The signature dishes of Versilia's best restaurants

Fine cuisine, fish but also meat dishes, tables on the beach. Here is our unmissable guide to summer in Versilia

A land of culture, frequented by celebrities and elite travellers, intellectuals, entrepreneurs and artists since the late 19th century, Versilia boasts a noteworthy culinary tradition that skilfully marries the flavours of land and sea. Whether you’re looking for fine dining or prefer simple, genuine traditional food made with excellent local ingredients, here’s our guide to the unmissable dishes in Versilia’s top restaurants.

Here is an in-depth look at restaurants in Versilia, here is where to eat by the sea in the Maremma, and here is a short guide to the pearls of Castiglioncello and its surroundings!

Gilda
Viale Italico, 85 (Forte dei Marmi)
ph. +39 0584 880397

Dining on the beach in a picturesque setting a stone’s throw from the centre of Forte dei Marmi, enjoying a delicious dinner of fresh fish, perhaps by candlelight: this is the magic of Gilda, one of Versilia’s most loved restaurants. There’s a wide selection of superb quality seafood, the day’s fish catch and local specialities. Be tempted by the array of mouthwatering dishes inspired by Mediterranean and Tuscan flavours: you’re spoilt for choice. A recommendation? The Bavette with garlic, olive oil, chilli and red shrimp. A delight for the eyes and the tastebuds.

Bagno Silvio
Viale Italico (Forte dei Marmi)
ph. +39 0584 82878

For over 100 years Bagno Silvio has been the ideal destination for anyone seeking delicious fish dishes made with fabulous local ingredients. It’s still run by the Dazzi family, who have been here for generations. You can’t visit Silvio’s without sampling the classic spaghetti with clams, which bring all the authentic flavour of the sea to your plate.

Maitò
Viale Achille Franceschi, 29 (Forte dei Marmi)
ph. +39 0584 1786241

Maitò has been a gathering place for Forte dei Marmi regulars since the 60s. The relaxed atmosphere is accentuated by simple, authentic cooking with a strong focus on excellent local ingredients. The flagship dish is penne alla Maitó, pasta tubes with a sauce of Ciro Flagella tomatoes dressed with Red Cow Parmesan and Normandy butter. Maitó is the nickname of the owners’ grandmother, and that’s why every dish is still served with all the care and love of an Italian nonna.

Ristorante Lorenzo
Via Giosuè Carducci, 61 - Forte dei Marmi
ph. +39 0584 874030 – +39 0584 89671

A name, a place, a guarantee. Lorenzo has been one of Forte dei Marmi’s best-loved restaurants since 1981. Exquisite cooking, unquestionable quality of raw materials, a vast wine list, attentive service and elegant surroundings celebrate the pleasures of the table and the joy of conviviality every day. You have to try the classic Bavette risottate in bianco with baby squid, white and red shrimp and cuttlefish.

Bistrot
Via della Repubblica, 14 (Forte Dei Marmi)
ph. +39 0584 89879

An open kitchen, elegant dining rooms with slightly colonial-inspired decor and a cool terrace, all accompanied by jazz. A stone’s throw from the sea, Bistrot Restaurant combines contemporary style with an international mood, in which the warmth of wood and leather and the colours of fabrics and surfaces heighten the pleasure of companionship. Absolutely not to be missed, grilled octopus with grilled mixed salad leaves and cream of Garfagnana farro.

Bagno Alpemare
Via Arenile, 69 (Forte dei Marmi)
ph. +39 0584 1811042

A delightful place where the Dolce Vita has never waned, even in the new millennium. Bagno Alpemare has become the new gem of Versilia thanks to the Bocelli family, who have completely refurbished the classic beach club and turned it into an elegant and peaceful oasis. The restaurant offers sophisticated dishes featuring unusual and exquisite combinations created by chef Mirko Caldino. Dishes not to be missed include La Caldina, a wafer with a cream of 36-months matured parmesan, burrata stracciatella and truffle, which you’ll instantly fall in love with.

Ristorante La Bussola - Versilia
Viale Roma, 44 - Marina di Pietrasanta (LU)
ph. +39 349 1993837

The restaurant of Bagno La Bussola is part of the legendary Bussola di Focette, opened in 1955 by Sergio Bernardini. The temple to music past and present is now also a landmark for informal but authentic dining on the beach. Super fresh fish, vegetables from their own garden, home-made breads and desserts and an extensive list of wines and champagnes. Not to be missed, cooked and raw red prawn risotto.

We end this journey into taste where we find the other contemporary trattoria of Filippo and the famous Giacomo.

Filippo Forte dei Marmi
Via Sant’Elme 6 - Forte dei Marmi
ph. +39 0584 81376

All the components of traditional cooking have found their natural home in the kitchen at Filippo, a trattoria opened in Forte dei Marmi in 2020. Andrea Gemignani’s dishes and Ivan’s attentiveness to guests are the common link between kitchen and dining room. Fish is dominant in this modern trattoria, which also offers a small selection of pizzas from the wood oven and several traditional Tuscan meat dishes including Roast beef, the Filippo flagship dish.

Giacomo Pietrasanta
Via del Marzocco 19 - Pietrasanta (Lu)
ph. +39 0584 300 272

The small indoor dining rooms are steeped in the timeless elegance of the Giacomo style, discreet and unassuming. And starring in the kitchen? Fish, freshly caught and ready to be served up when chosen from the alluring display in the cold cabinet that dominates the main dining room. Every dish is impeccably cooked to bring out the quality of utterly superb ingredients with the lightest possible touch, in true Giacomo style. If the whole menu is tempting, the grand raw seafood platter is even more so - nothing less than a not to be missed cult at Giacomo’s.