Ristorante El Pescador
On the harbour front near the fishing dock, El Pescador has been serving no-nonsense Ligurian seafood since the 1970s — the kind of place where the daily menu is written on a chalkboard and the catch arrived that morning. It is the antidote to every tourist-trap seafood restaurant on the Riviera.
What to Order
Start with the acciughe al limone — raw local anchovies marinated in lemon juice, olive oil and fresh parsley. They bear almost no resemblance to the tinned variety: silky, mild and bright. Follow with a plate of trofie al pesto, the short twisted pasta that is the canonical Ligurian shape, dressed with pesto made from small-leaf Genoese basil.
For a main, the frittura mista di pesce is a masterclass in restraint: a light, greaseless mix of calamari, prawns and small fish fried in the thinnest imaginable batter. Pair it with a carafe of local Pigato white wine, crisp and slightly mineral.
The Setting
The restaurant has a terrace that juts out toward the small harbour where you can watch the fishing boats bob while you eat. It is unpretentious to the point of simplicity — paper tablecloths, mismatched chairs, no dress code — which is precisely the point.
Lunch here on a Tuesday after visiting the morning market, when the connection between the fishing boats outside and the food on your plate is impossible to miss, is one of those travel experiences that stays with you.
Practical Details
El Pescador is popular with locals, particularly at weekend lunchtimes, so booking a day ahead is wise from June through September. The kitchen closes firmly at 2 pm for lunch and 9:30 pm for dinner — Italian punctuality is non-negotiable here.
Prices are honest: a full three-course meal with house wine runs €35–45 per person, which is remarkable value for the quality and freshness on offer.
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