We ate so many delicious meals in Ischia that I couldn’t leave there without proper documentation.
Ristorante Saturnino – This place was so good, we went back a second time. The chef, Ciro, and his wife are very nice, and the food is exquisite. Fresh seafood with great flavors and flawless execution. Located on the harbor in the Old Town.
Ristorante Saturnino
The restaurant’s exterior
The front dining room
A gift from the chef – mozzarella with a tomato puree on top
Pesce crudi (raw seafood appetizer)
Octopus ravioli on our first visit
Grilled fish on our first visit
Chad’s seafood pasta on our second visit
My rabbit ravioli on our second visit
stuffed squid
Peach gelato
Pistachio Charlotte (like a cake) with canteloupe gelato
My Charlotte and gelato came with a proper spork
Rucolino – a digestivo (after-dinner drink) made from arugula
The restaurant has a great selection of wine
Trattoria da Peppina di Renato – We had Chad’s birthday dinner here. Located up on the mountain, this place has great views, a rustic atmosphere, and a mix of contemporary and traditional dishes.
Entry steps
Entry vestibule
A view of the exterior
Main dining room
Our table on the balcony
Mixed appetizers – not the traditional meat and cheese, but oh so delicious
Traditional rabbit dish with a side of grilled veggies
Chad’s dessert – fig torte with gelato
My dessert – a pistachio cake with a mixed berry (frutti di bosco) jam on top
Street signs on our walk home at 11:30 pm
Pietratorcia – Small place in the Old Town. The menu was a small chalkboard with 6 items listed. The traditional dishes were simple but delicious. Plus, the house wine came from the family’s vineyard.
The inside dining area is small with only 3 tables
The deck outside can fit a few more people
The kitchen was two doors down and was barely big enough for the chef and his helper
I had grilled fish. Chad dish was essentially mac and cheese with potatoes added in.
Wine from the family winery
We had a grappa one night that was amber-colored. I thought grappa was always clear.
Amber grappa
Pizza place on Piazza Giacomo Matteotti- We were enjoying a quiet lunch when several teenage boys came running through the plaza, yelling and looking at their phones. I looked at the guy at the table to me and said, “Pokemon.” He responded in Italian, “They’d be better off looking for a brain.”
Our first pizza
Simple evening meal prepared in our apartment. We had leftovers for breakfast.
Dinner
Breakfast
We also discovered a great local wine – Falanghina.
Local wine from Ischia
I might pass on some of the fish, but bring on the desserts! Canteloupe gelato, fig torte…why do I live in the middle of the US?