with shellfish, and delizia al limone for dessert.
- When to eat
- Lunch from about 12:30, dinner from 19:30. Kitchens often stay open late in summer.
- Book or walk in
- Book Il Buco and any seafront table at sunset. Pizzerias and trattorie often take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Service or cover is often added. Round up or leave a few euros for good service.
What to eat in Sorrento
- Gnocchi alla sorrentinaPotato gnocchi baked in tomato sauce with mozzarella and basil, bubbling in a clay dish. The town's signature.
- Scialatielli ai frutti di mareThick, short fresh pasta with clams, mussels and prawns. Common along the coast.
- Delizia al limoneA small sponge cake filled with lemon cream and covered in lemon glaze. Made from the local lemons.
- LimoncelloA sweet lemon liqueur served ice cold after dinner. Choose a producer who uses local lemons.
- CannelloniBaked pasta rolls with a meat or ricotta filling and tomato sauce. A specialty of the old garden restaurants.
- Fresh grilled fishLocal catch such as sea bream or bass, grilled whole and sold by weight. Ask the price before you order.
- PizzaSoft Neapolitan-style pizza with a puffed edge. Margherita is the best test.
- Mozzarella di bufalaFresh buffalo mozzarella from Campania, eaten with tomato and basil or on pizza.
Where to eat in Sorrento, by neighborhood
Marina Grande
The old fishing harbor, with seafood restaurants on the sea wall and tables near the boats. It is the best place for fish and for a sunset dinner.
The old center
Pizzerias, trattorie and wine bars in the lanes behind Piazza Tasso and Corso Italia. Quality varies, so check the menu before you sit.
Marina Piccola and the cliffs
Restaurants with views over the port and bay, some in cellars cut into the rock. Good for a special evening, and priced for it.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Il Buco
€€€€Michelin-starred restaurant · Marina Piccola
OrderA pasta course from the tasting menu
A modern restaurant in 16th-century cellars, with a large wine list. It is the town's formal dinner, with a small number of tables.
- Book
- Book well ahead, especially in summer
- Closed
- Wednesday; Monday and Tuesday dinner only
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
'O Parrucchiano La Favorita
€€€Historic restaurant · Corso Italia
OrderCannelloni
Open since 1860 and named a Historic Locale of Italy. A large garden with citrus trees is the draw, and the cooking is traditional Campanian.
- Book
- Book by phone, from 9:30 to 18:00
Confirmed open: parrucchiano.com
-
Trattoria da Emilia
€€Seafood trattoria · Marina Grande
OrderSeafood pasta or the catch of the day
A family trattoria on the harbor wall since 1947. Tables are simple and close to the water, and the fish comes off the boats.
- Book
- Walk in early, or book for a sunset table
Confirmed open: thetourguy.com
-
Pizzeria da Franco
€Pizzeria · Corso Italia
OrderPizza margherita
A busy Neapolitan-style pizzeria on the main street, often with a queue at the door. Soft crust and fast service.
- Book
- Walk in and expect a wait at peak times
Confirmed open: thetourguy.com
-
Ristorante Museo Caruso
€€€Restaurant · Old center
OrderSeafood pasta
A tidy restaurant decorated in tribute to the tenor Enrico Caruso, who spent his last weeks in Sorrento. Reliable, a step above the lanes' average.
- Book
- Book for dinner
Confirmed open: thetourguy.com
Food markets in Sorrento
- Mercato rionale di Via San RenatoThe weekly neighborhood market, with fruit and vegetables, cheese, olives and household goods. Local shoppers, not tour groups.Tuesday morningsSource: madtasting.com
How Sorrento eats
- Meal timesLunch is the main meal, from about 12:30 to 15:00. Dinner starts around 19:30 and runs late in summer.
- TippingMany restaurants add a cover charge or a service charge. If not, round up or leave a few euros.
- ReservationsBook dinner in summer, and ask for a table at sunset at Marina Grande.
- Fish by weightWhole fish is priced by weight. Ask the price per 100 grams and the size before you order.
- LimoncelloOffered after a meal, and often on the house in small family places. Say if you do not want it.
Signs of a place to walk past
Staff in the doorway calling you in on Piazza Tasso.
Menus with photos of the dishes and tourist menus in five languages.
Limoncello sold by the bottle at the table at a price that is not on the menu.
Eating in Sorrento: questions people ask
What food is Sorrento known for?
Gnocchi alla sorrentina, baked with tomato and mozzarella, is the town's dish. Seafood pasta, grilled fish and desserts and liqueurs made with local lemons follow.
Where is the best place to eat in Sorrento?
For a special dinner, Il Buco. For history and a garden, 'O Parrucchiano La Favorita. For fish by the water, Trattoria da Emilia in Marina Grande.
Do you need to book restaurants in Sorrento?
In summer, yes, for dinner and for any table with a view. Pizzerias and simple trattorie often take walk-ins.
Is Sorrento expensive for food?
It can be. Seafront and view restaurants charge for the setting. Pizza and pasta in the side lanes are better value.
Where can you find the best pizza in Sorrento?
Look at the pizzerias on Corso Italia and the lanes behind it, such as Pizzeria da Franco. Naples, an hour away, is better still.
What is delizia al limone?
A small sponge cake filled with lemon cream and glazed with lemon. It was created on the Amalfi Coast and is on most Sorrento dessert menus.