Where to Eat and Drink in Tropea, Calabria
If you're heading to Tropea, that lovely town perched atop a cliff on Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast, then you’re in for more than just pretty views. Yes, the sunsets are dreamy, and the old town’s charm is undeniable, but if you’re like us, you always want to know where and what to eat. We spent 3 nights in Tropea as part of our Calabrian road trip, and although there are plenty of restaurants filling the narrow streets of the old town, we’ll tell you where we ate and drank during our 3 nights here.
Fun fact: Tropea is famous for its Cipolla Rossa di Tropea — sweet red onions prized for their delicate flavour, vibrant colour, and natural sweetness. You’ll spot them everywhere, so make sure you try something on the menu that makes the most of them.
Pasticceria Caffetteria Da Paolo
Breakfast coffee and pastries📍 Via Libertà, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
This family-run spot has been around since 1987 and still serves up top-tier bakes. Get there early for the best selection; think cornetti, maritozzi (sweet buns filled with cream), and mini Neapolitan-style pastries.
Pair it all with a cappuccino and enjoy counter seating by the window or a sunny table out front.
Top pick: Cornetto + cappuccino.
🕒 Opening hours
Sunday and Monday: 7 am–1 pm
Tuesday to Saturday: 7 am–1 pm | 4:30–8 pm
Koes I Cuoppi – Friji e Mbucca
Fried seafood and panini (fritto misto di mare)📍 Via Pontonieri, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
For a casual bite, this place serves fried seafood (fritto misto di mare) straight from the window. Go inside and have a look at their selection of fresh seafood at the counter. Order a mixed seafood cone (enough for two to share in our opinion), or go for one of their delicious panini.
Seating is limited, so take it to go and picnic nearby. Expect service with a smile.
Top pick: Fried calamari, prawns, sardines, and whitebait — fresh, simple, and so lightly battered it doesn’t feel greasy at all.
📞 +39 340 358 5143
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Sunday: 11:30 am–4 pm, 6:30 pm–12:30 am
La Bottega Del Gelato
Gelato📍 Via Roma, 28, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
Hands down, one of the best gelato spots in town. Keep it simple with two scoops in a cone or cup, or go full local with a brioche bun stuffed with gelato, cream, and toppings (often eaten for breakfast). Their pistachio and Kinder Bueno flavours are standouts.
Alice was obsessed!
What made this place stand out was that they are making brioche throughout the day, so they are served fresh and still warm.
Top pick: Nocciola gelato in a warm brioche bun.
Budget-friendly: €3 for 2 scoops with toppings.
🕒 Opening hours
Monday: 4 pm–1 am
Tuesday–Sunday: 3 pm–1 am
ConTé Supermercat
For a panini to go📍 Via Libertà, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
For a fuss-free but incredibly delicious lunch, head to this supermarket’s deli counter. Ask for a panino and pick your fillings. Try local cheese (provola), cured meats (bresaola or mortadella), and grilled aubergine; all wrapped up fresh and ready to eat at your leisure.
Grab a bottle of local Ciro wine too — it’s just a few euros.
Top pick: Bresaola, provola (local cheese), and olives or mortadella, provola, and melanzana (aubergine).
Plan ahead — they close from 1–4 pm daily.
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Saturday: 7 am–1 pm, 4–8 pm
Sunday: 7 am–1 pm
Il Convino
Dinner in the Old Town📍 Via Boiano, 10, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
This spot has charm, traditional plates, and even a glass-panelled floor revealing a wine cellar beneath your feet. It’s popular, so expect a short wait (the only place we had to wait for a table during our stay in Calabria). Go for the spaghetti alle vongole — perfectly seasoned and full of flavour.
Top pick: Spaghetti alle vongole.
Make sure to pop inside to get a peek at the underfloor wine cellar.
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Sunday: 12:30–1:45 pm, 7–11 pm
Ristorante Porta Vaticana
Pizza in the old town📍 Via Margherita di Savoia, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
A relaxed dinner option with a big menu. The pizza isn’t revolutionary, but it’s tasty, especially the Tropea onion-topped margherita. Sit outside in the courtyard and enjoy a glass of prosecco for just €4. Inside is equally charming, but be aware it has no A/C.
Top pick: Pizza Margherita with sweet red onions.
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Sunday: 6–11:30 pm
Marchisa Vini
Wine with unreal sunset views📍 Via Libertà, 4, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
This garden wine bar is a bit of a hidden gem. Sip organic Calabrian wine as the sun dips below the horizon. Peaceful, scenic, and just far enough from the buzz.
Marchisa Vini (a young, boutique winery based in the hills just above Tropea, in the village of Brattirò) runs a beautiful little wine garden where you can sip their award-winning Calabrian wines as the sun dips below the horizon. The charming courtyard is peaceful, scenic, and just far enough from the buzz of the old town to unwind.
Top pick: Whatever they’re pouring, it’s all local and made with care. Make sure to ask to taste their olive oil too.
📞 +39 351 731 6726
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Sunday: 6–11 pm
MAXBAR
Cocktails📍 Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 49, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
If you’re after a laid-back spot to cool off with a cocktail or local beer, MAXBAR is a solid choice. Shaded umbrellas keep you out of the afternoon sun, and you’ll always get a few salty snacks with your drink, a nice touch. Try their Calabrian craft beer (around €10) or stick to a classic Aperol spritz. They do have more reasonably priced beers too!
📞 +39 342 792 3992
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Sunday: 12 pm–3 am
Bar dell’Isola
Cocktail with sunset views📍 Via Indipendenza, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
If you're looking for somewhere with a sea view, Bar dell’Isola is just the ticket. It’s not fancy, but you can sit outside, order an Aperol spritz, and take in the shimmering water without feeling the need to eat. Simple, easy-going, and perfect for that golden-hour glow.
🕒 Opening hours
Monday–Friday: 7 am–12 am
Saturday: 7 am–2 am
Sunday: 7:30 am–12 am
Cafè de Paris
Cocktails, wines and people watching📍 Piazza Ercole, 27, 89861 Tropea VV, Italy
Right in the heart of the action at Piazza Ercole, Cafè de Paris is ideal for people watching. Yes, it’s touristy, but that’s half the fun here. Order a bergamot spritz (Calabria is the world’s leading producer of bergamot after all), a refreshing regional twist on the classic, and nibble on crisps and olives that come with your drink. You’ll also spot gelato in the display if you’re peckish.
🕒 Opening hours: Monday–Sunday: 7:30 am–3 am
Other places on our list, we didn’t get to
Osteria della Cipolla Rossa - Featured in Stanley Tucci’s Searching For Italy, Osteria della Cipolla Rossa has incredible reviews, but as they claim, it is not a restaurant. There is only 1 table. You must book your space in advance, and they will prepare a veggie menu based on what they find in the markets that morning.
Pinturicchio - Gabriel, the chef in Florence who inspired our trip to Calabria, recommended this place. We walked past it, and it looked incredible. If we had one more day, we would dine here.
Ristorante Pimms - Highly reccomended with great views of the sea
La Villetta Ristorante - Reccomended fo good fish and seafood
Whether you’re snacking on fried fish, sipping wine in a hidden garden, or grabbing the perfect panini before a boat trip, Tropea will have you eating well.
Got questions about where else to go or what to try? Let us know in the comments, we’re always happy to share more food finds and more!
Tropea Food & Drink Map
How to use our maps
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