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ItalianMarina
Panefratteria builds its Cagliari menu on pane carasau, the sheet bread softened into pane frattau and zuppa gallurese in a modern room on Via Azuni.
OrderPane frattau, tomato, pecorino and a poached egg.
Why locals goA whole menu built on pane carasau, the sheet bread most visitors only meet as a bread basket in other rooms.
TipClosed Tuesday; there is a garden at the back and the grappa and Sardinian wine list is longer than the food menu.
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JapaneseMarina
Osteria Kobuta cooks Japanese-Sardinian plates in Cagliari off Largo Carlo Felice, a seasonal menu built for sharing in a room of maybe ten tables.
OrderThe seasonal sharing menu, start to finish.
Why locals goTen tables of Japanese-Sardinian cooking behind Largo Carlo Felice, a room most Cagliari guides still miss entirely.
TipClosed Tuesday, and the kitchen writes a new menu each season; WhatsApp booking is the fastest way to get a table.
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Japanese izakayaSan Benedetto
Gaijin Izakaya brings small Japanese plates to Cagliari on Via Giacomo Puccini, a narrow room of skewers and donburi that the Gambero Rosso guide rates.
OrderA run of skewers off the charcoal counter.
Why locals goA four-day-a-week izakaya in San Benedetto, off every Marina tourist route and rated by the Italian guides.
TipOnly four days a week, Wednesday to Saturday, and both sittings are small, so book ahead rather than walking up.
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ItalianVillanova
La Locanda dei Buoni e Cattivi in Cagliari is a villa restaurant and guest house that trains young staff, cooking seasonal organic Sardinian plates.
OrderSunday's Sa Picchettada buffet lunch.
Why locals goA villa restaurant that doubles as a training kitchen for young Sardinians, with a garden nobody expects behind the gate.
TipWeekday lunch runs a fixed-price menu alongside the carte; the garden and terrace are the reason to book ahead in spring.
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SeafoodMarina
Stella Marina di Montecristo works the far end of Via Sardegna in Cagliari, sixty covers of maritime kit and fish bought fresh that morning.
OrderWhatever came off the boats that morning, cooked simply.
Why locals goSixty covers at the quiet end of Via Sardegna, where the fish arrives that morning and the room stays local.
TipIt shuts for a variable stretch in August, and the sixty covers go fast in summer, so call the mobile number to hold a table.
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Brewery
Il Birrificio di Cagliari brews on Via Newton and pours its own beer beside grilled meat, the city's own brewpub rather than another bottle bar.
OrderThe house lager alongside the grilled beef.
Why locals goCagliari's own brewpub sits out by Via Newton, far enough from the centre that visitors rarely find the taps.
TipIt took a Barcelona Beer Challenge gold for its Tuvixeddu; it sits out by the ring road, so it is a taxi rather than a walk from the Marina.