The best Tropea restaurants, all in one place!
Everything here is my own opinion and I received no compensation for this post. It also contains affiliate links. If you have any questions about this, just click here! All content copyright Where’s Emma Now 2012-2026.
If you go to Tropea for the gorgeous sea, you’ll stay for the food! It’s stacked with great local ingredients and of course, plenty of seafood.
You can check out my to get you started. It has highlights of what to see, where to stay, and day trips possibilities. Plus some perspective on that age old question: do I rent a car or not?
But if you’ve been following along for any amount of time, you know the food is the most important part of the trip for me: I want to eat the best possible meals with as many local ingredients as possible, without completely breaking the bank. So here are the best Tropea restaurants I’ve found!
Not a seafood fan? Don’t worry! A bunch of the most typical Calabrese ingredients aren’t seafood.
Typical Dishes in Tropea
Tropean onion are so iconic they’re named after the city! These almost purple beauties will be on every menu, and they’re popular for a reason. They’re sweet by onion standards, so they give a great balance to every dish. Even a pasta tossed with sautéed Tropean onions will be delicious!
‘Nduja is on the spicier end of things in Calabria. Packed full of chilies, ‘nduja is a spicy pork salami spread. Yes, it brings the heat, but these chilies aren’t just about burning your mouth – they have great flavor too. The flavor is strong, but not strongly pork-y; mostly we’re focused on the chilies here.
Tartufo is a classic Calabrese dessert you’ll fall in love with! It originates from the small town of Pizzo, about an hour away. It’s a frozen dessert where gelato is frozen around a liquid core, then the outer layer is coated with another layer of cocoa powder or something else. The traditional version is dark chocolate center, chocolate or hazelnut gelato, and cocoa powder, but you’ll see tons of variations so there’s a flavor for everyone!
Seafood and fish are massively popular here, of course! I won’t go into detail because there’s a huge range of local options. When in doubt, ask the staff what’s the best fish or seafood that day. They’ll steer you right.
The Best Tropea Restaurants
Ristorante La Lamia is my number one recommendation for Tropea because of their tropean onion antipasto dish!!! This appetizer platter has seven different preparations of the classic sweet purple onion. It was delicious and a must order. Their pasta is great too.
Trattoria Tropeana is tucked not far off the main drag and has ridiculously good seafood panciotti, a stuffed pasta similar to ravioli.. This was my favorite pasta in Tropea! Because it’s so close to the Main Street, we opted to go early; if that’s not your speed, consider making a reservation.
Il Marchese is a bit more upscale seafood restaurant. Not fine dining, but more elegant setting. The nicer setting made it a little pricier too. The food is so great! They also have good non seafood options if your group doesn’t all love seafood.
Ristorante La Conchiglia da Patea was another of my favorite meals in Tropea! The scrigni (similar to ravioli) with prawns was incredible, and the tuna steak comes paired with a bunch of forms of Tropean onions to sample! It’s tucked away and happened to be just around the corner from our cute boutique hotel*.
Ristorante Scacco Matto serves local dishes. It sits on the other main road that curves around, so it gets popular. Sit on their terrazza if you can, and order any pasta with seafood!
Premiata Formerai has great pizza! It’s pizza Napoletana, which is my favorite style: thin and soft with a great pillowy crust. They offer both classics and modern topping combinations. If you like spicy food, get one with ‘nduja – I had the Calabrese. Or order something unique to Napoletana pizzas and get a pizza fritta, fried pizza! The crust is deep friend before toppings, then flash baked to melt the cheese. It’s surprisingly light and has no heavy breading layer that we associate with frying in the US. It’s a great pizza if you’ve never tried it!!
The Best Cafes, Bars & Cheap Eats in Tropea
No trip is complete without gelato, coffee, and snacks! Here are a few spots to grab that type of goodies.
Enogastronomica Lorenzo is the perfect place to pick up a couple sandwiches for a beach day! They’re made to order and so delicious. The shop also offers foodie souvenirs, so if you want to take home some ‘nduja or packaged goodies, this is where to get it!
Gelato: There are two big gelato spots right in the piazza. Both are aimed at tourists, for sure. But if you want to try a tartufo in town, Gelateria Papillon is the easiest place to get one! I had the tartufo nero, with dark chocolate inside!
If you’re like me and don’t do hangry well, keep Amuri e Sapuri in mind! They have arancini, which I love as a big snack or light meal. They aren’t top shelf, but they’ll keep you going until lunch if your flight just landed!
Pin this post to save the best Tropea restaurants. Want more help? Check my Tropea guide, or follow me on Instagram for more travels in Europe (especially Italy and Germany, where I’ve lived!)
