Sorrento Restaurant Tips by leics Top 5 Page for this destination

Primavera: Gelato....

There is no doubt that Primavera is extremely popular, not only with visitors but also with locals, who enjoy a gelato during their passegiatta.

I've had an ice-cream from this place on all my visits to Sorrento. They have a vast range of flavours available (and they make crepes as well).

But I have to be honest and say that their ice-cream is nothing special. It is good...but Italian ice-cream always is good, in my experience. It is certainly not cheap at 2.50 euro for a small cone and just one flavour.

Buy a gelato from Primavera by all means, but I think you will find gelato just as good (if not better) elsewhere in Sorrento. Don't assume that its prominent position and apparent popularity mean it's the best available.

Address: Corso Italia

Directions: Between Piazza Tasso and the cathedral.

Rating: 2

Theme: Ice Cream

Website: http://www.primaverasorrento.it/

Miccio's: Not the best night to visit....

I was very tired, and very hungry, and needed somewhere very near to my hotel for a pizza and a beer. Miccio's trattoria/pizzeria fitted the bill, just round the corner with a large covered outside eating area and a good range of pizza at reasonable prices.

I chose a very bad night to visit. No sooner had I sat down then a vast number of very large and very loud foreign ?university? students arrived (in their 20s, not teenagers). The noise they continued to generate, particularly one table, was absolutely incredible...especially as they did not appear to be drunk. Screams of laughter, roaring, chanting, clapping, whistling....

I ate my pizza as quickly as I could, and left.

The pizza (Campagnola...a vegetarian topping) was absolutely fine and the beer was too. The staff were pleasant and courteous, though clearly harassed by the enormous and enormously noisy party. The pizza and beer came to 10 euro, which is a good price for central Sorrento.

This is somewhere I'd like to try again..it's family-owned and not obviously tourist-focused. But I'd like to try it without the company of a student group.

Address: Via degli Aranci, 36

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: From Corso Italia, walk past the cathedral away from P Tasso and turn immediately left up very narrow Via Sersale, past the Hotel Mignon and out through the city walls. Miccio's is 100m or so to the left.

Phone: +39 (0)81 8781223

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

The English Inn: I'm almost ashamed....

This is *exactly* the type of place I would normally run a mile from when on holiday. But, for some reason, I had a bout of masochism and thought 'Why not try it to see what makes people go to 'English' pubs when they're on holiday?'

So I did.

The English Inn serves a 'full English breakfast' in the mornings, and a variety of meals and snacks throughout the day and evening, including 'proper' English fish & chips. They make a big point of saying there is no cover charge and no service charge (just like a real English pub!). I only really wanted a salad so decided I'd eat there.

There are tables outside on the roadside, a wooden bar and small rooms inside, a large 'beer garden' at the back. I sat outside; it's bliss for a Brit to be able to eat outside, so I do it whenever I can even if I have to keep my coat on! As well as bottled beers, spirits etc they have several draught beers, including Nastro Azzurro (my choice) and, I think, Carling and Heineken.

I chose the 'bean salad' which was absolutely fine...exactly what it said it would be, salad with white beans (not baked beans!) and a dressing. I had some chips to go with it...perfectly standard chips, perfectly acceptable salad, absolutely nothing special and nothing wrong with it either.

Service was friendly enough, prices reasonable (for Sorrento). An ok place if you are short of choice, too tired to walk any further or simply desperate for something to eat.

Address: 55 Corso Italia

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Walk away from Piazza Tasso towards the cathedral. The English Inn is on the left, the same side as the cathedral and 200m or so after you have passed it.

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.englishinn.it/

Bar Veneruso: Friendly place Bar Veneruso Review

At least, it was friendly when I first visited in February 2008: very few customers in February, so there was plenty of time to be friendly. and it was equally pleasant when I revisited in October 2011. It's a very comfortable place for a solo female traveller to eat, with reasonable food at reasonable prices, and it is used by locals too.

I have eaten here several times, simply because much of Sorrento is shut in February (when I have visited twice) and, in October, simply because I like the place.

I've had salads, pizza, mushroom risotto (all entirely satisfactory), a small amount of wine, draught beer (Nastro Azzurro) and puddings (also very pleasant).

It has nothing spectacular in the way of food, but is very reasonably priced for the area (it's on the main street), is very clean and has helpful, friendly staff. A good basic eaterie and one well worth seeking out if you just want something simple in pleasant surroundings, without hassle or crowds of visitors.

Address: Corso Italia

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: On the left-hand side as you walk out of town away from the Circumvesuviana station, past the bell-tower and cathedral.

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Website: http://www.barveneruso.com/barveneruso.htm

Taverna dell'800: Another friendly place

It's a pub, really......well, a pub with restaurant tables (much the same as UK pubs nowadays). It's an old building, dating from the 18th century, and does have a pretty good atmosphere.

Nothing special, but the staff are very friendly and pleasant and the food is perfectly ok. They do three tourist menus at reasonable prices and a selection of individual dishes.

My friend liked the place, so we ate there twice. The tourist menus are ok pricewise (2 courses, some wine and some water) but my fish (first night) was pink in its thickest part and my octopus/squid (second) was rather rubbery. Both fish and octopus were ultra-fresh though, which is good, and the other courses (risotto one night, squid-ink pasta with shrimp the other) were very tasty.

There is a pianist who sings all the standards...'That's Amore', 'Funiculi, Funicula' etc etc.

They cater for school parties out of season, so be warned that you may find yourself surrounded by British, German or US teens. Sit in the first room, by the bar, if you wish to avoid that experience.

It's a pleasant enough place to eat in a mostly-closed Sorrento, and the friendly staff do make one feel comfortable.

O yes...they do serve Beamish and Guinness and stuff like that. If you absolutely must......

Address: Via Dell'Accademia 29

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Hmmm...not easy. Best way is to go down Via Tasso (which leads off Corso Italia more or less opposite the cathedral). After a minute or so you will see the Taverna on a corner facing you.

Phone: 0818785970

Price: US$21-30

Rating: 3

Theme: Local