Food · Sorrento · Italy
What to eat in Sorrento
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Sorrento, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Gnocchi alla sorrentina, Limoncello and Delizia al limone. Several family-run groves around Sorrento and the peninsula open to visitors, showing how lemons grow under pergolas of chestnut poles and straw mats, with limoncello tastings at the end. Lunch usually runs from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner from about 7:30pm to 11pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Gnocchi alla sorrentina
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 9
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected, and a cover charge or service charge may already be on the bill.
- Food experiences
- 3
10 foods to try
Dish · Vegetarian
1.Gnocchi alla sorrentina
Potato gnocchi baked in a terracotta dish with tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella and basil until the cheese bubbles. It is the town's signature first course.
Where: Trattorias across the old town and Marina Grande; it usually arrives in its own small terracotta dish.
Drink · Vegetarian
2.Limoncello
A sweet liqueur made by steeping the peel of Sorrento lemons in alcohol, then adding sugar syrup. It is served ice-cold in small glasses after dinner.
Where: Restaurants offer it as a digestif; shops on Via San Cesareo and lemon-grove visits offer tastings.
Dessert · Vegetarian
3.Delizia al limone
A dome of sponge filled with lemon cream and covered in a lemon-and-cream glaze, created by a Sorrento pastry chef in the late 1970s and now a classic of the peninsula.
Where: Pastry shops (pasticcerie) along Corso Italia and in Sant'Agnello, and on most restaurant dessert menus.
Dish · Vegetarian
4.Spaghetti alla Nerano
Spaghetti tossed with fried courgettes, basil and Provolone del Monaco cheese until creamy, named after the hamlet of Nerano near Marina del Cantone.
Where: Restaurants at Marina del Cantone and Nerano, and on many menus in Sorrento in summer.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Provolone del Monaco
A DOP-protected, pear-shaped stretched-curd cheese from the Monti Lattari hills behind the peninsula, aged until sharp and buttery.
Where: Delis (salumerie) on Corso Italia and Via San Cesareo, and on antipasto platters.
Snack · Vegetarian
6.Fior di latte and mozzarella
Fresh cow's-milk fior di latte from Agerola and the Monti Lattari, and buffalo mozzarella from Campania, are eaten with tomatoes and basil in an insalata caprese.
Where: Caseifici (dairy shops) in town and on the peninsula; buy it the day it is made.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Neapolitan pizza
Soft, blistered wood-fired pizza in the Naples style: margherita with tomato, fior di latte and basil, or marinara with garlic and oregano.
Where: Pizzerias in the old town and Sant'Agnello; many only fire their ovens in the evening.
Dish
8.Seafood pasta (Scialatielli ai frutti di mare)
Scialatielli, a thick fresh pasta from the Amalfi Coast, served with clams, mussels, prawns and cherry tomatoes.
Where: Waterfront restaurants at Marina Grande and Marina del Cantone.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Torta caprese
A dense, flourless chocolate-and-almond cake from Capri, dusted with icing sugar, found across the bay including in Sorrento's pastry shops.
Where: Pasticcerie in Sorrento and on Capri; often served with a lemon-flavoured variant made with white chocolate.
Snack · Vegetarian
10.Sorrento walnuts (Noce di Sorrento)
A local walnut variety grown on the peninsula, used in cakes and in nocino, a dark walnut liqueur, alongside the lemons.
Where: Delis and food shops in the old town, especially in autumn after the harvest.
Food experiences
Lemon grove visit
Several family-run groves around Sorrento and the peninsula open to visitors, showing how lemons grow under pergolas of chestnut poles and straw mats, with limoncello tastings at the end.
Seafood lunch at Marina Grande
Waterfront tables at the fishing harbour serve fried anchovies, seafood pasta and fish of the day, followed by a swim from the bathing platforms.
Cooking class
Classes on the peninsula and in agriturismi above town teach gnocchi alla sorrentina, fresh pasta and pizza, often with produce from the garden.
Quick bites and street food
- Provolone del Monaco — Delis (salumerie) on Corso Italia and Via San Cesareo, and on antipasto platters.
- Fior di latte and mozzarella — Caseifici (dairy shops) in town and on the peninsula; buy it the day it is made.
- Sorrento walnuts — Delis and food shops in the old town, especially in autumn after the harvest.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 9 are usually vegetarian: Gnocchi alla sorrentina, Limoncello, Delizia al limone, Spaghetti alla Nerano, Provolone del Monaco, Fior di latte and mozzarella, Neapolitan pizza, Torta caprese and Sorrento walnuts. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch usually runs from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner from about 7:30pm to 11pm.
- A coperto (cover charge) is common and appears on the bill; it includes bread.
- Restaurants on Piazza Tasso and Corso Italia charge more than those a street or two back.
- Ask for 'pesce del giorno' and check whether fish is priced per 100 grams before ordering.
- Many restaurants close for a few months in winter, especially at Marina Grande and on the peninsula.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected, and a cover charge or service charge may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros or rounding up for good service is appreciated.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buongiorno | Good morning / hello |
| Grazie mille | Thank you very much |
| Il conto, per favore | The bill, please |
| Un biglietto per Capri | A ticket to Capri |
| Quanto costa? | How much is it? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Sorrento famous for?
Gnocchi alla sorrentina, Limoncello, Delizia al limone and Spaghetti alla Nerano. Potato gnocchi baked in a terracotta dish with tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella and basil until the cheese bubbles.
+Is Sorrento good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Gnocchi alla sorrentina, Limoncello and Delizia al limone.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Sorrento?
Tipping is not expected, and a cover charge or service charge may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros or rounding up for good service is appreciated.