Ristorante Puny

Ristorante Puny is the most famous table on Portofino's tiny piazzetta, the postage-stamp square at the head of the harbour that is one of the most glamorous addresses on the Italian Riviera. For decades it has drawn celebrities, yacht owners and well-heeled regulars who come as much for the scene and the harbour view as for the food, and a table on the square is among the most coveted in the village. The kitchen focuses on Ligurian seafood and a handful of signature dishes, the most emblematic being pappardelle al Portofino, the house pasta dressed with a blend of tomato and pesto, alongside pesce al sale (fish baked in a salt crust) and trofie al pesto. The cooking is classic rather than experimental, the draw being the setting and the consistency over many years. This is firmly a top-end address with Portofino prices: expect pasta courses around EUR 25-35 and fish mains from EUR 35 upward, with whole fish by weight pushing a full meal well past EUR 80-100 per person before wine. The atmosphere is buzzy and see-and-be-seen, smart-casual in the resort manner, and the few outdoor tables overlooking the harbour are the prize. The wine list runs to Ligurian whites such as Vermentino and Pigato and broader Italian labels. Because demand far outstrips the handful of piazzetta tables, reservations are essential and should be made well ahead, often weeks in advance for a square-side table in the July-August peak; the restaurant typically closes in the depths of winter (around January-February) and on Thursdays. Portofino itself is reached by a scenic drive, ferry from Santa Margherita or Rapallo, or the coastal walk from Paraggi. For visitors wanting the quintessential, if pricey, Portofino dining experience on the legendary piazzetta, Puny is the name everyone knows.