Ristorante Il Corsaro

Ristorante Il Corsaro is one of the finest tables on Isola di San Pietro, the small island off Sardinia's south-west coast whose town of Carloforte was settled by Ligurian coral fishermen in the eighteenth century. That distinctive Tabarchino heritage runs through the menu, but the restaurant's calling card is bluefin tuna, a legacy of Carloforte's historic mattanza tuna-fishing tradition. The kitchen prepares tuna in every conceivable way — raw, seared, braised and cured — and the quality is exceptional, drawing tuna lovers across the short ferry crossing from Portovesme. Tonno alla carlofortina, the local tuna preparation, is the dish that defines a visit, while cascà — Carloforte's own version of fish couscous, a direct echo of the town's North African Tabarka roots — offers a taste found almost nowhere else in Sardinia. Local bottarga rounds out a menu that celebrates the island's singular culinary identity. The setting on Corso Tagliafico, in the heart of the pastel-fronted town, is relaxed and unpretentious, the mood convivial, and the service warm. The restaurant opens through the warmer months, roughly April to October, in step with the island's visitor season, and tables fill in summer when day-trippers and yacht crews arrive; reservations are recommended, particularly in July and August and around the late-spring Girotonno tuna festival. The wine list favours Sardinian whites that flatter the seafood. Expect to spend around €40–€65 per person. Reaching Il Corsaro is itself part of the appeal — the ferry from Portovesme or Calasetta turns dinner into a small expedition. The restaurant suits travellers curious about Sardinia's most unusual food culture, where Ligurian, Sardinian and North African threads meet on the plate, and who want to eat tuna at its source.