Cinque Terre: La Lanterna

On our second day in Cinque Terre we decided to get lunch at La Lanterna in Riomaggiore. While it wasn't a Slow Food restaurant, it was recommended in our guide book and it was just down the street from where we were staying. La Lanterna is located in the marina area of Riomaggiore, pictured above, and if you can land a seat on the patio you get a nice view over the marina.

Like most of the restaurants in Cinque Terra, La Lanterna excels in preparing seafood dishes. Many of them were displayed in bright lettering on the chalkboard by the entrance.

Of all the choices, the fried anchovies have to be the best. These things are sooooo good. I have no idea why they aren't everywhere in the U.S. The only other time I had fried anchovies was in Spain, where a beachside bar near my apartment in Malaga would serve up plates of these. Few things go together better than fried anchovies, an ice cold beer, and a nice hot day at the beach.

We followed up the anchovies with a dish that was described as green "gnocchetti," or tiny gnocchi, with tuna in red sauce. This dish was another winner.

All in all, I thought La Lanterna was a solid place, and I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a meal in Riomaggiore.