Positano is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. With crystal blue water on one side and pastel dotted hills on the other, the location is so unique and stunning, it never gets old. The endless ocean views and tranquil hillside gets engrained in your mind. The city is built into the cliffs of Italy’s southern Amalfi Coast. Narrow one-way streets meander through the town, lined with restaurants and boutiques selling lemon printed everything.
As is common in Italy, there are plenty of amazing restaurants to choose from. The list below includes some of the best options in town. Since we were arrived after eating our way through Rome (check out our favorites), we focused on finding those featuring fresh fish and lighter dishes. Although we ended up spending most of our time in town, there are more options to explore if you’re up for driving 30-45 minutes outside of Positano. Buon appetito!
Where to Eat & Drink
Best Restaurants & Bars in Positano
Lo Guarracino
Lo Guarracino is located just outside of the main beachfront in Positano, requiring a short walk along the waterfront, which is part of what makes this place so special. The narrow path offers a quiet escape from town and beautiful views. Once you arrive, you’ll find the restaurant perched in the cliffs overlooking the sea. We ate here more than once, falling in love with the views and also the delicious food. You’ll find simple dishes made with fresh seafood and pasta, along with the best pizza in town.
Da Vincenco
Da Vincenco is where we had our favorite meals in Positano, offering an outstanding menu and extensive wine list. Most of the tables are inside, which has a nice setting, although we preferred eating outside. Call ahead to request an outdoor table. Even though the outdoor tables are on the interior side of street with so-so views of the ocean, we still preferred it to eating inside. This is a great choice for foodies who don’t want to pay Michelin star prices.
Bruno
Bruno is nice restaurant that we were fortunate to have just steps away from our hotel. It’s a great spot for lunch with tables on both sides of the street. If you can score a table on the waterside, you’ll enjoy spectacular views along with reasonably priced salads, seafood, pasta and a refreshing Aperol and Campari spritz’s.
La Tagliata
If you spend any amount of time researching where to eat in Positano, La Tagliata will quickly rise to the top. That said, read on before deciding whether this is a “must do” for your trip.
What I liked about it was the uniqueness of the experience and the views. It’s a family run restaurant perched high in the hills with breathtaking views of the entire coastline. There are two seatings and one menu each night. No ordering is involved, but instead, the friendly staff brings out dish after dish after dish. Too much food is served, but it’s fresh and pretty good. Endless house wine is also provided. We toured the kitchen, met the matriarch and patriarch and visited the animals and garden, which was fun.
What I didn’t like was that although many tables had a beautiful view, we were in a room that did not. Since the view is a big selling point for this restaurant, I felt like we missed out on what makes this place so special. The food was fine, but not great. And, getting to and from the restaurant is a hassle. There’s a free shuttle for the 25 minute ride along a winding road, which worked well on our way to dinner. However, the long wait for a shuttle on the home was less than ideal. For me, this one was not worth the trip.
Da Teresa
We stopped at Da Teresa for lunch during our Amalfi boat tour. The easiest way to access it is by boat. Located on Santa Croce Beach, this casual little spot is right on the water. We had extremely fresh fish, although we found it to be on the pricey side for lunch. Still, the atmosphere was something you can only find on the Amalfi Coast, so it was a good experience. There are other options worth trying if you’re spending the day on the sea.
Sciu' Sciue' Di Minopoli Raffaele
When we visited Capri, it was extremely hard to decide where to eat. There were endless choices and we hadn’t done any research. We ended up at Sciu’ Sciue’ Di Minopoli Raffaele in Anacapri and were not disappointed. Sitting outside, we were able to enjoy the great atmosphere and people watching along the busy shopping street. Our super friendly server (maybe the owner?) gave us great recommendations and we enjoyed fresh pasta and the most outstanding caprese insalata—it was perfect.
Ohima Brasserie
We stumbled upon Ohima Brasserie—a fantastic spot—on our way to dinner. Located down the street from our restaurant, we were drawn to the beautiful décor. There were two outside tables along Via C Colombo that were perfect for a pre-dinner drink. Our waiter was also a mixologist who created a cocktail for us based on how we answered a few of his questions about flavor preferences. He nailed it! It was so delicious. He even named it after us—the Friganashika (combination of our two last names) and wrote it down in his drink book. The couple sitting next to us ordered it, too! This is one worth checking out for dinner.
Bar Franco
Bar Franco is a place where people go to be seen – great music, great view and it’s open late. The bar is located next to the La Sirenuse hotel and although we didn’t end up getting a drink here due to the long line, it seems like one worth visiting.
Ristorante L'Ancora
Enjoy the big patio with an airy vibe and beautiful views at Ristorante L’Ancora. It’s a perfect spot for happy hour, located on Via C Colombo in the Hotel L’Ancora.
