Where to Eat in Positano According to a Local
The town of Positano is one of those iconic places that simply has to be visited at least once in a lifetime. Here, perhaps more-so than anywhere else in Italy, you can immerse yourself completely in the glamour of the dolce vita (the sweet life).
What could be better than lying on the beach while sipping a glass of cold limoncello and gazing up at the towering majolia dome of the Duomo of Positano? With stunning scenery, gorgeous weather, and delicious food, a vacation in Positano is simply hard to top.
Of course, fully enjoying a trip to Positano and the Amalfi Coast more generally, means indulging in our rich cuisine. As throughout all of the Coast, the food here is centered on local products, bright flavors, and the freshest fish that the Mediterranean Sea has to offer. Seafood is king here and features prominently on restaurant menus, so be sure to take advantage of that.
For a town of only 4,000 people, Positano has an incredibly rich culinary tradition and it punches seriously beyond its weight when it comes to gastronomy. How many other small towns can you think of where you’ll find multiple Michelin-starred restaurants?
And beyond the food itself, if dining with a view is important to you, there are countless restaurants, cafes, and cocktail bars where you can grab a drink or sit down for a meal while enjoying panoramic views over the impossibly blue Mediterranean coastline.
As one of the most popular destinations in Italy, Positano also has its fair share of tourist traps, which offer mediocre to downright bad food at extortionate prices. Avoiding these restaurants and choosing the local gems is one of the keys to making the most of your vacation.
With that in mind, I’ve put together this list of my 9 favorite restaurants in Positano. I know that lots of travelers here are prepared to spend some serious money on eating out, so I’ve included plenty of high-end, fine dining spots, but have also mixed in some simpler establishments that still offer great food but at more moderate prices.
Keep reading below to see my picks!
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Table of Contents
Map of Positano Restaurants
Things to know about dining in Positano
Positano’s Best Restaurants
1. Buca di Bacco
2. The Wine Shop - Vini e Panini
3. Bar Covo dei Saraceni
4. Chez Black
5. La Tagliata
6. Da Ferdinando
7. Rada Beach Bistrot
8. Da Adolfo and Treville Beach Club
9. Franco’s Bar
Amalfi Coast planning cheatsheet
Plan your itinerary with expert advice
- Book an Italy travel consultation with a local expert
My favorite hotels on the Amalfi Coast
- Maison La Minervetta - clifftop luxury overlooking Sorrento. $450/night
- Palazzo Marziale - gorgeous rooms in a restored palace in Sorrento. $200/night
- Casa Santangelo Suites - opulent style in the heart of Salerno. $250/night
- B&B il Duca d'Amalfi - excellent value in Salerno's old town. $110/night
Guided tours and activities
- Classic Amalfi Coast Driving Tour
- Pompeii with an Archaeologist
- Walking tour of Naples
- Capri boat tour (from Sorrento)
- Path of the Gods hike (small group)
How to get around
- Car rentals with DiscoverCars
- Train tickets from Trenitalia and Circumvesuviana
- Bus routes at SITA
Guided Tours of the Amalfi Coast
If you’d like to see the Amalfi Coast through the eyes of a local, reach out to Marco, our favorite local driver-guide.
Marco is born and raised in Sorrento, and he’s spent his entire life on the Amalfi Coast. For over 20 years, he’s welcomed visitors to his home region, showing them both the highlights and hidden gems of this stunning peninsula.
If you’re looking for a driver and guide for a day or two of touring the coast, Marco is your man!
Map of Positano’s Restaurants
Things to know about dining in Positano
As an archaeologist, I can’t miss out on the opportunity to share a bit of history with you before I get into the practical details of dining in Positano and along the Amalfi Coast more generally. Here’s a (super) short history lesson:
It was the ancient Romans who first inhabited this place, and even they recognized its majesty. Here, they built their villas for otium (vacation & relaxation) and used the Amalfi Coast as their playground. Right in Positano, below the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral, are the remains of an extraordinary Roman villa from the 1st century AD that are still visible.
The Romans themselves began their production of Garum in this part of the Amalfi Coast. For those unfamiliar with it, Garum is a delicious, fermented fish sauce that the Romans used as a substitute for salt in almost all their dishes.
Legend says that this fish sauce is the ancestor of the more contemporary anchovy sauce, Colatura di Alici, that is now produced by the fishermen of Cetara, another characteristic village on the Amalfi Coast. If you’re not afraid of strong and decisive flavors, you should be sure to try spaghetti with anchovy sauce during your stay in Positano!
So, what should you be aware of when dining in Positano?
Well, for one thing, this is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world, so prices for just about everything are much higher than the average in Italy. The small stretch of Campania coastline that makes up the Amalfi Coast sees more than 5 million international visitors every year.
Tourism is the dominant industry in the region, and prices certainly reflect that. Whether you’re going to a restaurant, bar, café, or pastry shop, expect prices to be “elevated”.
Even so, no matter where you are in the world, there are always local spots where you can enjoy a fabulous meal at reasonable prices. In this article, we share our favorite authentic local places to have breakfast, a snack, a lunch by the sea, an afternoon refreshment, or an evening of fine dining. Be on the lookout while you eat, because you may just find that you’re sitting next to a vacationing celebrity!
Visiting and dining in Positano can definitely be done without spending a fortune, but it will take some organization, a bit of practical sense, and adaptability. The entire Amalfi Coast still retains the magic that made it world famous, and with some local help from guides like this one, you’ll be able to enjoy that classic Amalfi experience without having to take out a second mortgage.
Now let’s take a look at our restaurants!
1. Pasticceria Buca di Bacco
Fresh pastries from Buca di Bacco
Let's start with a nice Italian breakfast! At Pasticceria Buca di Bacco, which is a longstanding pastry and ice cream parlor located along Positano’s inner road, you can stop for an espresso or cappuccino accompanied by a nice croissant (cornetto in Italian) filled with cream and black cherry.
This is also an excellent place to try a slice of homemade cake or typical desserts of the Amalfi coast such as the “Delizia al limone” (sponge cake covered with lemon cream) or the sfogliatella (pastry filled with ricotta and candied fruit). Their cream and fruit ice creams are also quite good.
2. The Wine Shop Positano - Vini e Panini
Grab a sandwich from the Wine Shop and head down to enjoy it on the beach
This delicatessen-minimarket, located along the steps leading to the Duomo, is a great place to try typical, freshly made Italian sandwiches (panini). Grab a sandwich to go and take it away to eat on the beach or while sitting on one of Positano's steps admiring its many splendid views.
They have a great selection, and the choice abounds between different types of sandwich meats (raw, cooked, mortadella, salami), cheeses, vegetables, and olives. For something light, try the classic "caprese" summer sandwich, which is filled with buffalo mozzarella, tomato, basil or oregano, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt. Fantastic on a hot day!
You can also pick up some cold bottles of white wine or beer to take with you in case you’d like a cool drink while you sit on the beach and eat. If you’re staying in an apartment and are doing any cooking of your own, this is also a good place to get fruit and vegetables.
And for friends and family back home who weren’t lucky enough to make it here, the shop also sells some nice souvenirs and other items. I recommend the Amalfi lemon candies and the hand painted bottles of limoncello with depictions of the coast.
If you’re looking to eat good food at a great price, this is for you!
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
3. Bar Ristorante Hotel Covo dei Saraceni
A lemon granita from Bar Covo dei Saraceni
The famous Hotel Covo dei Saraceni, which overlooks Positano’s pier, has a fantastic restaurant. Seafood is their specialty, so be sure to order something fish-based, such as the spaghetti with clams. If all you’re looking for is a drink, this is my absolute favorite place to have a refreshing lemon granita (similar to a slushie).
They even serve the granitas at the bar directly inside the lemons themselves! This is the perfect refreshment on hot summer afternoons along the coast, and the granita is the perfect companion for your stroll from Positano’s Grande Beach over to the quieter Spiaggia Fornillo.
4. Chez Black
Photo: tednmiki, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chez Black has been the place to see and be seen for American and Italian celebrities since the 1960’s. Everyone who visited Positano wanted a front row table at this restaurant, where you can look out on the beach and watch the world go by…. and have it watch you back!
Located in the center of Positano's Grande beach, in the shadow of the Cathedral’s majolica dome, this has always been the premier place to eat fish in Positano. You’ll see countless photos of famous people eating here, which is a testament to its popularity.
They serve excellent pizzas in addition to their seafood. The bounty of the sea is the star attraction though, and among their most famous fish courses are the fried calamaretti (baby squid) and spaghetti al nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink). The meal can get messy, so don’t be shy: ask for a bib and avoid getting your pristine white linen shirt dirty!
5. La Tagliata
If you’re tired of fish and seafood or if you simply prefer a meal in the fresh air of the Lattari Mountains overlooking Positano, La Tagliata is the place for you. This is about 10 minutes outside of Positano, so if you don’t have a car, you’ll need to grab a taxi.
A family-run farm as well as a restaurant, expect to be treated to many different extremely fresh ingredients and dishes. Here, while enjoying spectacular views and a warm and informal atmosphere, you’ll taste vegetable appetizers, omelettes, eggplant parmesan, and whatever else is in season.
For first courses, there are excellent pasta dishes seasoned with tomato or mushroom sauce, while the secondi (second courses) are of course grilled pork, veal, and lamb! Wash it all down with local wines and finish with an artisanal glass of limoncello while watching the sun set beind the coast.
6. Da Ferdinando - beach club and restaurant
Photo: Gotta Be Worth It, via Pexels.
Situated inside the beach club on Fornillo beach, Da Ferdinando is a great place to grab a meal in between dips in the ocean. Just pop your sandals on and come right over while still in your bathing suit (no formal dress required) We especially recommend trying the paranza (small fish like anchovies), octopus salad, and prawns.
All courses are served in beautiful ceramic plates made in nearby Vietri sul Mare, which is a village on the Amalfi coast famous all over the world for its production of hand-painted ceramics. So be sure to admire your plate after you’ve finished eating!
If you don’t make it for lunch, Da Ferdinando is also the ideal place to relax at the end of the day while drinking a fresh classic Spritz or, for something a little different, a Limoncello Spritz in the Amalfi style.
7. Rada Beach Bistrot
In recent years, the Rada Beach Bistrot has become one of the trendiest places in Positano. The restaurant is at the end of the seafront promenade (which is dedicated to the famous Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev) and right above the famous Positano night club, “Music on the Rock”, where summer revelers go wild and dance until dawn.
This glamorous restaurant offers excellent appetizers, and seafood-focused first and second courses, along with a vast selection of Italian and French wines. The selection of raw fish is exceptional and their linguine with lobster, datterini tomatoes, and basil genuinely deserves its fame. They also offer a very good mixed grill of fish and excellent fruit cocktails.
At lunchtime, the restaurant offers a selection of tasty mixed salads (with tuna, salmon or buffalo mozzarella), which are perfect for anyone watching their figure and trying to keep the perfect beach bod!
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
8. Ristorante Da Adolfo di Bella Sergio & TreVille Beach Club - Laurito beach
We’ve combined Da Adolfo and TreVille Beach Club because the two restaurants are located side by side on Laurito beach. Before describing the restaurants, you have to know how to get to them: Laurito beach can only be reached by boat or after descending 500 steep stairs. To get here, small boats depart about once per hour from the pier of Positano.
You’ll know which boat will take you to Adolfo by the the Red Fish (Pesce Rosso) on its mast. The beach is one of the most beautiful, isolated and exclusive of the entire Amalfi Coast, and is often correctly described as a slice of paradise. It’s worth the work to get to it.
Da Adolfo’s name comes from its founder, Adolfo, who after having fought in Crete in the Second World War and becoming a partisan in Emilia Romagna, returned to Positano with his American wife.
Together, they created Da Afolfo, which is a wonderful seaside restaurant and meeting point that brings together people from all over the world in search of good food and relaxation. Even as the restaurant became famous, they have stayed entirely true to their culinary traditions and focus on local products.
More than any other dish, you must try their mozzarella on lemon leaves. Their wild lemon leaves are picked from the trees growing on the rocky cliffs behind the beach and then cooked on a charcoal grill, before having the fresh mozzarella spread on them. This dish alone justifies the journey to get here. Their mussel soup and grilled fish are also quite good.
The restaurant is extremely popular and booking ahead is mandatory, so be sure to plan this trip in advance.
In case Da Adolfo is fully booked, or you just prefer to try somewhere else, the Villa Treville Hotel’s beach club is another very good choice. The hotel is one of the most renowned in the Amalfi Coast, and they opened the club a few years back, right next door to Da Adolfo.
This new beach club offers elegant service, good fish dishes, and exquisite pizzas. Enjoy it all with a glass of chilled white wine and a dip in the brilliant blue waters of the Mediterranean sea.
9. Franco’s bar
Franco’s Bar is on this list for two reasons: they make fantastic cocktails and are located in a wonderful elevated position that offers glorious views over the Santa Maria Assunta dome, the Grande beach of Positano, and the peninsula all the way out to Punta Campanella. On clear days you can even see the Faraglioni rocks of Capri.
The bar doesn’t accept reservations and there’s a minimum required spend of 20 euros per person, but it’s absolutely worth it. The experience of sitting here while looking out on the setting sun and sipping a delicious cocktail is worth many times that price.
You won’t believe how good your Tropical Positano, Basil Negroni, or Watermelon Paloma tastes!
Guided tours on the Amalfi Coast
If you’re interested in taking a tour while on the Amalfi Coast, you’ll find all sorts of neat experiences. While there are lots of short walking tours of the individual towns, we usually think that they’re really only worth it for Naples and Salerno, which are bigger cities. Ravello can also be interesting if you’d like to visit some of its beautiful villas.
Rather than individual walking tours, we think a better use of time is to take a full-day driving tour that includes stops in a host of different towns. Because they’re mostly very small, you can typically visit much of the coast in a single day.
You’ll also find quite a few different boat trips, both shared and private, that go to places like Capri, Procida, Ischia, and the famous Blue Grotto.
Of course, archaeological tours are often another highlight of any visit to the Amalfi Coast. Just nearby you have the ruins of Pompeii, Paestum, and Herculaneum, three of the finest examples of Roman ruins anywhere in Italy.
Walking tours
If you’re interested in walking tours, we highly recommend them in Naples and Salerno. Naples is a big city full of history & culture, hidden corners, and wonderful architecture. It can also be chaotic and confusing, so having a local guide with you really adds to the experience.
Salerno, while not remotely as big as Naples, is an interesting little city that has a lot to see. The town of Ravello is home to some beautiful villas and gardens, like those found at Villa Cimbrone. Both places deserve a longer visit if you have the time.
For terrific walking tours, we always recommend local guide Roberto. He’s an archaeologist-guide based in Salerno who runs really fun and interesting experiences.
Archaeological tours
Anyone with even a passing interest in archaeology, history, or Roman civilization should dedicate at least a morning or afternoon to exploring the Amalfi Coast’s stunning archaeological sites. Pompeii is the best known, but Paestum and Herculaneum are also wonderful places to visit (and much less crowded).
As for walking tours, our go-to guide is always Roberto, who is a PhD archaeologist and fully licensed guide.
Driving tours
For those with limited time, a full-day driving tour is a great way to see a lot of the Amalfi Coast in a little bit of time. Most driving tours are 8-9 hours and drivers can typically accommodate up to 6-8 guests in their vehicles.
When possible, we recommend doing a driving tour on the day you arrive to the region as it gives you a good introduction to the entire Amalfi Coast and it saves you some money on a transfer as you can get picked up at the train station, airport or ferry terminal in Naples and then finish the tour at your hotel on the coast.
For driving tours, we always recommend driver-guide Marco who is based in Sorrento and has lived his entire life in the region.
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
Escape the crowds, avoid tourist traps, and experience the coast like a local, with a local!
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