Sardinia Restaurants and Dining

(Sardinia, Italy)

Food on Sardinia is taken as seriously as it is in any region of Italy, with eating being the main social event for families. Snack bars, cafés and restaurants galore are all over the towns, villages and resorts. However, it is fair to say that you may find the prices here a bit steeper than comparable dining on mainland Italy.

Sardines were so named from Sardinia, where they used to thrive, and it's no secret that this island is a tiptop place for all types of seafood dining. The island is surrounded by ports, and flotillas of fishing vessels bring in fresh catches every morning. Restaurants serving pasta, pizza and ravioli are the norm.

What to Eat, and Where

For Sardinian cuisine, think a combination of Italian and Catalan food, with styles and preferences varying from region to region.

Ubiquitous foods include traditional pasta dishes with rich sauces, while the seafood in the restaurants around the coastal resorts is certainly worth writing home about.

The running of courses is the same as on the mainland, namely appetisers (antipasti), first courses (primi), mains (secondi), and desserts (dolci). Sardinia is also as good as anywhere in Italy for vegetarians due to the huge range of pastas and vegetable dishes.

All resorts have a good supply of eateries where you can find quality Italian and Catalan dining. As with anywhere, you may find restaurants in predominantly tourist areas overpriced and lacking in quality, making it best to ask around or at your hotel for the best options.

Without doubt, Sardinia's main towns and cities have the finest dining, with Cagliari and Alghero in particular offering good options. Here you will find traditional trattorias and snack bars. Look to the Via Sassari and the Via Sardegna in Cagliari, and the Piazza Civica in Alghero. Eating out at seafood markets is also pleasurable.

Be sure on your timing when eating out at restaurants on Sardinia. Apart from tourist-heavy places, you won't find many eateries open between 16:00 and 19:00, while pizzerias usually come alive only in the evening.