Eating out
Apricale has seven good restaurants which are open all year, below are our local favourites.
Basic
The friendly bar-trattoria at the bus terminus on Via Roma called the ‘La Locanda dei Tarocchi’ has a plain cheap menu; spaghetti, rolls and local anti-pasta. People pop in for a coffee in the mornings, eat lunch, grab an early evening drink or play cards here after dinner. You can sit outside and watch the sun go down behind the village. Closes Monday. Open on Wednesdays when the square and others in Apricale are closed.
Isolabona is about ten minutes by car down the hill from Apricale a little longer from Amarin. It has a great pizzeria called ‘Il Vecchio Forno’. Always lively, this friendly place is run by Claudio Martini (of the local green party). This is the best pizzeria in an area known for good pizza. Open late, but book a table at the weekends during the holiday season if you don’t want to queue. Jugs of wine and draft beer (it is more expensive than wine at 4 euros a glass) are available, you can also taste local specialities; Farinata a chick pea flour pancake always eaten after your pizza (our request that we might eat it as a starter was met with a firm not possible!) and cubaita, nuts in caramel stuck between two rice wafers. This tastes better than it sounds! If you intend to light the pizza oven in Amarin, you might want to watch the professionals before you have a go. Closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays in winter. Phone: 0184 208 187
Good value
In the heart of village in the most perfect setting, in the Apricale square (Piazza Vittorio Emanuelle II) you can sit in the sun and while away the evening hours at the Bar/Trattoria ‘A Ciassa’. If you want to eat here in the evening, it’s best to book your table because Katia likes to know how many portions of pasta to make. You will love Katia’s food. They do the best priced, traditional little anti-paste dishes, a nice range of pasta including choice for vegetarians, plus roast meat or rabbit stew with olives, lovely light desserts (again home made), coffee and jugs of local or more expensive bottles of wine. Children can play football with the local youngsters in the evening while you enjoy a coffee or glass of wine. Phone 0184 208588 to book your table.
Further away, but worth the walk or drive, on the ridge between Perinaldo and Dolce aqua is a lovely agriturismo perched above the Nervia valley. La Locanda Delgi Ulvi. The crisp white tablecloths, good local red wine and views down towards the sea are the backdrop to a meal full of surprises. Course after course is offered from big serving dishes brought to the table; you take what you fancy or eat your way through the lot. What is on offer changes from day to day according to what is in the garden. Altogether, half a dozen little starters, two pasta and two meat dishes with desserts, coffee and liquors. Starts promptly at one o’ clock each day. Must be booked on holidays and at weekends. 25 Euros. Phone 0184 206913
“Osteria del Portico” in Castel Vittoria is the only place we know which rivals this. Four courses, four dishes each course and a cook in a big pinafore making sure you eat and enjoy! Closed Monday. Phone 0184 241 352
A bit up market
The nearest restaurant (less than a mile away) perched on the winding road leading up to Amarin is ‘La Favorita’. Inexpensive by British standards at around 35 Euros for four courses (anti-paste, pasta, meat, dessert, coffee) You can, of course, take just a couple of courses if you don’t want to spend that much. Mario the proprietor thinks ‘it is better to have a really good meal / bottle of wine now and again that eat out/ drink regularly but cheaply!’ He therefore keeps the best wines and buys the very best ingredients for a traditional menu with some seasonal specials. The cars outside tell you what kind of people come from France, Monaco and other parts of Italy, to lunch here. We recommend the parma ham with melon, the vegetarian ravioli with butter and sage and of course the roast meats. They do a lovely zabaglione with the Apricale speciality ‘pansarole’ (tiny donuts.) Like most Italian restaurants lunch takes place at one o’ clock, but they are open and less busy, in the evening. As with all Italian restaurants children are welcome. Phone 01842 08186 They also do bed and breakfast.
If you are looking for something a little bit different the Ristorante Apricale da Delio on a shady terrace opposite the café has an imaginative and delicious menu which changes every couple of weeks. It has attracted a variety of international food writers including Michael Winner of the Sunday Times. They are a bit more expensive than La Favorita, a full menu here will cost 39 euros but once again you can have fewer courses. They do a fixed price lunch which is very good value for 20 euros. Phone 0184.20.80.08
Dolceacqua is a lovely setting in which to eat out and there is plenty of choice. Post work/ pre dinner the bars put out a range of little snacks and local people hang out and gossip.
For good fish dishes you need to go down to the seafront. We like the “Casablanca” in Vallecrosia for spaghetti vongole, fritto misto, fish soup and their speciality calamarata. This busy place has been run for many years by a Sicilian family. To find it carry on down past the CONAD supermarket and under the railway bridge. Casablanca is on the left hand corner. Great after a day on the beach and no need to book because there are a lot of other restaurants nearby.
Bruno’s just beside the road tunnel is very handy. If you find him open don’t think you will try tomorrow because he will be closed for sure.