Ischia is a magical island that encompasses a thousand different atmospheres : suspended between sky and sea, surprises with enchanted bays, bewitches with extraordinary views and gives strong emotions in the streets of its small coastal villages.
Its link with the waves of the Gulf of Naples is definitely indissoluble, but the heart of the island has a peasant soul for which the products of the land play a main role.
The gastronomy of the island reflects this dual personality, offering flavors that combine the best of the seafaring tradition with country tastes. The result is an explosion of unique taste , which colors the menus of this wonderful island.
Here are the 10 typical dishes not to be missed if you happen to be on the Ischia coast .
1 – Coniglio
all’ischitana Photo of Benreis. Testimony of the peasant imprint, the rabbit is the king of local cuisine.
It consists of first choice rabbit meat cooked in terracotta pans and seasoned with garlic, salt, olive oil, white wine, chilli and cherry tomatoes, with a sprinkling of spices.
Sometimes a ragu is prepared with the rabbit, used to season pasta : the preferred format is typically bucatino, and the dish is served with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.
Great attention is paid to the raw materials used and to the breeding of the rabbits themselves, which in Ischia is carried out with particular methods capable of leaving the animals greater freedom and finally giving the meat more flavor and a perfect consistency.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €10.00
- Main ingredients : rabbit, wine, spices, garlic, oil, tomato, pasta
2 – Spaghetti with clams
It is impossible to pass through the Gulf and not taste spaghetti with clams. Or why not, a spaghetti with seafood , rich in shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, lupins, mussels and every other treat that the sea has to offer.
An unmissable must, which can be cooked in white or accompanied by a touch of earthy flavors with the addition of zucchini, cherry tomatoes or tomato sauce. A delight for the palate to be enjoyed strictly by the sea , breathing in the scent of salt and admiring the southern sun reflecting on the ripples of the waves.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : clams, seafood, spaghetti
3 – Pizza di scarola
Photo of Silvia from Arancia & Cioccolato. It is a popular dish in the Campania region, but in Ischia it is cooked in a particular and different way than in the rest of the region.
This special pizza , generally baked in the oven, like a traditional pizza, is often fried in these areas of Ischia as a sort of stuffed calzone . Taste that joins the taste, perhaps a little caloric, but absolutely delicious. Especially in the Forio area, it is customary to add to the basic preparation of the filling, made mainly of endive, black olives, capers, anchovies and pine nuts , even cooked wine and sometimes walnuts and raisins..
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €7.00
- Main ingredients : pizza dough, escarole, black olives, anchovies, capers, pine nuts
4 – Cornetto di Calise There is a mouth-watering confectionery tradition
in Ischia , where the Neapolitan sfogliatelle are combined with baba, and the pastiera tempts the palate together with bombs and staples.
This croissant, however , is an icon of the island , a ritual that goes beyond all fashions and gastronomic trends. Calise is the historic pastry shop of Ischia Porto that has been able to make the hot croissant a real unmissable event for tourists and locals !
Take it during a summer evening, while walking through the streets of the island, and one of those unforgettable memories of a holiday in Ischia.
- Recommended for : always
- Average cost : €2.00/€2.50
- Main ingredients : flour, eggs, sugar, butter
5 – Ischian Gypsy
As simple as it is legendary, this typical sandwich combines simplicity with the ability to establish itself as a characteristic dish of the island of Ischia. Consisting of nothing more than two slices of bread stuffed with raw ham and fior di latte mozzarella , with the addition of tomato, mayonnaise and lettuce.
It is said to be invented on the island, and has been able to establish itself as a traditional dish so much that today both travelers and the inhabitants of the island love to enjoy their gypsy for lunch or a quick snack at any time of day .
- Recommended for : snack, quick lunch
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : toasted bread, raw, mozzarella, tomato, lettuce, sauce
6 – Chicken Fumarola
An Ischian dish that holds the secret of its originality not so much in the ingredients as in the very particular preparation .
It is so called precisely because to prepare it the chicken meat is wrapped in aluminum paper and in a kitchen towel and is cooked in the boiling sand , heated by the numerous fumaroles of the island , spread near the thermal springs of Ischia. Typically Ischia in cooking and definitely unique in flavor.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €9.00
- Main ingredients : chicken meat
7 – Ischitan
swordfish Swordfish , a fish product with a strong and tasty flavor in itself, is enhanced in Ischia by the traditional preparation of the island.
In fact, swordfish are initially marinated in a sauce made of lemon, oil, salt and pepper, mint and Worcestershire sauce, a particular sauce halfway between sweet and sour and spicy. The fish is then roasted , releasing all the flavors and aromas it absorbed during the marinating phase, for a whirlwind of scents that thrills all the senses.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : swordfish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, mint, oil
8 – Pasta beans and cozze
Photo of Nemo bis. It is a typical first course of Neapolitan cuisine. In Ischia mussels are added , which give a decidedly particular flavor to this typical recipe.
It is important for the preparation of this dish not to forget to use mixed pasta , or to combine the leftovers of different types of pasta: this particular is obviously a legacy of popular traditions that provided for a zero waste philosophy. Seafood and legumes will enhance each other in this delicious sea and mountain dish.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €7.00
- Main ingredients : beans, mixed pasta, mussels
9 – Migliaccio
It is a typical dessert of the Carnival period . It is widespread throughout Campania but in Ischia it has a differentiating variant: the use of spaghetti instead of semolina , which is the basis instead of the preparation of miles in other areas of the region.
The original recipe involved the use of millet flour, from which the dessert takes its name, which has been replaced by semolina or, in the case of Ischia, by spaghetti. Other ingredients include eggs, sugar, olive oil, lemon peel and cinnamon.
- Recommended for : snack, breakfast
- Average cost : €4.00
- Main ingredients : noodles, eggs, lemon, sugar
10 – Limoncello
Limoncello is one of the tastiest liqueurs, which has its origins in the south: typical of areas such as Sorrento, Capri and the island of Ischia, it uses strictly local and zero kilometer lemons in its preparation.
The beautiful large and fragrant citrus fruits found in these southern regions take on a new life when combined with alcohol, sugar and water. Often homemade by the inhabitants of Ischia, tasting a sip completes every meal and also our overview of the best Ischian gastronomic traditions.
- Recommended for : always
- Average cost : €3.00
- Main ingredients : lemons, sugar, alcohol
Where to eat in Ischia: best restaurants, typical bars and street food
Ischia is dotted with bars and restaurants where you can have a lunch by the sea admiring the sun kissing its wonderful coasts, or dedicate yourself a dinner at sunset, waiting for the light drops and Ischia is colored with warm and enveloping night shades.
In every small village of Ischia there are endless opportunities to socialize and spend unforgettable moments in front of exquisite food . There is no shortage of opportunities to sit at the tables of classy restaurants, such as grabbing a quick sandwich or a takeaway dessert and enjoying it while strolling through the narrow streets of the island. Here are the best places to eat in Ischia .
1 – O ‘Sole Mio
- Description : pizzeria near the sea, offering a beautiful view of the Aragonese Castle
- Specialty : excellent Neapolitan pizzas
- Average price : from € 25.00 per person
- Address : Spiaggia dei Pescatori, 32 – Get directions / tel: 081 981986
2 – II Focolare
- Description : in the hinterland between Casamicciola and Barano, the restaurant is located near the typical fumaroles of Ischia
- Specialty : Ischian rabbit
- Average price : from € 35.00 per person
- Address : via Cretajo al Crocefisso, 3, Fiaiano – Get directions / tel: 081 902944
3 – Guarracino
- Description : exceptional location overlooking the sea where you can eat excellent fish specialties
- Specialty : catch of the day
- Average price : from € 45.00 per person
- Address : via Castiglione, 62, Casamicciola Terme – Get directions / tel: 081 982527
4 – Punta Chiarito
- Description : zero kilometer restaurant, linked to local agricultural products, and part of the homonymous resort
- Specialties : rabbit, artisanal Ischia oil and honey
- Average price : from € 35.00 per person
- Address : via Sorgeto 51, Forio – Get directions / tel: 081 908102
5 – Umberto A Mare
- Description : elegant restaurant, one of the most renowned in Ischia
- Specialties : fish dishes, tasting menu
- Average price : from € 50.00 per person
- Address : via del Soccorso 2, Forio – Get directions / tel: 081 997171
6 – Ristorante da Assuntina
- Description : a pearl on a side street where you can eat the best fish overlooking the beach.
- Specialty : seafood dishes
- Average price : from € 25.00 per person
- Address : Via F. Buonocore 29 – Get directions / tel: 081 982693
7 – Calise
- Description : Calise with bar, pastry shop, pizzeria and restaurant is surrounded by a beautiful green area and offers authentic delicacies. you can taste delicious desserts or indulge in a dinner or lunch in the company of friends.
- Specialty : Neapolitan pizza
- Average price : from € 20.00 per person
- Address : Piazza degli eroi – Get directions / tel: 081 991270
8 – Mimi’s terrace
- Description : Located on the right bank of the port of Ischia, it boasts an extraordinary view. Probably one of the most characteristic terraces of the whole island. If you want a romantic place … this is for you.
- Specialty : seafood risotto
- Average price : from € 30.00 to € 50.00 per person
- Address : Via Porto 92 – Get directions / tel: 081 905574
9 – Da Ciccio Restaurant
- Description : The ideal place to taste traditional island dishes. Delicious and imaginative cuisine, capable of enhancing the seafood. A real treat.
- Specialty : Ischian fish
- Average price : € 40.00 per person
- Address : Via Luigi Mazzella 32 – Get directions / tel: 081 991686
10 – Alberto restaurant
- Description : The best way to taste the typical specialties on the splendid veranda overlooking the sea. The view is a dream, the setting is generally very elegant. If you want to impress someone, it’s perfect. The kitchen then … TOP!
- Specialty : fish and seafood
- Average price : from € 25 to € 60 per person
- Address : Via C. Colombo, 8 – Get directions / tel: 081 981259
11 – Garlic, oil and tomato restaurant
- Description : A friendly environment where you can feel at ease while enjoying a wide selection of dishes. the place is very easy to reach, full of parking lots nearby, very convenient. Abundant and exquisite dishes.
- Specialty : Bavette with seafood
- Average price : € 25.00 per person
- Address : Via Luigi Mazzella 84 – Get directions / tel: 081 1914 3460
12 – Nannina’s day at sea
- Description : Splendid location overlooking the sea where you can enjoy excellent dishes. Still a heavenly place, “sublime excellence between sky and sea” … Sophisticated and trendy cuisine, linked to traditions and at the same time innovative.
- Specialty : creative fish dishes
- Average price : € 40.00 per person
- Address : Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 18 – Get directions / tel: 081 991350
13 – Ancient Ischian rotisserie
- Description : Typical trattoria where you can breathe cordiality and enjoy excellent alternative dishes to fish. A fast place, which spoils its customers with delicious and abundant dishes, but above all a warm welcome.
- Specialties : spit-roasted chicken and Ischian pizza
- Average price : € 15.00 per person
- Address : Via Baldassarre Cossa 8 – Get directions / tel: 081 984296
14 – Cap and Fierr
- Description : Cap e Fierr pampers your palate, your sight and your heart. Excellence is savored in fish-based dishes in a homely atmosphere. Here, too, you can enjoy a wonderful view …
- Specialty : fish dishes
- Average price : € 30.00 per person
- Address : Via Venanzio Marone | Interno Lido Cap e Fierr – Get directions / tel: 329 406 6070
15 – Aenaria Beach Ischia
- Description : Where to enjoy simple and delicious dishes by the sea. Enjoy authentic flavors enlivened by the sound of the waves crashing on the shoreline.
- Specialty : delicacies based on fish
- Average price : € 30.00 per person
- Address : Via Venanzio Marone – Get directions / tel: 328 032 6087
