The restaurants worth a reservation in Alghero, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Alghero. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Al Tuguri works Alghero's Catalan seafood tradition over several levels of a Via Maiorca townhouse, with tasting menus from €40 to €75 a head.
Order: The seasonal tasting menu, seven courses at €75 or the shorter three-course run at €40.
Musciora is a small family room on Via Mazzini in Alghero where a father and son serve tasting menus split between the sea, the land and a full run.
Order: The Vera Esperienza Musciora menu, narrated plate by plate at the table.
La Saletta in Alghero has held its place in the Michelin Guide since 2023, with four tasting menus built on Sardinian produce a block from the sea.
Order: The Radici menu, where Sardinian vegetables lead instead of the fish.
Al Refettorio sits in Vicolo Adami in Alghero, where Cristiano Andreini cooks tagliolini with bottarga and pecorino and runs a gourmet pizza oven.
Order: Tagliolini with bottarga and pecorino, then the suckling pig with potato millefoglie.
Il Pavone has kept its veranda on Piazza Sulis in Alghero since 1979, cooking octopus salad, spaghetti alle vongole veraci and the day's fish four ways.
Order: Spaghetti alle vongole veraci, then the day's fish grilled all'isolana.
Nautilus looks over the Alghero port from the Forte della Maddalenetta, with terrace tables above the marina and spaghetti with clams and bottarga.
Order: Spaghetti with clams and bottarga, eaten on the terrace above the marina.
Trattoria Lo Romanì takes its name from rosemary in Alguerès and pairs Gigi's daily Alghero fish run with macarrones de busa from his native Tonara.
Order: Macarrones de busa from Tonara, followed by whatever Gigi bought that morning.
La Lepanto on Via Carlo Alberto in Alghero builds its list around lobster, raw seafood platters and fregola with crustaceans for around €45 a head.
Order: Lobster done the Lepanto way, with a raw seafood plate to open.
Trattoria Maristella serves spaghetti all'algherese near the Dante waterfront in Alghero all year round, at about €25 a head with 30 seats outside.
Order: Spaghetti all'algherese, the house plate that keeps the locals coming back.
Trattoria da Mirko cooks only the day's catch on Via Gioberti in Alghero, finishing with seadas in honey and a myrtle and nougat semifreddo.
Order: The mixed grill off the day's catch, then seadas with Sardinian honey.
Borgo Antico sits on the small square off Via della Misericordia in Alghero and cooks monkfish alla catalana and Sardinian gnocchetti with seafood.
Order: Monkfish alla catalana, tomato and sweet onion over white fish.
Rafel sits on the sand at Lido San Giovanni in Alghero and cooks spaghetti ai ricci, lobster alla catalana and a fish soup worth the two-kilometre walk.
Order: Spaghetti ai ricci when the sea urchin season is open, lobster alla catalana when it is not.
La Pergola has served Algherese paella at Maria Pia since 1976, and runs a full gluten-free service in Alghero for around €25 a head without wine.
Order: Algherese paella, the plate this Maria Pia dining room has built since 1976.
Alamo on Via Ambrogio Machin in Alghero builds its paella from 21 ingredients, then finishes with crema catalana under a burnt sugar lid. TableJourney pick.
Order: The paella, built from 21 ingredients and worth the wait it takes.
Villa Mosca opens its garden restaurant in Alghero from June to September, cooking Sardinian and Italian plates with vegan and gluten-free versions.
Order: The set menu in the garden, with vegan and gluten-free versions on request.
Aquatica sits on the Banchina Sanità between the Alghero yachts and the bastions, and is built around raw tuna, swordfish, prawns and scampi.
Order: The raw plate of tuna, swordfish, prawn and scampi, cut to order.
Trattoria Caragol is Antonio and Maurizia's room on Via Maiorca in Alghero, a stop on the city food tour and closed on Wednesdays all year. TableJourney pick.
Order: Whatever Antonio brings out of the kitchen first, the gluten-free plates included.
Mos Tapas looks over the Alghero bay from Via Carducci with tortilla, polpo alla gallega, fregula valenciana and baccalà in tempura at about €30.
Order: Fregula valenciana and polpo alla gallega, eaten on the terrace at sunset.
Démodé Bistrot on Via Vittorio Veneto is the Alghero address for celiacs, with gluten-free pizza, fregola and meat cooked in a separate line.
Order: The gluten-free pizza, made on a separate line for celiac guests.