Il Gambero Rosso Vernazza

Located at the heart of Vernazza, the courtyard of the restaurant directly overlooks the Vernazza central plaza and the sea. A great location, especially for night time when the sun is setting. The food came pretty quickly after ordering. The spaghetti was rather undercooked, but the fish in Gambero Rosso style was pretty good. The service was OK. Note that this restaurant charges EUR 4 per person when dining in, called "cover charge". Not an omission by the restaurant, I missed reading it at the bottom of one of the last pages, but it's my first time encountering this type of charge. Overall, a okay type of restaurant. The prices are pretty high, not due to food quality but for tbe location. I do believe the restaurants are better a bit further north in Vernazza.

The octopus potato salad is surprisingly good. The weather was really hot and nowhere offered any air conditioning there, we stayed at the outdoor area at least we can hide from the sun.

This place was fantastic. It is super busy and right near the waterfront. At the time, they only had 2 servers working out of 5 but still did an exceptional job. I had the lobster pasta and my husband had pasta in walnut cream sauce, both were delicious.

Great place for lunch in this very crowded CinqueTerre town of Vernazza. The food was delicious, fresh mussels, trofie pasta with pesto sauce and fried anchovies in tomato sauce.

Gambero Rosso in Vernazza might have the location, but everything else falls apart fast. The staff barely acknowledge guests, offering no welcome and no warmth. The seafood was passable except for the shrimp. Then came the risotto. It was not just undercooked, it was an insult. Hard, white, chalky grains that crunched between your teeth. Not al dente, not close. It was raw. When we politely questioned it, we were told, without hesitation or care, “this is how it should be.” That statement alone disqualifies them from serving risotto at all. And then it got worse. Instead of starting fresh, they threw the entire dish-sauce, seafood, and all-into an oven in a sad attempt to recover it. The rice remained raw, the seafood turned rubbery, and the sauce reduced into something nearly inedible from salt and overcooking. Here is a photo of the risotto after the third attempt. Still raw. You can clearly see the white core, uncooked seed inside the grain. This was not a mistake in execution. It was a complete lack of understanding, pride, and respect for Italian cuisine. In Italy, no less. Gambero Rosso should not serve risotto until they learn how to cook rice.

The dining experience was nice here at Gambero Rosso. The food was very good, minus the John Dory fish. The risotto had great flavors and their signature pasta with zucchini was also excellent. The view is also very nice, and they cannot control how many people are around, but it is a very busy location.

We had a fabulous meal here on our first night. Our table was right up against the beach. The service was great. We had shrimp, gluten-free pasta, fish, and a delicious lemon sorbet.

This restaurant here has a prime location on the Piazza down at the small port in Vernazza. Still, the prices are fair, the staff was friendly and helpful and the food really good. So it's far from being a tourist trap you might expect from this kind of location. Had a glass of local white wine, a mixed acciughe (anchovies) platter for a starter, Spaghetti Vongole (clams) and homemade pasta for a main. The acciughe came in all different forms and shapes. Fried, grilled, dried and salted and in oil. All very good, high quality. The Cinque Terre is famous for having great acciughe. The Spaghetti Vongole were decent, not the best ever, but enjoyable. Pasta perfectly cooked al dente. The pasta I had (some kind of homemade ravioli - just a different shape) were really great. Nicely filled and cooked perfectly. But the best part of it was the sauce. It was a (hazel? walnut?) sauce. What might sound a bit crazy, was actually a perfect match. Suprisingly good...no, great. A really nice choice, this restaurant. If you want a great location and some good food, look no further.

I loved the seafood Risotto, one of the best meals I had in Italy. My husband had the fish and he liked it but didn't love is which is why we gave a 4 star rating. Our waiter had us laughing because the wind came up and he was making sure the umbrellas didn't take off.

Eh. Service was nice, location was prime, but for us, food was just okay. We didn't make any reservations, it was a busy day and we were able to get a table quickly. I wouldn't actively avoid the restaurant, but I also wouldn't seek it out again.

Came here and the outside wait was slammed. We were too hungry and tired to wait, so we got a seat inside. Ordered the shrimp scampi, fried octopus, stuffed mussels, and mussels risotto. Pretty standard compared and on par with most of the other restaurants we've eaten in Italy. The octopus was a little mushy (I'm not sure if that means it's overcooked as I have never cooked it), but the texture felt off. I preferred the mussels risotto over the stuffed mussels. It was hard to find the mussel even in the stuffed pieces. They both could have used a hot sauce though. Like most of Italy, windows and doors are open. Don't expect to cool off from the sun inside of here

This restaurant here has a prime location on the Piazza down at the small port in Vernazza. Still, the prices are fair, the staff was friendly and helpful and the food really good. So it's far from being a tourist trap you might expect from this kind of location. Had a glass of local white wine, a mixed acciughe (anchovies) platter for a starter, Spaghetti Vongole (clams) and homemade pasta for a main. The acciughe came in all different forms and shapes. Fried, grilled, dried and salted and in oil. All very good, high quality. The Cinque Terre is famous for having great acciughe. The Spaghetti Vongole were decent, not the best ever, but enjoyable. Pasta perfectly cooked al dente. The pasta I had (some kind of homemade ravioli - just a different shape) were really great. Nicely filled and cooked perfectly. But the best part of it was the sauce. It was a (hazel? walnut?) sauce. What might sound a bit crazy, was actually a perfect match. Suprisingly good...no, great. A really nice choice, this restaurant. If you want a great location and some good food, look no further.

The Lobster Pasta specialty was top notch, one of the best things I've eaten in the area. The stuffed mussel were solid and the burrata with anchovies were very good as well. Amazing setting and we had good service which started slow but ended great. Great Cinque Terre location and food.

This place was a treat for lunch after a hike from Monte Rosso to Vernazza. We arrived in the middle of lunch and the restaurant was crazy busy but if you show some patience and get the servers attention he will put you on the list for a table. We only waited about 10 minutes and a table opened up. Lunch was very tasty, the grilled octopus is literally an entire octopus, huge portion perfectly grilled. My wife ordered the mussels in marinara sauce. The marinara is actually a broth but was delicious and also a huge portion. Add in a couple of glasses of wine and you have a great lunch, especially after a long difficult hike. We have been here a couple years in a row and can highly recommend Gambero Rosso for lunch (have not been for dinner).

Such an amazing time to spend at Gambero Rosso. Don't expect much in the way of great bread while in Florence, Tuscany or Cinque Terre-it's just not common to find as perhaps many Western pallets may anticipate. However, you will find excellent seafood and pasta dishes. The red mullet was a bit more gamey than desired but was a popular dish seen on other tables as well. Lobster pasta was excellent and the sardines like no other-fresh as can be. Try the sampler to compare the tastes of all of them. Caprese salad practically came from the ground to the plate w those tomatoes. Amazing. Gambero was perhaps my favorite restaurant on this last tour of Italy. Great service and cannot beat the view and scenery in beautiful Vernazza.

Very nice ambiance. A plate of bread with no serving plates was clunked on our table to welcome us. The entrees were decent. The parmigiana cheese was provided via a plastic individual bag. Like ordering pasta at Subway. The deserts were average. The waitstaff and assorted others were providing marginal service at best. 12 euro cover charge for the basket of bread? I think this is a place that once cared that now just goes thru the motions for the money. Sad but true.

We visited on a Tuesday evening and found the staff to be very friendly. My girlfriend really enjoyed her meal: John Dory. I had the steamed mussels which were a bit overpowering in the salt department, but okay nonetheless. Great view of the harbor from the restaurant.

Great location to enjoy a nice lunch or dinner by the water in the piazza. However, food was ok. Disappointed with the shrimp, a couple of which was mushy so not worth the 30euros we spent. the calamari gratin I didn't care for as well due to its doughy outer texture. I do love the pasta dish, mussels, and the grilled octopus (not pictured). The staff speaks enough English to take orders.

This restaurant should have WAY more reviews that it does. Gambero Rosso is located on the square of Vernazza with great views of the ocean and night life. Normally, if a restaurant is located right in the middle of an ideal location in a tourist destination then the food will be subpar (aka a tourist trap). This is NOT the case. Get the Lobster pasta (you can ask for a single serving size or for two size. It's amazing! The muscles are excellent as well. The price is just right as well! You can't beat the food, location, friendly staff, and great atmosphere. Highly recommend this place. PS: do NOT eat at the restaurant across the square. Very rude staff.

I will dream about the two dinners I had at Il Gambero Rosso last week for months to come. This was the best restaurant I tried during a recent visit to Cinque Terre -- so good we had dinner here twice in three days. The pasta is incredibly fresh and you can't beat the view, overlooking Vernazza's picturesque harbor and main square. Don't let sitting sea-side fool you into thinking the food won't measure up, which does seem to be an issue at other restaurants in Cinque Terre. We got the troflie al pesto Ligurie and seafood spaghetti both times because they were so good -- perfectly al dente pasta with simple but such satisfying flavor. If you want to try a pesto dish during your time in Cinque Terre, this one is it. (In case you didn't know, Cinque Terre is the birthplace of pesto and troflie is one of the traditional pastas they make with it.) We eyed many other dishes served nearby that looked incredible, from a giant pan of mussels to a whole roasted fish. The service was also great - incredibly friendly, responsive servers. We didn't make reservations either time but were seated quickly by going on the earlier side (around 7/7:30 p.m.). I would highly recommend Il Gambero Rosso if you're staying in or stopping by Vernazza.

I was honestly surprised that this place was as good as it was given its location smack dab on the square near the water in Vernazza teeming with tourists. The view, subsequently, is beautiful, and if you face the square you'll be treated to some excellent people watching. The trofie al pesto was very solid (though not the best on the trip - head up the street to Il Pirate for that), and the mozzarella/tomato starter could not have been more fresh. Others in our party really loved the seafood risotto and mussels. Some really nice wines on the list as well - made for a lovely evening! Reservations recommended.

Great authentic meal. Very tasty and fast service. Definitely make a reservation. They seem to be associated with the Belforte so they have a similar menu but cheaper pricing.

Delicious! Beautiful setting.... right by the water. The prices are pretty standard. Service was excellent. We sat outdoors. The house wine was perfect!

Very good food. We really liked the pasta dishes we had. Dessert was ok but food was to die for.

Our pastas were not the most amazing we have had in Italy, however, the muscles were AMAZING! I've never had such fresh and perfectly cooked and spiced muscles! Also the view is pretty incredible, with so many options this is one of the closest to the water. Make sure to make a reservation!!! The waiters make it feel like you are rushing out the door so just have boundaries :).

We spent a day visiting Cinque Terre, and we decided to take a break in Vernazza and get some food. Gambero Rosso is a cute restaurant located right on the water. You don't come all the way to Vernazza to sit inside, so we got a table on the waterfront, overlooking the little plaza and the local beach. We ordered a mixed seafood with some pickled veggies as an appetizer. Appetizer was delicious and every single piece of seafood was cooked to perfection. I loved the octopus! For main dish we ordered some grilled scampi, boiled in sea salt. Amazing dish. It tasted as good as it looked :) Next time I am visiting Cinque Terre I am taking a several days off so I can enjoy properly each of these beautiful villages.

Second time I have visited Vernazza in four years. Came to this restaurant both times. Had the same meal- this seafood medley that was outrageously huge. The meal is legendary in my family. SO GOOD! If I return to Vernazza, I will have it again!

Gambero Rosso was a very good restaurant. The house red wine is good (for a house red). We enjoyed two meals even though we realized after ordering them that they weren't exactly what we expected. This place is right next to the harbor, so the location is great. Dinner was just a little pricy (probably because of the location). The only other downside to this restaurant that we experienced was that it was busy at night. We barely got a table. And it took a little while for the waiter to take our order.

It's my 3rd meal in Cinque Terre and I'm still not finding anything that is "good", especially when each meal costs €60 for two people. I was really hesitant and worried about eating in this village because it's the most touristy of all the Cinque Terre villages. The "fresh food" did not taste fresh at all. I ordered the pesto pasta, spaghetti bolognes, and grilled octopus. The pesto sauce was so heavy and tasted like it came out of a package. The spaghetti was pretty good. The octopus was under cooked. It could have spent another few minutes on the grill. The service and the view were pretty good, but don't expect too much from the food.

Initially we chose this spot for it's great location by the water and nice shaded umbrella's. It turned out to be much better than we had anticipated. The server kept our bread basket full (a must when it comes to my gluten loving family) and the portion sizes were hearty. At the end it did have some steeper prices as was expected based on the single fact that it was in the centre of Vernazza. A friendly staff and a great menu with seafood to vegetarian options. Highly recommend the caprese salad and roasted vegetables that are both antipasti's.

Not impressed with this place, the worse service and rudest servers we experienced during the week in Cinque Terre. Food quality was ok but not great but when you take into consideration the service, not worth trying.

Great outdoor seating, lousy service (threatening waiters), okay but expensive food, and hidden fees. On top of the £3 per person "service charge", we were billed £6 for tap water. I think this was more expensive than the bottled water. I've been nickel and dimed on vacation before but this was the worst. £6 for tap water is just dumb. I'll never return.

Ate here 1st night, last night. That good! Difficult to choose, all was so tempting. Anchovy lovers will find the 4 different anchovy appetizer was tasty, not salty like in USA. The fried seafood mounded with such variety of fish was my to die for dish, so much, had to share. Came piping hot, not greasy! Had side of the spagetti w/clams n mussel, and a fantastic grilled veggies, including fennel root! Last night, had the sea bass w/veggies, despite bones, tastier than snapper, sole, trout. Fish is soooo fresh. Big bowl of mussels topped off R other entre. Best light terramisu, better than a STELLA's in San Francisco. Can't beat The gourmet food served quickly after ordering, especially the inexpensive $$$, you'd never find in big cities. Go to Cinque Terre, just to indulge at this high five place on the waterfront. Never forget! Seriously, I'm a fussy foodie, so trust me. .

Today my brother-in-law and I happened upon this restaurant. It was very busy but we were seated promptly. I enjoyed the pasta carbonara with seafood and my brother-in-law had spaghetti with seafood. Extremely fresh. Rich flavors. Complimented by a litro of house white wine which was crisp with notes of apple aromas. Both of us were very satisfied with our choices. When next I visit Vernazza, I will return to this restaurant. Perfecto!!

Another great place for pesto! The pesto sauce here has a richer flavor than most places here in Cinque Terra. The walnut suave on the ravioli is also amazing! Super friendly service and a relaxed environment make this a must for lunch in Vernazza.

We checked out this spot in Vernazza based on the reviews. I'd say it pretty much lives up to it, but wouldn't rave about it as one of my favorite meals during my trip to Italy. It's right in the heart of everything and the crowds near the water. Great view, the pastas we had were not bad, and the service was just fine. Overall - serviceable meal with a view and prices adjusted for tourists.

Most bland pasta, shrimp, and zuchinni dish I have ever had. Paid 17 euro for it and got FOOD POISONING for the first time this Eurotrip. Currently dying in the bathroom. My boyfriends steak had zero flavor. This place is terrible in the winter

Hands down one of the best meals we had in Italy. We popped in for lunch after doing the very long hike from Monterosso to Vernazza. We were seated right away (lunch hours were drawing to a close) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great views, great service, and the food is amazing. A very pleasant surprise considering it's right in the heart of the tourist area. My wife had the Bolognese spaghetti, which she loved. I had their signature dish, Tagliatelle with shrimp and zucchini, which the menu identifies as "Selected dish Expo 2015," and was absolutely superb. The zucchini was freshly cut and the shrimp was perfect. Far better than we expected and so very much appreciated!

We were recommended to eat here by a local. For a touristy area it was solid food with good service. We were a half an hour late for our reservation and they accommodated us quickly. We had mussels and the paella-we probably shouldn't have done both together as there was too many mussels for our taste-it would have been helpful to know that it was mainly mussels in the paella when we ordered so that we wouldn't have had both.

Finally, the Italian place we've been looking for! Amazing food we ate here twice even though I rarely eat at the same place twice.

Because it is in the town square and my sister picked it, I was skeptical... But turned out to be my favorite meal in this part of Italy. The breaded calamari was amazing - I never had it prepared this way, but it was light, tasty, and perfect. The seafood salad is a must! And the grilled octopus - omg, the best ever, tasted like steak, served whole and is about the circumference of your face. The pesto was also amazing.

Great restaurant (Ristorante Il Gambero Rosso). Great location on the water! Great seafood dishes (we had several fresh seafood dishes plus a couple of appetizers as well as dessert). Service was very good and local wine was excellent.

Great service! Very friendly and knowledgeable waiters. Awesome view, right next to the water. Some of the best pasta we have had in Italy

Great fresh seafood and local artists pick olive oil make this a rewarding stop for lunch. Don't be in a hurry they had more groups than they could handle while we we're there so expected a leisurely lunch before you hike to your dinner spot.

I loved the food here! I went with my family and ordered a seafood spaghetti, trofie with pesto, prawn pasta and a fried assortment of seafood. The pesto was amazing as usual in cinque terre- It was so savory and flavorful, It was the best pesto I've ever had. Although the pasta looked a little funny, It was still delicious. The fried fish was also yummy- It was fried to a perfect golden crisp, without being overly salty or crispy. The spaghetti was pretty good, but I don't like tomato based sauces so it'd probably taste better to someone else. I myself did not try the prawn pasta, but everyone else said It was good so... Also, just a suggestion, you should definitely dip the bread they give you in the sauces of the pastas they give you (the pesto and the bread tasted so good). I would definitely recommend, but the price was a little expensive, but It is a tourist destination so I guess all the restaurants are like this.

Had lunch here after walk from Volastra to Coniglia then train to Vernazza. Sat outside next to the beach, this is a busy place but the food and people watching was outstanding. This place has it all.