La Spezia is routinely treated as a transit point for the Cinque Terre, but the city and the villages immediately around it — Tellaro, Montemarcello, Riomaggiore — have a dining scene that rewards staying for dinner. The geography explains why: kitchens here pull from the Gulf of Poets for seafood and from the Ligurian and Lunigiana hills for olive oil, herbs, chestnut flour, and seasonal produce. The result, at the better tables, is cuisine with a specific sense of place rather than a generic Ligurian menu.
The six restaurants below represent the more considered end of the dining spectrum in the area — from a contemporary bistro in Riomaggiore to a destination-level restaurant in Tellaro. Many visitors combine an evening in one of these with a countryside visit during the day as part of a La Spezia food and wine experience into the Lunigiana — wine estates, cheesemakers, and truffle hunters in the hills before dinner on the coast.
Rio Bistrot (Riomaggiore)
Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore is one of the more refined options within Cinque Terre itself. The tasting menus reinterpret Ligurian flavours — anchovy, pesto, citrus, shellfish — using contemporary techniques. Seafood dominates the menu, as you would expect from its position directly above the sea. Reservations are essential; the restaurant is small and fills quickly, particularly on days when cruise ships are in port at La Spezia.
Il Fico Trentacareghe (Tellaro)
Il Fico Trentacareghe sits on the coastal road approaching Tellaro, one of the most scenic small villages in the province. The menu is grounded in seafood and regional tradition; the location — overlooking a picturesque stretch of coastline — makes it well-suited to a sunset dinner after a walk along the Tellaro headland. Booking ahead is advisable in summer.
Miranda – Gianni D’Amato (Tellaro)
Miranda is the most ambitious restaurant in the La Spezia area. Chef Gianni D’Amato’s tasting menus are built on local sourcing — fish from the gulf, herbs and produce from the hillside — but presented with technical refinement and creative intent. It is a destination-level restaurant in the proper sense: worth planning a visit to Tellaro specifically around a dinner here. Advance booking is required.
Pescarino (Montemarcello)
Pescarino in Montemarcello — a hilltop village above the Magra estuary — offers sweeping views and a menu that balances seafood from the coast with produce from the surrounding farmland. The “terra e mare” approach is common in eastern Liguria and Pescarino executes it well, with the added draw of one of the area’s better outlooks. A good choice for lunch if you are driving south along the coast toward Tuscany.
Visiting La Spezia or the Cinque Terre?
Escape the crowds with our
truffle hunt & gourmet truffle lunch & tasting in Lunigiana — a perfect shore excursion from La Spezia.
Or go inland to watch a
Parmigiano Reggiano dairy in the Parma Apennines — just over an hour from the coast.
Practical Notes
- Booking: All four restaurants above require reservations, particularly May–September. Miranda books up furthest in advance.
- Getting there: Tellaro and Montemarcello are 15–20 minutes by car from La Spezia; Riomaggiore is 20 minutes by train. A car is needed for Tellaro and Montemarcello.
- Combining with the Cinque Terre: Rio Bistrot is the natural choice if you are already in the Cinque Terre villages; Miranda and Pescarino suit a coastal drive south from La Spezia.
- Cruise passengers: La Spezia is a major cruise port; the restaurants in Tellaro and Montemarcello are quieter and less affected by cruise-day crowds than those in the city centre.
For a full picture of the food experiences available in and around La Spezia — from countryside producer visits to truffle hunting in the Lunigiana — see the La Spezia food and wine experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Spezia worth staying for dinner?
Yes — and the better restaurants are mostly in the villages around the city rather than in the port area itself. Tellaro (Il Fico Trentacareghe, Miranda) and Montemarcello (Pescarino) are 15–20 minutes by car from La Spezia and offer a quieter, more scenic setting than the city centre. Riomaggiore’s Rio Bistrot is the best option if you are already in the Cinque Terre villages.
What is Miranda restaurant in Tellaro?
Miranda is a destination restaurant in Tellaro run by chef Gianni D’Amato. It produces tasting menus built on local sourcing — gulf seafood, hillside herbs, seasonal produce — with technically refined, creative cooking. It is the most ambitious restaurant in the La Spezia area and worth planning a visit specifically around. Advance booking is required; it fills weeks ahead in high season.
What is the best restaurant in Cinque Terre?
Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore is consistently cited as the most refined option within the Cinque Terre villages themselves. The tasting menus reinterpret Ligurian flavours — anchovy, pesto, shellfish, citrus — with contemporary technique. It is small and books quickly; reservations are essential, particularly on cruise-ship days when La Spezia port is busy.
How do you get to Tellaro from La Spezia?
By car, about 15–20 minutes south along the coast road. There is no direct train; the nearest station is Lerici, which requires a connecting bus or taxi to Tellaro. For dinner at Miranda or Il Fico, a car (or taxi from La Spezia) is the practical option. Tellaro is a very small village with limited parking — arrive early and walk down to the waterfront.
What should I eat in the La Spezia area?
At upscale restaurants in the area, the menu typically leads with gulf seafood: trofie with pesto, seafood crudi, branzino, and cuttlefish preparations. Miranda in Tellaro and Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore both present these ingredients with contemporary technique. For more casual local dishes — farinata, panigacci, focaccia con i muscoli, mesciüa — see the guide to eating like a local in La Spezia.
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