The restaurants in Viareggio where to eat, even in winter
A selection not to be missed for lovers of real fish cuisine
The sea in winter has its charms. Loredana Bertè sings it to us and we feel it ourselves when, on sunny winter days, we take a relaxing break from the city to the nearest sea.
And here comes Viareggio, the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea", a seaside town from the mid-nineteenth century that boasts, in addition to its famous bathing establishments, a long promenade that in winter becomes the stage of one of the most famous carnivals in Italy but not only.
But let's come to the point: where to eat in Viareggio even during the Carnival period? Here is our top list of restaurants and trattorias where the genuineness of the culinary translation meets the excellent quality of seafood.
Roman Restaurant
Via Giuseppe Mazzini, 120 Viareggio Tel. 0584 31382
a historical name that of Romano, famous restaurant that celebrated in 2016 fifty years of activity with its Michelin star, the oldest in Versilia. The cuisine of the Franceschini family is a concentrate of quality and essentiality, which looks to the sea with intriguing incursions into the flavors of the land. Take the squid stuffed with vegetables and shellfish: a true masterpiece. And then all the first homemade: at Romano's it's a bit like having lunch with your family, because you can breathe the atmosphere of home.
Lunasia
Viale Daniele Manin, 4 Viareggio Tel: 0584 44449
From Lunasia (1 Michelin star) is located on the terrace of the Hotel Plaza e De Russie: the menu, tasting or a la carte, bears the clear signature of chef Landi, with essential dishes that alternate with recipes more complex in flavor and construction. In addition to aesthetics and taste, special attention is given to the olfactory aspect, whether it's finger food or main courses. Among the dishes are the green salad of the Apuan Alps, ginger, fruit and vegetables; the red prawns of Mazara, celeriac and green apple, onions with lemon and cuttlefish black chips; the candles of Gragnano, milk and prawns.
From George
via Zanardelli, 71 Viareggio Tel. 0584 44493
Historic family-run trattoria. In a characteristic environment, the menu offers the classics with fresh fish. Don't miss the Viareggio spaghetti alla Trabaccolara with mullet and redfish, seafood soup and spaghetti with shelled arselle. Excellent the fried paranza, the noble fish baked in the oven, the muscatel soup.
From Pine
Via Giacomo Matteotti, 18 Viareggio Tel. 0584 961356
A landmark in the city for exactly 40 years. An old bar counter with fresh flowers, wooden sideboards with Ginori porcelain and well laid tables accompany us on a journey of taste. The sea is the protagonist: spaghettini with cicadas, seafood risotto, local fish and fried fish. Last but not least and certainly not to be missed the raw: scampi, shrimps, cicadas, carpaccio and tartare, all accompanied by excellent oils and important labels. Another must? Catalan.
Trattoria Buonamico
Via San't Andrea, 27 Viareggio Tel.
Since 1901: it is the oldest restaurant in Versilia still in activity. And the tradition of more than a century is not betrayed, but you do not give up creativity, while the sea meets the land. So on the menu you can find fresh pasta Tacconi alla Trabaccolara and Gnocchi with citrus fruits, seafood, dried tomatoes and salted ricotta cheese; zuppa frantoiana and Gnocchi allo scoppolao di Pedona, trevigiano and toasted walnuts.
Trattoria La Darsena
Via Virgilio, 150, Viareggio Tel. 0584 398249
Exemplary interpreter of the tradition of eating well in Viareggio, its location could only be in Darsena, in the heart of the old area of the port of Viareggio, transforming over the years from a typical Trattoria to a high quality restaurant. The cuisine is the realm of Piera Bastieri and his staff, Maurizio, Daniele and Dino. At the base of all the dishes they prepare, their immense knowledge of fish always following the best Viareggio tradition. The whitebait fritters, cuttlefish with chard, boiled octopus and stuffed muscles are just some of the appetizers that Piera offers us. Among the first courses, all cooked at the moment and, in some cases with homemade pasta, we remember the fish tordelli which, depending on the season, he prepares with fresh arselle, or the coltellacci and bavette with mullet or anchovies.
At Rizieri's
Via Cesare Battisti, 35 Tel. 0584 962053
A beautiful conclusion, with the kingdom of the cecina and the Versilian pizza. Forget a cuisine of tinsels: at Rizzieri you come to savour the authenticity of a popular way of life. Book a table and, after having tasted the cecina (or chickpea pie) and their "toasted" pizza, leave yourself a little space to taste the fish dishes that the small kitchen prepares: satisfied or reimbursed.