Belforte

AMAZING! The pesto is the best ive had and we ordered the salt fish, generous portions and the flavor is unbeatable! The mussels were also great and the service fantastic, Andrea is so nice

The food was completely bland and lacked flavor. The service was incredibly slow — I waited over 30 minutes just to get my check. When I politely went to the counter to ask for it, the waiter started yelling at me and even threatened to throw my phone (which they had charging behind the bar). This was honestly the worst service I’ve ever experienced in any restaurant, and the food didn’t make up for it in the slightest. It’s an overrated tourist trap that’s absolutely not worth the visit.

5 stars. We emailed to make a reservation a few weeks beforehand, so were lucky to get in. We wanted to sit outside for the sunset but it was windy and raining so they put us inside. Honestly it was a little crowded, but we met the table next to us after eating and it was so pleasant! Guess it matter who you sit next to. My wife and I both got pasta dishes, both were insanely good. Definitely a little pricey because of the attraction of location/demand, but I’d still recommend it for a nice dinner.

Best restaurant we found in Vernazza. We did not have a reservation, but were able to get a table when they opened at 7pm, reservations are recommended. Great service, great location, great food. The mixed seafood grill was the best meal I have had so far in Italy. We also had the pan sautéed strawberries with ice cream for dessert.

This was one of my favorite restaurants I have been to. The food was amazing and the service was impeccable.

Food is excellent here, service is great only if you have a reservation. Staffs here weren't exactly friendly with you before you get seated. The appetizer platter is awesome, but my pasta was not really good. It gets really windy if you have a outdoor seating. Pricey menu. But the lemon sorbet is a must try.

Very average and rather disappointing. We had a reservation and the front desk was very chaotic. The restaurant was very busy and and service was very friendly. There was only one toilet for men and women and the waiting was always long. The salad was okay and the pasta ragu was very disappointing. The view was great for some but not great for all seatings. Personally I think La Torre restaurant has the better view and much better food.

World’s. Greatest. Tiramisu. And the view? INCREDIBLE

This restaurant is in one of the two most ideal locations in town for epic views. The staff was very friendly and the food was very good too. However I feel like the price of the food reflected the toll you pay for those views. One of the highlights was drinking excellent wine from grapes grown on the hills across from the restaurant.

The most obvious character of this restaurant is the spectacular location and view, but the real star is the food. The menu consists of a variety of fresh seafood and delicate pasta dishes. We made a reservation before we arrived in Vernazza, so we were seated immediately. Plan to get there around sunset, and you will be treated to an unforgettable romantic Ligurian meal.

Great spot when visiting Vernazza! You definitely need a reservation so I would plan to book far in advance. Highly recommend the fish belforte style or cooked in salt.

The ambiance and views were great, but that's where it ends. It was just mediocre for a hefty price tag. I got the sea bass and it was unseasoned (no lemon or anything?!) and my husband got the mixed seafood plate - which came with no sides - and said it was just alright. The house white wine was average. The service was average - nothing extraordinary or bad. We ended up getting our bill and heading back to the town we were staying in early because we were not interested in dessert or any more wine.

The view on the upper floor is spectacular, even more so during sunset. Now here's the issue with restaurants like this. The menu prices are obviously upcharged for the view. Unfortunately, if you don't have a table with a view, then you'd at least hope that the food is spectacular, otherwise, you'd feel cheated. Well ... I felt cheated. The staff are very direct. I wouldn't have a problem with this because it seems to be cultural; HOWEVER, the staff did NOT treat us like the rest of the patrons. Whether they were a group of 10 or a couple dining or friends, the staff were outwardly friendly and joking around. When it came to me and my boyfriend, they were direct and even began to walk away even though we were in the middle of ordering our food. Strange, but ok. We sat at the top floor. The kitchen was a couple of floors below. When the food would come up from the kitchen, the staff would place the food on a communal table before serving. Unfortunately, that communal table was swarming with flies that the staff ignored was happening. Now the food: the octopus was well cooked. The potatoes were undercooked. The seafood pasta was surprisingly bland considering how much sauce was on it. The lobster was tiny and barely had any meat. The only thing I enjoyed was their house wine.

It wasn't just dining it was entertainment and amazing food. Our server had the most delightful and funny personality. Everything we had on the menu was phenomenal, the restaurant is overlooking the ocean with waves crashing below the weather was perfect and their squid in pasta WOW! I wish it wasn't in the other side of the world because I'd be there every week. For a truly amazing evening then this is the place!

This restaurant is extremely overrated. The server was rude and barely spoke to us, seemed like he just wanted to rush us out of the restaurant as fast as possible. The bread came out in a paper bag, was stale, and there were no plates available or provided to use the oil and balsamic vinegar. On top of that the cheese was given to us in pre packaged plastic to go bags like you would see at a much cheaper restaurant or grocery store. The food was just okay, not worth the price we paid. We were in and out of there in an hour and left hungry. Yeah the views are nice but not worth the hype, you can walk up somewhere else and get an equally good view. Would NOT recommend and will never return.

Super confused on the reviews as this place was not at all what was expected. Reserved ahead of time. Sat in a decent place (not on the cliff but close). Had a group of six just expecting a normal dinner. The first red flag was the staff being utterly silent wearing their "staff" shirts not explaining any dishes or standard operations around the menu - they seemed to not care. Second- the food came out way fast - almost premade - and tasted that way, as though it had been sitting for some time. Many people had the pesto pasta and I had the lobster and spaghetti. Nothing really to write home about. Third red flag was the plastic bags of packaged Parmesan. Almost like we were having an airline/in-flight meal - with the drop off and pick up attendant. Not sure how our experience was so different from these reviews but the Hype is not real as of fall 2023. Don't bother - support the smaller dining spots.

More of a 3.5. Food is good, view is unreal. Any seafood you order is going to be good. I got the mussels and really enjoyed them. Service is not great. Do not eat here if you are in any sort of a rush. We were rushing to make a train and told them this and our server proceeded to completely ignore us for 20 mins after that. GET A RESERVATION IN ADVANCE. You will need one in busy season.

My husband and I came to Belforte on our last night inCinque Terre and I did not disappoint. I had the spaghetti Bruno and he had the bolognese. Great food! Great service! Amazing views!

My husband and i went to Italy for our wedding anniversary. We stopped at Vernazza and had lunch at Belforte to celebrate our anniversary. We were welcomed by Andrea #thewaiterwiththehat. He was was outstanding, friendly, kind and very nice to us, even introduced us to Diego, the chef. His happiness was contagious, fun, full of life, friendly , just amazing and if that wasn't all , every time he came to our table he had a different hat. Andrea made our lunch even more memorable. We had a amazing time at Belforte and will definitely go back again in our future trip.

Excellent food. Reservations preferred but we came at opening time (before noon) and made the line. One waiter said NO they're full, came back in 5 minutes and another waiter sat us... Disorganized seating and no real book for writing down your name. It depends on the waiter I suppose. But sounded like many people sat without reservations. "Come back in 1 hour" is what they kept saying. 1- ANCHOVIES. 16€. three types, lemon, fried and salted. All were excellent and so fresh!!! Even if you're not an anchovies fan, try them. It'll change your mind. 2- MUSSELS. 15€. Amazinggg. So fresh they tasted sweet and almost undercooked which is fine. Delicious, rightly seasoned with garlic and white wine. 3- SQUID INK PASTA MARINARA. 18€ Also good, al dente, sweet savory tomatoes for the sauce with some subpar shrimp. Still, devoured everything. 4- WHITE WINE 5€. House. Good enough. 5- TIRAMISU. 8€. Nothing like US tiramisu. Soft, sweet. Can't describe it but definitely tasted different in a good way. 6- Still water? 3€ bottle. RECOMMENDED. View is out of this world but try to seat further from the people waiting near the stairs. Too much foot traffic. Pricy but hey, look where you are now.

Fun staff, excellent food. Our waiter was so personable and wore many different (literal) hats throughout our experience. It was very clear that he absolutely loves his job and his patrons.

Go spend your money somewhere else - NOT a friendly place !!! You pay for the location if this is what you are looking for BuT definitely NOT for the food !!!

Delicious and supreme view. The service was wonderful, the food was out of this world. The caprese was delicious and fresh.

never got to eat there. tried twice to get reservations. first time they responded 2-3 later telling me they had no tables. second time I was confirmed a reservation. the day of the reservation we were hiking the trails (what you do here). at a stopping point I checked my phone to find a message from the restaurant telling me I had 30 minutes to confirm or lose my table. it was past 30 minutes but I called anyway. "we've already given your table away". they do have the best setting in this village. however, having eaten at several other places I would suggest there is not a bad meal here. they could treat patrons much better.

Service was not good. Food was average for the price. Views were great. Would recommend the Caprese

If we had known in advance that they were reservation only then we wouldn't have wasted our time. We even showed up an hour before they opened and their employee just kept repeating that they don't open until 7:00 pm. We tried asking if we had to have a reservation and he wouldn't answer us. Looking back I should have taken that as a hint, but either way now we know. We ended up having a fantastic dinner at another place with great reviews-no wait at all. Seems a little silly to be booked out so far in advance for just the view, since so many of the actual food reviews are mediocre. If it's that important to you though, then book at least a week in advance if you come in July. Otherwise catch a more breathtaking view on a nearby hike and get the same or better dining experience at a number of the other spots around.

Beautiful views at this spot up high on the edge of Vernazza by the water. Food: 3.5 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Eve award: One of the best caprese I've had Return worthiness: yes! Highlights: - Caprese: sweet bright tomatoes, thick fresh mozzarella, stellar olive oil, and small olives and caper berries to add just enough salt. 5 stars. - Seafood mixed grill: huge prawns, lobster tail, and small shrimp. Was impressive but was just ok and didn't need so much tomato sauce. 3.5 stars. - Atmosphere: amazing open air stunning uninterrupted view of the sea. - Service: funny waiter who changed into silly hats each time he came back out. - Rose wine: one of the best bottles we had. Midlights: - Bolognese pasta: fresh pasta was good but the dish was a bit too tomatoey and not enough meat. 3 stars Lowlights: - Only 3 tables with the best views. There are a few tables along a skinny balcony area and up front that have smaller views. - You need reservations even for lunch. Monumental dining experience in Cinque Terre.

I can only give them a 3. Mainly because of very poor service. Food is very good though. But they do not have enough servers to go around. I also saw preferences to people they were familiar with in seating. We had reservations we made a couple a months prior. Yet, the couple standing in line before they opened had no reservations. I saw them friending up to the host...even possibly transfer of money. They were seated with a beautiful ocean view. We were seated further away from the total view. Not cool.

This was great. We got the mussels, the octopus salad (with potatoes and tomatoes), the squid ink tagliolini with shrimp, and the spaghetti with mussels, clams, and shrimp. Everything was great, and the much-hyped tagliolini lived up to that hype, but the thing I'll remember most was the octopus, which was possibly the best I've ever had. Great food, great scenery -- definitely a great spot to go to in Vernazza. Also, I'd definitely make a reservation -- it wasn't easy to get in here.

Ended our time in Varenna at Belforte for dinner. great ambiance with an attentive, English speaking staff. There is indoor and outdoor seating, but like most Italian places, the tables are small. Interior decoration is cozy with a small kitchen. Good wine selection and menu is in Italian and English. Of the item we tried, my favorite would be the eggplant starter and caprese salad. It's neat they put the balsamic vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper on the side to put per our preference. The taste of our entrees was good, but the presentation was too simplistic. The two desserts were delicious. Tiramisu is a must try! Be there early as they do turn patrons away once seating is filled.

This place was fantastic. Not only do you get a delicious meal and great service but you get a beautiful view of the ocean. I had the squid ink pasta which was fantastic. Some of the best pasta that I have eaten from my time in Italy. Overall a beautiful place and a great experience!

We had a fabulous anniversary dinner here. Go for the risotto. The service was also fantastic.

Reservations are definitely advisable, but not strictly necessary. We arrived a few minutes after 7:00 (when it opened) and were able to get a table for 2 with a view "as long as we were out by 9:00." A handful of people got lucky this way early on, and then we saw TONS of people get turned away (for the most part they would try to make you a reservation for sometime in the next few days if you weren't leaving town too soon). Also saw one couple manage to score a walk in at 9:30. All depends on how the tables are flowing. In terms of the food, it was great! My fave food in Italy thus far, and we've been here about 5 days. Appetizer: octopus and carpaccio. Both were ENORMOUS. Even splitting them between 2 people, one would've been plenty. Octopus was huge and tender and tasted like tuna. Carpaccio was very fresh and delicious. Mains: We got pacchieri alla Belforte (sauce was tomato/wine based and we really liked, but the Norwegian couple at the next table wasn't impressed!) and the squid ink taglioloni (super tasty- definitely salty with the sea weed; this one was a hit with both us and The Norwegians who happened to order the same mains as us)! Dessert: got the tiramisu and the "recommended" strawberry/ice cream concoction. Really liked the tiramisu, the normal marscapone was more like a custard. The strawberry concoction was, dare I say, too sweet? (I'm a sugar addict, so it is a rare day I'll say that about anything, but I couldn't finish it; it was like liquid candy. But, interesting to try). The waiters/waitresses were awesome and super entertaining and all loved to sing, apparently? The singing waitstaff seemed to be kind of a thing with this restaurant. Service was good, but crazy slow like everywhere in Italy. Just relax and surrender to italian-time. :)

Oh. My. Freakin'. God. We made a reservation by email well in advance, and asked to sit on their beautiful terrace. We had a table overlooking the small harbor, with views of Monterosso and the open ocean. Wow! Our waiter is quite the character. Andre is fun, lively and very good at his job. Not at all pretentious, helpful and entertaining. He really helped make our experience. They have lots and lots of seafood options as well as a few non-seafood selections. We started with a bottle of wine and an appetizer of anchovy which included three different small fish varieties. Every bit disappeared. All the dishes were generous and delicious. The waiter was always available but never hovering. It was fun to watch him greet new guests and listen to his conversations, which seem to be intended to be over heard. In normal Italian style, our reserved table was ours for the afternoon. The reservation was at 1:00. We showed up about 12:30 and the table was waiting for us. We were there until about 3:00. First up, our drinks and a bread basket. The appetizers came out after a glass of wine or so. Typically in Italian fine dining restaurants, the entrees are not prepared until the appetizers are cleared. That was the case here. We enjoyed the company of friends, the view and the beautiful weather. It was a lovely, leisurely meal of good company, good food and good drink. If you are unfamiliar with Italian fine dining, you may think this is poor service. In reality, it is the Italian way to linger over a meal and wine and not be rushed along as often done in an American establishment. At the end of the meal our waiter brought us an iced lemon drink to clear our pallets. Very much appreciated. There are two small things that I would love to see changed. The entrance to the restaurant is just past the ferry pick up / drop off point and there is no sign. That is the first thing I would like to see updated, with business hours, phone number, website information and an inclusion that 'reservations are suggested'. Once you find the entrance, you walk up a great deal of stairs and at the top of the stairs, there is no one available to assist you with your table location; and there are a lot of tables on a variety of terraces! That is the second thing I would like to see changed. Either post a host/ hostess, or a sign indicating where to ask for a table. So, as a public service to those reading this review I offer the following: once at the top of the stair, walk forward to the staircase going down to the right and enter a small stone building where you can speak to a woman behind a bar. She will direct you to your appropriate table. Easy once you know the drill. It did begin to sprinkle while we were dining. It was nothing serious, but made me realize if it begins to pour, we had no where to go. We were under a canopy made of a light, woven, natural material. Wood? Vines? Nothing that would provide protection from the elements. Definitely make a reservation for the views and the food. And pray for a sunny day.

As I strolled through the 5 terraces of Cinque Terre, I came across the Belforte. I was in the mood for grilled octopus, and they delivered an A+ meal. Truly delicious. My server Andrea was an added bonus. Funny, knowledgeable, and attentive. Great place!!!

Absolutely loved this place! I came here after my friend recommended it to me, and it was simply amazing. The view was unparalleled. You got a nice view of the sea wherever you sit, unless indoors. The vista was so breathtaking that lot of tourists took it as a observation desk. The food was also great and reasonably priced, considering the facilities of this place. I ordered squid ink pasta, which is their recommended dish for 18€. It was really tasty. I also had a glass of house wine for 5€. The service was also friendly and welcoming. The food was served quickly and the staff was very nice. They only had one toilet so there might be a wait if you want to use it, but the bathroom window was very unique and looked like a porthole. Very nice place. Definitely would recommend if you're visiting Vernazza in Cinque Terre!

This restaurant in Vernazza is perched atop a rock formation at the front of the town just where the water meets the earth. Our favorite dish was the fish that was baked in pounds of salt. We doused it with olive oil and lemon and devoured about 4 of them between the 10 of us. The view is excellent- you can see the boats heading in and out of Monterosso. If the ocean is calm enough, sometimes you can see people swimming in the little beach below. This restaurant was busy and we had a large party so we were glad we made a reservation. If you have more than one meal to spend in Vernazza, this is a close second to my all-time favorite, La Torre. You will enjoy the friendly and entertaining service!

5 stars for lunch!! It was my favorite meal at the time! The squid ink pasta was amazing!!! The server who generally works towards the ocean side of the restaurant is kind and adorable!!! LOVED HIM! Since I liked it so much, and were staying above the restaurant, we made a second reservation for dinner another night. Dinner didn't go as well just because they were SO busy, and the weather turned to shit. It was still lovely for a while, and the food was still "good", just not mind blowing like the first time. My pasta was cold and broken, and the wind was unbearable ( not their fault, but perhaps they could have made something in the years to help for these situations). You must make a reservation!! I'll be back

Recommend by our tour operator . Service was slow and food was ok but not for the price. The service charge here is the highest we had seen in Italy. We did enjoy a local white wine from the Cinque Terra. Looking a other helpers photos we got the raw deal of seating views, looks like u must get the higher seats to get the best views. Tourist trap but I guess what do u expect in this tiny town

If it's day time, it must be really nice view! The staff are really nice and friendly, especially Andrea! The food were amazing, no need to say much about the wine there's no doubt!

Food is very average if not less than average. Definitely not worth the high cost. Tried the mixed salad, anchovies, squid ink pasta, baked fish and tagliatelle with shrimp. Views are pretty good but we happened to be seated in a lower area with more of a view of the harbor and less of the ocean. If I were to come back I'd just get the pesto and some wine while insisting on a seat above to enjoy the view.

Amazing dinner! My favorite two items on the menu are Zuppa Michela (a seafood stew with seabass, crawfish, clams, and mussels) and Tagliolini al Nero di Seppia con Gamberi (cuttlefish ink pasta with shrimp). Flavors of the sea all meld together very well in the dishes, and I am not surprised couple of the dishes on the menu won awards. I ate a lot of seafood while visiting Cinque Terre, but thought the food here was the best. We got one of the few tables that overlooked the ocean, but many of the outdoor tables here have some view of the ocean. The restaurant gets quite busy during peak tourist season in the summertime, so our food came out slower than some of the other tables. We did not mind as we were on vacation. Do make reservations couple days in advance during peak tourist season so you don't end up like many disappointed tourists who hike up the stairs to the restaurant only to get turned away.

Came here for lunch after hiking from Monterosso to Vernazza. I was a sweaty mess! This place is a bit hard to find. You have to climb a flight of stairs to get here... Also, when we arrived, there was no one standing near the front. You have to walk through the restaurant and go to the cash to ask for a table. For lunch, we shared a grilled octopus and a seafood pasta. The grilled octopus was overcooked and chewy and the seafood pasta was rather oily. I also got a sparkling water (there was a bug in my water - when I told the waiter, he didn't seem impressed as I guess I gave him extra work). The food was average and the prices were above average. They seemed extremely short staffed, which made service well below average. The views are decent but the mediocre service and food made my experience rather forgettable. i don't know if I'd recommend this restaurant to my family or friends.

My family and I were taking a hike through the Cinque Terre and were recommend this restaurant by our Tour Guide. We made a reservation for later in the day and were seated right when we arrived. We ordered Mussels, Calamari, and Sardines to start with a bottle of Cinque Terre's Cheo wine. For an entree, I ordered a pesto pasta dish, while the rest of my family got the squid ink pasta. I have to say between the seafood and the pasta, this was one of the best meals I've ever had. The seafood was fresh and flavorful, and the pesto was creamy and melty on every bite. The ambience here is really amazing. We sat up on the terrace, which overlooks the Sea. It can get a bit chilly, but the view makes it worth it. Service was great too. Our waiters were friendly and even sang to me for my Birthday, which was really nice of them. Overall, this was an unforgettable meal. I highly suggest making a reservation and ordering the dishes that are traditional to the CInque Terre region. You won't be disappointed!

We had a good lunch here with a beautiful view from the top terrace. They are quite booked, so make reservations even for lunch! (We got lucky). Service was polite, but a bit slow. For lunch we had a mixed salad, spaghetti with tomato sauce, and the mixed fried fish. Our salad was what you would expect, just a mixed salad (for something green!). The spaghetti was amazing!! Such great sauce. I could not stop eating that pasta. Our mixed fish was very good. The atmosphere is fine. Nothing to rave about aside from the view. Overall, 4/5.

I would give this place five stars for the view alone. It is perched on top of a small hill that overlooks the ocean...need I say more? What I can say and will strongly advise is to book ahead. We came on a weekday and they were turning people away for the night because they were so booked, and mind you we weren't traveling in peak season. Another reason I loved this place, as others have mentioned, is Andrea - the server. The word server/waiter seems to be so underwhelming for what Andrea brings to the dinner. He is a one man superstar. He sings, dances, makes jokes, and just charms everyone who comes to eat at this restaurant. The food itself wasn't the most memorable meal I have had...it was good, but out of all the things memorable that night - the food was not on the top of that list. I had the caprese salad, the pesto pasta, and the stir fried strawberry for dessert. The dessert was amazing - it was a take on strawberries and cream, which seems so simple, but was so decadent in this house specialty dessert. The pesto was good, but nothing that I would crave for months after. The same can be said of the caprese. Will I be back? Absolutely! Even though the meal was just a little above average, the view, Andrea, and the atmosphere of this restaurant were spectacular enough that it has become one of my most favorite memories from my trip to Cinque Terre. BTW - take the train into Vernazza, it is so much easier than car. The restaurant is within a five to ten minute walk from the train station. The tickets are affordable at 2.50 Euros each way that it is the perfect way to make your way to this little haven situated on the Italian coast.

We had such a beautiful dinner here looking over the town and sunset. Yummy food and a carafe of delicious wine. Great date! Pesto and sardines are famous in the region so don't hold back.

I'm not sure which was better...the food, the views or the service. We had a wonderful evening overlooking the sea, with delicious seafood! Reservations are a must during peak tourist season. We highly recommend this experience!

Our favorite meal in Cinque Terre! Atmosphere was wonderful overlooking the water! Food was amazing! We got the shrimp with curry rice and grilled veggies. So tasty and so fresh! House white wine was perfect. So glad we stopped in here to eat as we were exploring.

Everything about the restaurant is simply stunning! First thing first- you pretty much are REQUIRED to get a reservation to get a table for dinner here. I had read a lot about people getting reservations weeks ahead of time, but I managed to snag a table for the next day by going up to the top and asking about reservations. They only had one table left, but I got it, so I can't complain! Also, pricing was difficult to determine ahead of time, but turned out to be totally reasonable. We were there for 2.5 hours with multiple course (and were stuffed after) and it was in the €70-80 range, which isn't bad. Plus it's totally worth it- in the words of Tom and Donna (of Parks and Rec fame) "Treat yo self!" We ended up with a feast. The anchovies appetizer was surprisingly good. I had never even fathomed trying anchovies before, but had heard that Cinque Terre was the place to do it, and I don't regret it! I had the squid ink pasta with shrimp, and they aren't lying when they say it is award winning. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the shrimp was simply amazing! Ending with desert, the fried strawberries were definitely good, but if choosing again, I would probably get gelato somewhere else. The house wine, while not the best I had in Italy, was still very good as well. I also have to mention what really sets this place apart- the service and the view. The service was simply incredible. Andrea was our waiter, and he only added to the awesomeness of the place. He brought out prosecco to start the dinner out (on the house), chatted with us throughout the dinner, and when desert was taking a little longer, brought us complimentary lemoncello! And as for the view, I'll let the pictures do the talking...

Our skipper took us here after boating through Cinque Terre. The crowds scared us like it would be touristy but we had a really great meal. My husband said the octopus here (steamed not grilled) was the best he's had EVER. I had mussels and the pesto pasta. Very enjoyable but it gets very crowded around lunchtime when the ferries come in so be mindful.

Our lunch at Belforte was absolutely perfect! We arrived in Vernazza famished after making the two hour hike from Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza. Most of the lunch crowd was leaving so my husband, sisters, and I managed to snag a great table outside overlooking Vernazza and the water. We started off the meal with a bottle of Prosecco. (We had to celebrate completing our hike!) For our first course our table split two pasta dishes: The handmade Trofie with Pesto and Squid Ink Pasta with Seafood. The trofie was one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tasted. The pesto was out of this world good!!! The squid ink pasta with seafood was also very good and contained a nice selection of fresh seafood. For our entrees my sister and I ordered the grilled octopus. I was a little surprised the dish didn't come with any lemon wedges, but our waiter quickly brought us lemon wedges when we asked. The octopus was so fresh and unlike anything I have had in Florida! My husband ordered the mussels and my youngest sister ordered the mixed grilled seafood platter. She attempted to eat about half of the dish, but this massive platter contained a little too much food for a girl that weighs less than a hundred pounds! The fresh seafood, breathtaking views, and friendly service makes Belforte so special. If I have the chance to visit Vernazza again we will definitely be dining at Belforte!

Excellent spot for lunch and we were purely entertained by Andrea. Must check this out.

Go here at sunset and enjoy probably the best dining views in Vernazza! That alone is worth the 5 star review but the food is amazing as well. I highly recommend the squid ink pasta with shrimp. It was one of my favorite dishes I had in Italy. Make a reservation well in advance of your stay (for about 15-20 mins before sunset and relax with some wine and enjoy the view. We sure did.

If this place just had a hammock I would give this place 5.5 stars!!! After the hike here from Corniglia we built an enormous appetite but I don't think the food here needed any of that hunger seasoning because every dish we had was simply amazing! We've been trying all the squid ink pasta (€14) across Italy and so far this was the best we've had. It was served over a bed of some kind of delicious shrimp and there was plenty of it throughout the dish. I had the frutte di mare (€15) and for the price and portions it was most excellent. All the pastas were perfectly al dente just as it should be in Italy! I think the dish may have been slightly salty but since we're hiking to Monterosso we could use the extra sodium. The first course came out rather quickly but there was about a 40 minute wait for the second course to come out. That's when the hammock would've been perfect! We had a pretty rocking view of the water from this ancient castle perch. The best view was a little book with a table for 2 but that one was reserved....so another tip if you want to really impress, call ahead and ask for the table with the ocean view...it might also help to ask in Italian since it seemed like only the locals had the tables with reservations. Our second course was the grilled octopus and it was pretty much just that...over a bed of arugula and some sliced grape tomatoes drizzled with olive oil. I would've just got another plate of the squid ink pasta. There were other delicious looking dishes that others got that would be great to get next time: the salted fish seemed to elicit some umami responses. The crudo also looked amazing!!! They only serve that for a party of 2. There was also a salad with a crap ton of seafood on top that everyone seemed to get. Next time we shall order these!!! To finish it all off we got the tiramisu (€6) and the panna cotta (€6). The tiramisu was different than I've ever had. It was more creamy and less formed but had great flavor. The panna cotta had perfect texture and was smooooth. Topped with a drizzle of chocolate, I think it was the winner. Overall the view, the food, the location, the relatively affordable prices were big winners here!

The best thing about this restaurant is the view, and unfortunately we didn't have one. My dish was definitely more on the meh side. From what I gathered from our group that was the consensus, it was okay and overpriced. We had to pay for the view that wasn't there. I think street food might have made me happier.

The pastas were excellent - cooked al dente, lots of flavor in the sauce, and the shrimp was cooked wonderfully with the perfect texture. The view from the terrace was impressive and definitely a worthy experience. If you plan to go, make sure you make a reservation; we just stumbled upon this place on our first night here and got super lucky...my husband went to put our names down and it just happened 4 people had canceled last minute. Score! Definitely will be back again when we visit cinque terre

We went to Belforte twice during our stay in Vernazza. The venue, the food and the service were superb! Everything we had was fresh, well prepared and presented and delicious. Highly recommend the Spaghetti a la Vongole, the black pasta (squid ink) with shrimp, the Spaghettis with Lobster and the grilled Octopus. Spectacular views from the restaurant and we were amazed at how reasonable the prices were for the quality and venue they offer. We weren't too impressed with their sister restaurant downstairs in the Piazza, Il Gamberi Rossi.