Frades La Terrazza

Frades La Terrazza occupies a panoramic perch above the marina at Porto Cervo, on Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, where its open terrace frames one of the most romantic sunset views on the coast. The Frades name — Sardinian for 'brothers' — signals the family enterprise behind it, and the kitchen pairs traditional island recipes with contemporary technique and presentation. Culurgiones, the pleated Sardinian dumplings here dressed simply with butter and sage, sit alongside local lobster and a generous Sardinian cheese board served with honey and walnuts, a roll-call of the island's pastoral larder. The setting is the headline draw: tables strung along a terrace that catches the evening light over the Gallura coastline, making it a natural choice for couples and celebratory dinners. The dining room is polished and contemporary, the service attentive, and the dress code smart-casual in keeping with the resort. Like most Costa Smeralda restaurants it runs a seasonal calendar, opening roughly from June to September, and a sunset table on the terrace is the prize seat — arriving for an aperitivo before dinner lets guests settle in as the light turns. Reservations are recommended and become close to essential for terrace seating in the high-summer weeks of July and August, when Porto Cervo fills with international visitors. The wine list draws on Sardinian whites such as Vermentino di Gallura alongside broader Italian labels, well suited to the seafood-leaning menu. Expect to spend roughly €70–€120 per person before wine. Frades La Terrazza suits travellers who want refined, recognisably Sardinian cooking delivered with a view, and who value atmosphere and setting as much as what arrives on the plate. It is among the most reliably memorable dinners on this stretch of the north-east coast.