Top Ten Seafood Restaurants in Sardinia

Top Ten Seafood Restaurants in Sardinia

Sardinia rewards charterers who plan their evenings as carefully as their day stops. The island’s seafood culture runs deeper than the typical Italian coastal repertoire — Bottarga di Muggine (cured grey mullet roe) is a Cabras specialty, sea urchin (riccio di mare) is harvested under strict winter quotas, and the local fregula con arselle (toasted couscous with clams) appears on tables that would never serve it as a tourist dish. The restaurants below are picked because they sit close enough to a marina or anchorage that you can walk over from a tender, and because they buy from the same fishermen they did twenty years ago.

Every recommendation here can be reached on foot from a known mooring point, so you can plan a charter week with seafood evenings written into the route. Pricing is given in rough EUR ranges per person without wine.

Why Sardinian seafood is its own category

The waters around Sardinia mix cold deep-sea currents with warm shallow gulfs, which is why bottom-dwelling species like prawns, lobster, and sea bream grow particularly tender here. Aragosta alla Catalana — Catalan-style spiny lobster from Alghero, dressed with raw onion and tomato — is the iconic dish, and you will find the best version on the west coast where the Catalan dialect still survives. On the east coast, around Cala Gonone and Arbatax, the catch leans toward swordfish, anchovies, and tuna belly.

The Mistral, which can blow hard between June and September, also affects what’s served: when the Mistral is up, small boats stay in port and restaurants pivot to frozen-aged tuna or lagoon fish like the saraghi caught around the Stagno di Cabras. Asking what was caught that morning is a normal restaurant courtesy in Sardinia, not an interrogation.

1. Sa Cardiga e Su Schironi (Capoterra, near Cagliari)

Forty minutes by car from Marina di Cagliari or a longer dinghy hop if you anchor in the Gulf of Cagliari, this institution has been run by the Picci family since 1972. Order the gran piatto di crudi — raw red prawns, raw amberjack, and tartare of tuna belly served with a citrus dressing they refuse to explain. Around 65–90 EUR per person without wine. Reservations essential, especially in August.

2. Da Nicolo (Carloforte, San Pietro Island)

Carloforte deserves a charter stop on its own merits — the town speaks Tabarchino, a dialect of Ligurian unique to this island — and Da Nicolo is the temple of cassola (Sardinian fish stew) and tonno alla carlofortina (tuna with capers and tomato). The bluefin tuna fishery (tonnara) has been operating off Carloforte for centuries; ask the waiter when the last mattanza took place. Roughly 50–70 EUR per person.

3. La Lepanto (Alghero, Catalan coast)

Walk-distance from Alghero’s marina, La Lepanto is where you settle the question of which version of aragosta alla Catalana is best. The chef finishes the dish at the table; pair it with a glass of Vermentino di Sardegna from the Cantina di Santa Maria la Palma. Around 70–100 EUR for a full lobster lunch with starter and Vermentino.

4. Il Pavone (Porto Cervo, Costa Smeralda)

Porto Cervo is jet-set country, and Il Pavone reflects that — but the kitchen is serious. The catch-of-the-day grilled whole, served with simple herbs and lemon, costs less than the architecture would suggest. Walking distance from the inner port; reservations required two days ahead in July and August. 80–120 EUR per person.

5. Da Lenin (Cabras lagoon)

Cabras, on the Sinis peninsula, is the home of Bottarga di Muggine. Da Lenin’s signature is spaghetti alla bottarga — coarse-grated mullet roe over spaghetti finished with olive oil and bottarga zest. The chef will explain how the bottarga is salted and dried (the process takes 4–6 months). 35–50 EUR per person, simple wine list, and a moor 1.5 km away in the Mistras lagoon if you’re chartering a shallow-draft cat.

6. Sa Lolla (Bosa, west coast)

Bosa is the Sardinian wine town — Malvasia di Bosa is its flagship — and Sa Lolla pairs an unfussy seafood menu with the local list. The bottarga lasagna and grilled spigola (sea bass) are the obvious orders. Roughly 45–60 EUR per person. The Bosa river anchorage is shallow but stable; check tide tables.

7. La Gritta (Palau, Maddalena Archipelago)

Palau is the gateway to La Maddalena and a popular charter restock stop. La Gritta sits a few minutes’ walk from the port. Try the seafood couscous and the spaghetti with sea urchin (in season — December to April). 60–80 EUR. The restaurant is exposed; in strong Mistral, ferries cancel and the harbour is crowded.

8. Stella Marina (Bosa Marina)

A simpler sister to Sa Lolla, Stella Marina is the lunch stop after a morning swim at Bosa Marina. The fritto misto and the gnocchi with prawns are unbeatable for the price (35–45 EUR). Pair with a chilled Vermentino.

9. Locanda Rocce Bianche (La Caletta, east coast)

La Caletta is a quiet alternative to the crowded Cala Gonone. Locanda Rocce Bianche specialises in zuppa di pesce (whole-fish stew) and tagliatelle with local lobster. 45–65 EUR per person. The marina has limited berths — book a week ahead in August.

10. Il Faro (Olbia)

Right at the entrance to Olbia’s commercial port, Il Faro is a working-fisherman’s spot — paper tablecloths, no reservations. The fritto di paranza (mixed fried small fish) and the spaghetti with clams are why charters stop here. 25–40 EUR per person. Best for early evening before the cruise ships dock.

Practical notes for charterers

Plan seafood dinners around the Mistral forecast. When the Mistral is forecast above 25 knots, restaurants on west-coast bays may close their terrace, so book inside seating. Most marinas have a reservation desk that will phone restaurants on your behalf if you ask at check-in.

Most of these restaurants accept cards but bring 50–100 EUR cash for tips and tasting glasses. See our Sardinia destination overview for marina maps and average prices, or browse ready-made Sardinia itineraries that include the seafood stops above.

Want to lock in dates? Browse our Sardinia catamaran fleet or request a personalised quote with your preferred ports of call. Our team can pre-book restaurants and skipper recommendations as part of the charter package.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best month for Sardinian seafood?

May, June, and September. Sea urchin season runs December–April. July and August are crowded but the catch is reliable; book restaurants 5–10 days ahead.

How much does a typical seafood dinner cost in Sardinia?

Expect 35–50 EUR per person at a working-fisherman trattoria, 60–90 EUR at a destination restaurant in Costa Smeralda or Alghero, and over 100 EUR for a full Catalan lobster set in Alghero with Vermentino. Wine adds 25–60 EUR per bottle.

Is bottarga safe for shellfish-allergic charterers?

Bottarga is salt-cured grey mullet roe — it’s a fish product, not shellfish. Confirm with the kitchen if cross-contamination is a concern, especially in restaurants serving sea-urchin pasta on the same line.

Can I book a Sardinian dinner from the boat without a phone signal?

Most marina offices will phone on your behalf. Marina di Cagliari, Olbia, Porto Cervo, and Alghero all have multilingual reception desks. WhatsApp also works well — most restaurants accept WhatsApp reservations.