Top Places to Eat in Sorrento: Our Tips on Where and What to Eat

You’ll find a large range of dining options in Sorrento, from budget-friendly take out spots to a Michelin star restaurant, and everything in between. When walking down the main streets the number of options can be overwhelming at first, but if you follow our suggestions you’re sure to have a great experience.

On this page I’ll cover:

• A brief introduction to Sorrento
• Top tips for dining and drinking in Sorrento
• Our favorite places to eat in Sorrento
• Coffee in Sorrento
• Gelato in Sorrento
• Aperitivo and drinking in Sorrento
• On-the-go food in Sorrento
• Seafood in Sorrento
• Mid-level and regular restaurants in Sorrento
• High end dining options in Sorrento
• Non-Italian restaurant options in Sorrento
• Eating near Sorrento

If you’ve found this guide, there is a strong chance you are already planning a trip to Sorrento, or are thinking about planning one to our favorite town in Campania.

If this isn’t the case, here’s a brief introduction to Sorrento:

• Sorrento is located 25km (as the crow flies) from Naples and most easily reached via train or ferry making it a great base to stay in and explore famous sites like Pompeii, Capri and Amalfi Coast.
• This town is quintessentially Italian with beautiful streets and piazzas, sweeping views and vistas of the sea, welcoming and friendly locals and only the best quality produce – you will struggle find somewhere which embodies ‘La Dolce Vita’ – The Sweet Life – more than Sorrento!
• Sorrento’s history stretches back over 2000 years and there is no shortage of things to do here – you’ll find something for everyone packed in to this relatively small town.

Before sharing our favorite places to eat in Sorrento I want to provide some insights based on our years of experience:

Sorrento is an extremely popular destination, especially during the busy months of the year (June–September). As such, you should absolutely reserve a table anywhere you really want to eat and drink in advance.

This doesn’t apply to breakfast, take outs, coffee or gelato, but does apply to everything else; lunch, dinner and aperitivo.

The majority of restaurants in Sorrento are focused on Italian cuisine, including Campanian/Neapolitan cuisine.

If you are the kind of person who likes to enjoy lots of different types of cuisines during your travels, Sorrento might not be the best place for you. That said, there are some non-Italian options to be found and we detail them on this page.

While there are several lower-cost places to get food and drinks in Sorrento, on average the prices are above the Italian average. For instance, in my experience the average cost of a spritz in Italy is 7€-9€ but in Sorrento you will be looking at 10€-12€ in regular bars, and up to 25€ in the high-end establishments.

That said, like anywhere you will get what you pay for – the most expensive are made with the highest-quality ingredients, come with the best service (and fantastic complimentary snacks) and incredible views of the Bay of Naples.

In Sorrento you won’t find anywhere that offers exclusively vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options. This is because most restaurants (and this in the case in Italy generally) are very happy to cater to different diets if you ask them to do so.

More often than not, dishes can be customised to remove elements (such as meat/fish on pizzas, in salads etc) or ingredients can be substituted – such as swapping out traditional pasta for a gluten-free alternative. All you have to do is ask if it’s not clear from the menus.

Sara and I don’t hide the fact that Sorrento is our favorite place in Campania – we have been visiting regularly for holidays and work since 2014, and as such have some go-to places that we love to eat and drink at every time we visit.

Our top 3 places to dine in Sorrento, in no particular order, are:

Terrazza Vittoria at Hotel Continental is our top place to eat if we are looking for a more intimate dining experience, or celebrating a special occasion.

The team here is second-to-none and the views of the Bay of Naples are impossible to top. The food is more refined than what you find at a traditional restaurant, with multiple special touches throughout the meal, and everything we’ve had here has always been excellent.

They are also excellent at handling allergies, adapting all elements of the meal to ensure that being unable to eat gluten, nuts or dairy doesn’t lead to missing out on anything.

Inn Bufalito is somewhere I have eaten on every trip I have ever made to Sorrento. Even if I am only passing through for work, I will always find time to have lunch at Inn Bufalito.

Their speciality is buffalo produce, as their name suggests, and anyone who enjoys meat or cheeses will not be disappointed. They also have excellent pastas, steaks, a great wine list and the desserts are delicious too. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Sorrento for us, and all the guests we’ve brought here have agreed.

Finding somewhere good for coffee in Sorrento is easy. All the bars and cafes in town serve tasty coffee in our experience, so anywhere you go is guaranteed to give you that quick caffeine fix needed for sightseeing, shopping or pursuing outdoor activities in the surrounding area.

If you’re looking for a sit-down coffee spot (versus the traditional Italian approach of having it at the bar), we’d recommend going to Bar Fauno in Piazza Tasso.

The coffee itself is not unusual, but this cafe is an institution in Sorrento and the best place in town to people watch. Situated on the main square of Sorrento you can sit back and relax, watching visitors and locals alike pass by.

If you’re looking for something more Starbucks-esque, there are a couple of newly opened places that have coffee options beyond the regular Italian varieties.

Radical Sorrento is a few minutes from the pedestrianised Corso Italia, specialising in American-style brunch and cakes with a local flair. Their coffee range includes iced coffees, matcha, cold brew and more, which you can pick up to go or have in with your brunch.

There is also Orbit, which focuses on iced coffee, matcha and bubble tea. They have a small inside seating area, but this is more of a to-go coffee place.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from coffee, not all gelato places in Sorrento offer great gelato. There is a big difference between the huge mounds of artificially flavored scoops and authentic Italian gelato, so it’s definitely worth the effort to walk a little further for the real deal.

The best way to recognise authentic gelato places is how they display their product, and the color of it. If the gelato is stacked high (making it look incredible and inviting admittedly), and/or is brightly colored, this tells you that the gelato is full of preservatives stopping it from melting and has been made with more artificial ingredients.

Proper gelato will melt if exposed like that, so it needs to be maintained at a lower temperature. Look for places that either store their gelato in covered tubs out of sight, or flat in shallow, smaller trays that keep it constantly cooled.

Our go-to place is Fresco Sorrento, where everything has been made with authentic ingredients, following traditional methods. They’re happy to let you try a few flavors before making your decision, and also do a great granita.

Another reliable gelato spot is Raki, who have a great range of classic and more original flavors as well as granita and lemon sorbet. They have really clear signs about which flavors are milk based and which are vegan, and the vast majority of their gelato is gluten free too.

There are actually two Raki gelato shops, one on Corso Italia and the other on the narrow shopping street of Via S. Cesareo. My top tip is that the one on Corso Italia always has a long line, but if you walk around the corner to the other one, it’s usually much quieter!

Aperitivo is my favorite meal of the day (I’m not joking), and as such I take this sacred time before dinner very seriously whenever I’m in Sorrento.

Nine times out of ten you’ll find Sara and I at Terrazza Vittoria and Hotel Continental for aperitivo as the quality of their drinks, their customer service and the views of Vesuvius are unrivalled.

That said, we also love La Pergola, located on Piazza Tasso. This intimate bar set in the gardens of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is the perfect place for a special toast or to escape the crowds. While a cocktail costs around 25€ here, the ingredients are second to none and the peaceful surrounding makes having a drink here much more special.

However, aperitivo is a bit like getting coffee in Sorrento. If you enjoy a beer, glass of wine or cocktail before dinner, almost any bar in Sorrento is a good idea. Competition is fierce in this small town so the quality is high all round!

If you’re more of a cocktail person, try Cornelia Cocktail Bar, which is open until late. They have some of the most innovative and interesting drink combinations, as well as all the classic cocktails, which we very much enjoyed tasting with some friends on a recent visit.

A few doors down from Cornelia, beer lovers will enjoy La Bottega della Birra, which has a huge selection of beer to choose from. The owner is extremely knowledgeable and will help you decide when you’re struggling with the large menu. They also have some excellent gluten free beers too.

Whether you’re looking for more of a budget option, or want something to take with you for a beach day or day trip, there are plenty of places to choose from.

Sorrento street food options include pizza, panini and more, but for us, the below places offer something tastier than average:

• For panini we love A’Marenna. This small place creates some of the most delicious sandwiches I’ve ever eaten (seriously), and is perfect for a quick lunch on the go.
• For salads, check out Just Made, which does have some tables but also offers takeaway. Their salads are made fresh and you can customise the ingredients too.
• If you’re more of a DIY person, the Dodecà supermarket near the train station has everything you need to make a picnic, as well as drinks and snacks.