Rick Steves' Top Recommended Seaside Restaurant In Italy Is A Tasty Mediterranean Charmer

Rick Steves has many favorite watering holes, like the Anglesea Arms, a vibrant refuge that's his favorite pub scene in all of London. But if you want to "cin cin" and chin wag with the travel expert in Vernazza, Italy, he'll be at Ristorante Belforte sipping Cinque Terre wine, in one of the best countries for happy hour with its beloved aperitivo tradition. He calls this half-century-old coastal classic one of his top recommended European seaside settings, describing on his website how "you can feel the mist from the surf crashing below on the Vernazza breakwater."

As you savor antipasti from neighboring Ligurian Riviera towns like Monterosso anchovies, Porto Venere mussels, Elba rock octopus, and Santa Margherita pink shrimp, with regional wine seemingly curated to pair each snack, Steves says that "views of the ancient vineyard terracing all around you make the experience a highlight." But the Europhile is being modest with his description. In reality, you'll want to pinch yourself as you're perched on one of the restaurant's three open-air decks, somehow hovering out from craggy cliffs into panoramas of splendid azures of sea and sky and cinematic sunsets. Your backdrop for this view? The medieval Doria fortress, which just happens to be fashioned out of the sandstone landscape.  

These effortlessly dramatic landscapes set against the dazzling town of Vernazza, which Steves says is the "jewel" of Italy's iconic Cinque Terre, garnished with the local family-run Belforte's gregarious waitstaff, is why fans like Steves return regularly to hang out in its Mediterranean charm. As Mary and Greg rave on TripAdvisor, "We have been holidaying in Vernazza for the past 18 years and meals at Belforte are always a highlight," dining there four times in 2025 alone.

The alluring antipasti is just the tip. Come for the views and the romantically rustic setting — beyond the architectural artistry of Belforte's three abstractly stacked terraces, there's also a welcoming stone-walled interior. Then, linger over home-cooked Ligurian specialties, like trofie with Genova-style pesto, catch-of-the-day baked fish, and buccellato, a local cake to relish with sweet wine. The house headliner is rice with curry and langoustines, a titillating blend of luxuriant textures and exhilarating flavors, while the sensational tartare selection is a deep dive into the Mediterranean Sea's intricate essences. 

The trawler-to-terrace-table menu is inclusive: For "chi non ama il pesce" ("those who don't love fish," as the menu gently suggests), there's escalope and beef, hyperlocal greens like the caprese salad and asparagus and parmesan flan, and gluten-free options. Finish with a flourish with the famous strawberries flambéed table-side in a glorious blaze of bourbon and brown sugar, then plated with hand-crafted gelato. And this is exactly why tourists in Italy should not expect a quick dinner during their trip.

Belforte likes to play hard to get: First, it's only open from March to September, and closed on Tuesdays. Make reservations as early as possible, more so if you're adamant about going al fresco, and especially for that secret snuggle on its tiniest terrace hosting just one table. You'll have to hike 230 feet up to this roost in the shadow of the storied watchtower that's an iconic monument in the Vernazza villagescape, perfect for also working up that appetite. While the restaurant's prices are steep, like your ascent, it's worth the treat for priceless culinary treasures cooked from scratch and a convivial atmosphere that hosted performers and painters in the 1970s and 1980s.