When people find out that we frequently visit Positano, Italy, they often ask for recommendations. Restaurant recommendations can be tricky, though. Everyone has their own preferences, expectations, and budget. Even the best restaurant may have an “off night” and things don’t live up to the hype. Bearing these things in mind, here are a few of my personal favorites in Positano proper. All of these locations are within walking distance in Positano – provided you’re willing and able to walk up or down hill. (Positano is a very vertical place with lots of stairs and inclines.) There are other great places you can reach by boat or car, which I’d be happy to elaborate on in another post. Also, I should give major props to my husband’s family for never leading me astray when it comes to ordering. A lot of my favorite dishes are things they’ve been getting for years, and I’m so glad they showed me the way. Most of what I recommend here is something they’ve recommended to me, and I’ve loved it. Without further ado, here are a few of my favorites in alphabetical order.

Buca di Bacco

• http://www.bucadibacco.it/buca_di_bacco_en.html
• My favorite: Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes

Buca di Bacco is where I love to get the most pure, unadulterated spaghetti. Not only is it delicious, the pasta is a perfect al dente. (Unfamiliar with the term? Do a little reading. Most pasta in the States is a slightly overcooked.) The spaghetti at Buca is so light, refreshing, and seemingly simple. I’m sure there are plenty of other delicious things on the menu, but I’ve never strayed from my spaghetti to find out. Buca has an upstairs, outdoor seating area. This is a great place to watch the sunset and moon rise. It’s a really beautiful view of the beach during the evening.

Chez Black

• http://www.chezblack.it/index-en.php
• My favorite: Pizza
• Best for: Lunch or Dinner

Chez Black is on the water front. I read a critique of it being a tourist trap on a blog recently, but I totally disagree. The restaurant has been family-owned for generations. Everyone there works really hard to make sure guests are comfortable and happy. They take great care of us every time we’re there. Although Chez Black has fresh fish and pasta, I tend to get pizza every time the pizzaioli I recognize is working. He made lots of heart-shaped pizza the year we got engaged! He makes a mean pizza and when it’s delivered to your table, he watches to make sure you like it. That’s a man that takes pride in his work, and I totally dig it. We typically don’t sit on the front row of seats, mostly because there are four of us eating. The second row in gives us an awesome view of what’s happening in the restaurant and on the street outside. This might be why we’ve always sat in Rosario’s section. He takes such great care of us, and has one of the best smiles.

da Vincenzo

• http://www.davincenzo.it/
• Best for: Dinner*
• My favorites: Spaghetti with clams, spaghetti with fava beans

This is another family-owned restaurant, filled with some of the hardest working people in town. (Noticing a theme yet?) They’re incredibly kind to us every time we visit, and I highly recommend you have dinner there while you’re in town. Two things our family talks about incessantly when we reminisce about eating in Positano can be found at da Vincenzo’s: spaghetti with clams and spaghetti with fava beans. They’re obscenely delicious. (The fava beans are only in season for a little while, so they might not be on the menu, depending on when you’re in town.) There’s indoor and outdoor seating available. If you’re sitting outside, be sure to venture inside to look around. The restaurant is carved into the mountain, so you can see the mountain in the walls and ceiling. It’s really cool. They’ve remodeled (as of 2017), making the tables and décor more modern, but it blends perfectly well. If you’re sensitive to lighting, you may care to know that it’s a little brighter than some prefer … but that makes it easier to take photos of your food before you devour it! PS: They have a shop up the road a bit. It’s worth checking out. They sell linens and other fun stuff you’ll find in the restaurant.

Franco’s Bar

• http://francosbar.com/en
• My favorite: Gin and tonic

Franco’s Bar opened relatively recently (perhaps 2016?). It’s part of Le Sirenuse, and both of them are a great place to have a cocktail. What I love about getting drinks in Positano is that most places, including Franco’s, will serve you a little snack as well. It’s usually olives, potato chips, or a pretzel mix. So you can sit, relax, and enjoy the views. It’s so calming. (Don’t put the olives next to me, unless you’re OK with getting, like, one of them.) What I enjoyed about Franco’s, specifically, is the attention to design detail. Everything is so carefully crafted, and there’s a book on your table that highlights the artisans who helped create things. It’s the kind of thing my mother, the art teacher, would really appreciate. This would be the perfect place to get gussied up for pre-dinner drinks.

La Pergola

• http://www.bucapositano.it/ristorante-en.html
• My favorite: Gelato
• Best for: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
• Ask for: Leo (pronounced LAY-oh)

La Pergola is on the main beach in Positano. (It’s part of Buca di Bacco.) There’s a self-service area if you want a quick drink or gelato, with dedicated bar stools and tables. But there’s also plenty of room to sit for a meal. Do yourself a solid and ask if Leo (pronounced LAY-oh) is working. Tell him hi for me! Or you could show him this photo, because he’d probably recognize Derek and his mom pretty quickly. It’s one of the best places for people watching. I love to get breakfast there to watch the seafood deliveries, painters setting up their easels, and the first tourists getting dropped off at the ferry. It’s great for a mid-afternoon gin tonic, too. Then again, I also love to get a late-night gelato there when it’s quiet after most of the tourists have gone. La Pergola also has free wi-fi for customers, in case you want to connect with people back home. Ask your server for a code, which is printed out on receipt paper.

Le Sirenuse Champagne Bar

• http://sirenuse.it/en/restaurants-bars
• Ask for: Roberto

Le Sirenuse is a great place to have a drink, enjoy the views, and relax. It’s really beautiful. I highly recommend it. To some, the drinks may seem a little pricey but, remember, they often come with a few snacks and breath taking views. We did not make it there this year (2017), but we’ve enjoyed drinks there in previous years. It’s a lovely place to have a drink and take in the view!

Lo Guarracino

• http://www.loguarracinopositano.it/english/index.html
• My favorite: Pizza

If you’re the type of person who worries about carbs, eating at Lo Guarracino may be the perfect fit for you. To get there, you walk up this really beautiful path that’s uphill all the way. If you do it quickly, you’ll miss the views and you might be ready to pass out by the time you get to the stairs leading up to the restaurant. (No? Just me?) Give yourself time to talk that path at a leisurely pace, so you can stop for pictures or appreciate the sea. It’s really gorgeous. My favorite thing to get at Lo Guarracino is pizza. It’s huge and delicious. I love the pizzas with fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and arugula (rocket lettuce). Drink some wine, eat slowly, and relax while you take in one of the most beautiful views in Positano. It’s so gorgeous, it hardly seems real. Oh, and make friends with the lizards!

Ristorante Saraceno d’Oro

• http://www.saracenodoro.it/
• Best for: Lunch*
• My favorite: Pizza

Saraceno d’Oro (pronounced sarah-chay-no d-oro) is up the mountain a bit. You can get there by walking along the street, taking a taxi, or climbing about a thousand stairs. If you walk, give yourself plenty of time to get there at a leisurely pace so you’re not out of breath and sweaty by the time you arrive. One of the things I love about this restaurant is that it’s divided by the one-way street. There are benches on one side and the building on the other. The servers go back and forth with confidence and grace, while buses and vehicles cruise by behind them. It makes me nervous being so close to the cars, but it’s also pretty fascinating. You get used to it, eventually. Wine helps a bit. My favorite thing to get during lunch at Saraceno d’Oro is pizza. It’s one of my favorite spots for the perfect crust and fresh ingredients. They have lots of other tasty things on the menu but, as you’ve probably guessed by now, I usually stick to my favorites at each restaurant.

Bonus Recommendations

It’s tough to talk about all of the amazing places to eat in Positano, Italy! Here are three additional favorites worth trying. We’ve eaten at each one plenty of times, and they’re awesome. I highly recommend them.

• Le Tre Sorelle
• Rada
• Ristorante Max

Rada is on the fine dinning end. Excellent service, views, and food. Ristorante Max is where I get ravioli. It’s amazing! Lots of artwork to appreciate while you’re there, too. I’ve heard that Vini e Panini has great sandwiches, but I’ve never gotten one. If you’re looking for something to take to the beach (drinks, sandwich, etc.), then stop in on the way down. It’s a handy shop.

Helpful Hints

Here are a few things to note about dining in Positano, Italy. Reservations: Reservations are recommended, especially in the high season. Limoncello (pronounced lee-mohn-chell-o): A great treat to have after lunch or dinner is a shot of limoncello. Although it’s served in a shot glass, you should totally sip and savor it. Limoncello is delicious and sweet. It’s such a lovely way to end a meal. Walking: Some of the restaurants are uphill, and others are down by the water. Plan your evening by giving yourself enough time to slowly walk up or down the many inclines you’ll encounter, so you don’t arrive sweaty and out of breath. Smoking: A lot of restaurants offer al fresco dining. (You eat outside.) If you do sit outside, be warned that smoking is allowed. I’m especially sensitive to the smell, so I excused myself to the ladies room while someone at a neighboring table smoked. Most places in Positano allow smoking outside, so heads up. Tipping: When it comes to tipping your servers, know that this is typically done in cash. They’ll bring a credit card receipt and wait while you sign it. There’s no line for adding a tip, like most places here in the States.

What about you?

Have you been to Positano? Agree or disagree with these recommendations? Have info you’d like to add or share? Use the comments to tell me what you think. I’d love to hear from you! *Note: I’m rating the lunch or dinner choice based on personal experience. I won’t mark these as great for dinner if I’ve never had dinner there. We rotate around a lot, so sometimes I only get lunch at a certain spot.