Il Pescato Cucinato
This tiny street-food counter on Via Colombo — the steep main drag of Riomaggiore — is where locals and savvy visitors queue for paper cones of freshly fried anchovies, calamari and mixed seafood caught that morning in the Ligurian Sea. No tables, no fuss, just impeccable fish.
What to Order
The anchovies (acciughe fritte) are the star: silvery, crisp-coated and sweet, they bear almost no resemblance to the salty tinned version. A mixed fritto misto cone for around €5–7 is the perfect lunch eaten leaning against the harbour wall.
In season, look for the fried stuffed anchovies (acciughe ripiene) — filled with herbs and local cheese before being battered and fried. They sell out fast.
The Cinque Terre Anchovy Tradition
Anchovies have been the backbone of the Cinque Terre economy for centuries; the local variety, salted in terracotta jars with sea salt from the Ligurian coast, earned EU protected status. Eating them fried and fresh here is the most direct way to taste that heritage.
Pair your cone with a small plastic cup of Sciacchetrà, the local sweet white wine, sold by the glass from the adjacent wine shop — an unbeatable combination.
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