We returned to Ischia for five days this month, staying again at the wonderful Mezzatorre where the breakfasts are sumptuous and the dinners very good if you navigate the menu carefully (stick to antipasti and pastas and don’t order the whole fish which is priced by the kilo and can cost€150 for two people). We ate outside the hotel twice. On our second night we went to Forio for very good pizza and a glorious sunset view at Lisola. The lovely and lively al fresco dining scene was a stimulating change from the more restrained elegance of La Torre at the Mezzatorre. And on our fourth night we took the advice of our wonderful hiking guide Marianna (Ischia Hiking) and went to the restaurant Pietratorcia (again in Forio) where her partner cooks. Much much smaller and more basic than Lisola - perhaps five or six tables in all, Pietratorcia is charming; its lack of pretension is illustrated by the proprietor having to send the teenage waiter to a neighboring bar to buy me the Campari Spritz I ordered. The simply grilled dorado and snapper were superb and very fairly priced at less than €30 each - and just what we had been desiring, as were the ricotta stuffed zucchini blossoms and salad of mixed vegetables that accompanied the fish. The view from our table set outside on a busy narrow winding lane was not so panoramic as from Lisola but provided lots of local color: many passersby greeted the proprietor and the diners at an adjacent table. After dinner we strolled along the bustling Forio waterfront before taxiing to Lacco Ameno and walking to Gasparotto for our second gelato of the day. Yum! Gasparotto certainly deserves the plaudits it received this year from Gambero Rosso.
great to see some additional recommendations from Ischia - a destination I still hope to visit. Thanks!
Fun report, thanks!
Thanks so much for this. I’ll be in Ischia next month for the first time, but I’m staying in Ischia town near the castle. Too far to head to Forio to dine? I welcome any recommendations/tips. I guess because it will be ultra high season everything will be mobbed.
I think it’s at least a half hour drive from the Castle to Forio, maybe more when the traffic is heavy. (And taxis on Ischia are expensive). We very much enjoyed Cantinando last year which is maybe only half the distance - if you search here you’ll find my writeup and others of Cantinando.
I had a wonderful meal at Cantinando, probably thanks to @fress. The bus is very easy to catch between the two towns and much less expensive than a cab.
Thank you both–I will try Cantinando.
