Top Spots in Sardegna
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Top Spots in Sardegna
Livio Colapinto - Zest of Italy
Until the late 1950s, Sardinia’s fabled beaches and azure waters were known only to locals and a select band of yacht-owners. But in 1958, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV ‘discovered’ the remote coastline and set about developing an eco-sensitive paradise; Princess Margaret and others soon followed.
But it’s not all glitz and glam; the beguiling mountainous Sardinian hinterland is full of archeological sites built by the ancient Nuragic people, and rural villages to provide a more genuinely Sardinian foil to the artifice on the coast.
This is a living guide to the very best places to eat and drink in Sardegna. As I travel back to the island - which I do regularly - I will continue to update this list. If you purchase today, you will receive all future updates.
Recommendations cover major resorts but also off-the-beaten-track options that are destinations in their own right. Every place has been verified by me and visited multiple times. Tips for each restaurant include dishes to order and background about the place. I've even included some personal anecdotes to give extra color to each destination!
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Sa Cardiga e su Schironi
@livio
Excellent, local populated restaurant furnished in a marine style two steps from the beach and a terrace overlooking the sea.
The cuisine of "Sa Cardiga e Su Schironi" is simple and fish is mostly cooked on the charcoal grill, following the regional tradition: "Sa Burrida" tuna both raw and boiled, fresh tagliatelle with sea urchins and mullet bottarga, Sardinian lobster, or catch of the day with Vernaccia di Oristano.
The star of the show is the grilled eel: the waiters will pass with skewers with grilled tin eels, try them with a glass of Cannonau, you will not be disappointed. The traditional Sardinian dessert was another highlight.
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Fradis Minoris Ristorante
@livio
Fradis Minoris is a sustainable "ittiturismo" namely a fish restaurant where most of what is served is locally sourced in Nora, the ancient Phoenician port of Sardinia di Ponente.
Originally from Sardinia, chef Francesco Stara has returned home to his native island where he focuses on completely “circular” cuisine in this restaurant situated in this protected marine area. The fish is either local or from the Nora lagoon, which also provides the chef with a selection of wild herbs, while the vegetables are sourced from a small producer in nearby Campidano.
This excellent restaurant focuses above all on choosing the best seasonal ingredients possible (including fish), as well as protecting the environment and showcasing the island’s traditions in its new, contemporary-style cuisine.
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Is Femminas
@livio
Is Femminas, the Women in local dialect, is the visionary project of Maria Carta and his incredible supporting staff of women that run the business in central Cagliari.
Dishes are somewhat refined and contemporary but yet authentic and respectful of the Sardinian culture and flavors. Maria is from the blue zone - the Sardinian region with the highest rate of centenarians - and this is where she sources her vegetables from, cultivated and harvested by her family to bring authentic flavors to the restaurant dishes.
All considered with the great food, the impeccable service, and a very honest bill, this is one remarkable address on the whole island.
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Restaurants
Frades La Terrazza
@livio
The restaurant Terrazza Frades - fratelli/brothers in the local dialect - overlooks the spectacular bay of Cala di Volpe in Porto Cervo, in the heart of the Costa Smeralda.
Roberto, Fabio, and Valerio Paddeu, the 3 "Frades" inaugurated their restaurant in 2016 and renovated it during the lockdown with a more contemporary look with the local granite stone of Gallura.
The menù winks at creativity and it's supported by high-quality raw materials with dishes rotating according to seasonality and market availability with dishes like roasted culurgiones that become the brother's trademark.
Tacos with red shrimp, red mullet sandwich, bluefin tuna tartare from Carloforte and fregula with clams and Cabras bottarga are some must-try when a-la-carte.
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Ristorante Il Portolano
@livio
For over 20 years, the Sardinian – Swiss couple Roberto and Claudia Chelo Schletti have been running Il Portolano.
Thanks to their professional experiences gathered all around Europe, they make foreign customers, and local visitors, feel at home in an unexpected cosmopolitan spot in front of Tavolara Island where the taste and flavour of the Mediterranean food and local wines are combined with a professional careful service.
The view of the sea and the fascinating island Tavolara invite for a pleasant stay where fish and sea food, but also meat, are chosen and prepared by the young Sardinian chef Luca Sanna with the utmost care in combinations with local vegetables and native herbs.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Livio Colapinto - Zest of Italy
Ciao,
I'm Livio, co-founder of Zest of Italy - a chef-to-chef advisory and travel company - and The Genuine Experience - original travel concepts that enlighten travelers while uplifting those who host them.
At Zest of Italy, we create bonds, travel, and opportunities for our international community of chefs and food professionals to celebrate farmers, artisans, and the diversity of food.
Born in Torino with Apulian roots to an XXL family scattered throughout the peninsula, after my engineering and economic studies, and an early career in finance, I graduated in Food Culture at the University of Gastronomic Sciences to then work with Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini.
During this time I planned and guided some renowned chefs - Michel Troisgros, Alice Waters, and Giorgio Locatelli - on R&D tours across Italy.
Since then and for over 15 years we have connected Italian food&wine artisans and chefs with food icons of international hospitality, traveling with Nancy Silverton, Michael Mina, David Nayfeld, Paul Kahan, Eli Zabar, Angela Pinkerton, Chad Colby, Craig Stoll and more.
What's included
Digital Map
Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby
27 places
27 hand-picked places with notes from the creator
DESTINATION(S) COVERED
Alghero, SS, Italia
Sardegna, Italia
Porto Rotondo, SS, Italia
Olbia, SS, Italia
Cagliari, CA, Italia
FOCUSES AND THEMES
Adventure
Art
Foodie
Wellness
Nature
People & Culture
Romantic
Sustainable/Eco
Slow Travel
Photography
Road Trip
Wine
Beach
Mountain
Relaxation
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Format
Guide
Guides typically include detailed information and how-to’s about a destination as well as suggested places to try.
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