The eastern quarter of low houses and courtyards below the Bastione, now the address for Cagliari's younger kitchens, specialty coffee bars and late grills.
Amano is Vincenzo Sorvillo's Cagliari dining room on Via Sonnino, where five or seven plates are chosen off the Gran Carta and served as a tasting menu.
Order: The seven-plate tasting menu at 100 euro.
Tip: Five plates run 80 euro and seven run 100, drinks and service excluded; the Gambero Rosso 2026 guide gives it two forks at 80 points.
Da Marino al St. Remy is Cagliari's small brick-walled seafood room by San Salvatore da Horta, run front of house by Marino Cogoni with Silvana Sardu cooking.
Order: Seafood antipasti, then a pasta with the day's catch.
Tip: The wine list leans hard on Sardinian growers; book, because the rooms hold only a few tables and Sunday is closed.
Old Friend in Cagliari is Dario Torabi's Villanova bistrot, where offal, spice and BBQ oysters are plated for people who came out to be surprised.
Order: BBQ oysters, then the herb-cured mullet.
Tip: Torabi opened the place in 2016 and moved it to Via Abba; dinner only, and the menu changes with what the boats and gardens bring.
La Locanda dei Buoni e Cattivi in Cagliari is a villa restaurant and guest house that trains young staff, cooking seasonal organic Sardinian plates.
Order: Sunday's Sa Picchettada buffet lunch.
Tip: Weekday lunch runs a fixed-price menu alongside the carte; the garden and terrace are the reason to book ahead in spring.
Bistrot 100 on Via Tuveri is the Villanova bistrot Cagliari uses for a proper weekday lunch, short menu, wine by the glass, service both sittings.
Order: The lunch plate of the day with a glass of Vermentino.
Tip: Sunday is lunch only and Monday the room is dark. The Gambero Rosso 2026 guide lists it among the city's informal rooms.
Amano is Vincenzo Sorvillo's Cagliari dining room on Via Sonnino, where five or seven plates are chosen off the Gran Carta and served as a tasting menu.
Order: The seven-plate tasting menu at 100 euro.
Tip: Five plates run 80 euro and seven run 100, drinks and service excluded; the Gambero Rosso 2026 guide gives it two forks at 80 points.
Da Marino al St. Remy is Cagliari's small brick-walled seafood room by San Salvatore da Horta, run front of house by Marino Cogoni with Silvana Sardu cooking.
Order: Seafood antipasti, then a pasta with the day's catch.
Tip: The wine list leans hard on Sardinian growers; book, because the rooms hold only a few tables and Sunday is closed.
Old Friend in Cagliari is Dario Torabi's Villanova bistrot, where offal, spice and BBQ oysters are plated for people who came out to be surprised.
Order: BBQ oysters, then the herb-cured mullet.
Tip: Torabi opened the place in 2016 and moved it to Via Abba; dinner only, and the menu changes with what the boats and gardens bring.
Maiori bakes Neapolitan pizza inside the Palazzo Doglio courtyard in Cagliari, a room off Vico Logudoro pairing contemporary cocktails with the oven.
Order: A margherita off the Neapolitan list.
Tip: One of three Cagliari rooms flagged Pizzeria Eccellente by 50 Top Pizza in 2026, and the cocktail list runs alongside the oven.
Bistrot 100 on Via Tuveri is the Villanova bistrot Cagliari uses for a proper weekday lunch, short menu, wine by the glass, service both sittings.
Order: The lunch plate of the day with a glass of Vermentino.
Tip: Sunday is lunch only and Monday the room is dark. The Gambero Rosso 2026 guide lists it among the city's informal rooms.
Brinkhoff's grills late on Via del Pozzetto in Cagliari, a German beer hall of pretzels, steaks and grappa whose kitchen runs on until 02:00.
Order: A grilled steak with a stein of German beer.
Tip: The kitchen stays on until 02:00, which covers the gap after concerts and late films; there is an outdoor space for the warm months.
La Locanda dei Buoni e Cattivi in Cagliari is a villa restaurant and guest house that trains young staff, cooking seasonal organic Sardinian plates.
Order: Sunday's Sa Picchettada buffet lunch.
Tip: Weekday lunch runs a fixed-price menu alongside the carte; the garden and terrace are the reason to book ahead in spring.
Caffè dell'Arte on Via Caprera is the specialty coffee bar of Cagliari, pouring V60 and cold brew from beans roasted on the floor above since 2020.
Signature drink: V60 filter
Order: A V60 of the current single origin.
Tip: Andrea Pettinari started serving specialty here in 2016 and the roaster sits on the first floor above the bar.
Ditrizio Pasticceria bakes just below the Bastione on Via Crispi in Cagliari, turning out pastries and pizzette sfoglia from seven in the morning.
Signature drink: Cappuccino
Order: A pizzetta sfoglia, tomato and oregano.
Tip: Gambero Rosso gave it the top Sardinian score of the Due Torte pasticcerie; Monday is the rest day, and the Ditrizio LAB counter is on Via Ottone Bacaredda 18.
Ditrizio Pasticceria bakes just below the Bastione on Via Crispi in Cagliari, turning out pastries and pizzette sfoglia from seven in the morning.
Order: A pizzetta sfoglia, tomato and oregano.
Tip: Gambero Rosso gave it the top Sardinian score of the Due Torte pasticcerie; Monday is the rest day, and the Ditrizio LAB counter is on Via Ottone Bacaredda 18.
Worth the queue: Pizzetta sfoglia
Caffè dell'Arte on Via Caprera is the specialty coffee bar of Cagliari, pouring V60 and cold brew from beans roasted on the floor above since 2020.
Order: A V60 of the current single origin.
Tip: Andrea Pettinari started serving specialty here in 2016 and the roaster sits on the first floor above the bar.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil
How they serve: Espresso, V60, Cold brew, Whole bean retail
Salsamenteria is a Cagliari bottega with a kitchen on Via Sonnino, cutting Sardinian cheese and cured meat to order for the counter and the tables.
Signature pour: Cannonau di Sardegna
Wine focus: Island labels beside the cheese counter
Food: Cheese and cured meat cut to order
Order: Su Cheese, the sushi-and-cheese play off the counter.
Tip: The Gambero Rosso 2026 guide lists it among the city's informal rooms; buy the cheese you liked on the way out.
Babeuf pairs tea, wine and slow reading on Via Giardini in Cagliari, a small Villanova room of cheese boards, tartare and shelves of magazines.
Signature pour: A glass off the natural list
Wine focus: Natural and low-intervention bottles
Food: Boards and tartare
Order: A tartare and a glass off the natural list.
Tip: It works better as a long early evening than a quick drink; the reading material on the shelves is there to be used.
Babeuf pairs tea, wine and slow reading on Via Giardini in Cagliari, a small Villanova room of cheese boards, tartare and shelves of magazines.
Signature drink: Natural wine by the glass
Food: Tartare and boards
Order: A tartare and a glass off the natural list.
Tip: It works better as a long early evening than a quick drink; the reading material on the shelves is there to be used.
Salsamenteria is a Cagliari bottega with a kitchen on Via Sonnino, cutting Sardinian cheese and cured meat to order for the counter and the tables.
Signature drink: Cannonau by the glass
Food: Cheese counter
Order: Su Cheese, the sushi-and-cheese play off the counter.
Tip: The Gambero Rosso 2026 guide lists it among the city's informal rooms; buy the cheese you liked on the way out.
Brinkhoff's grills late on Via del Pozzetto in Cagliari, a German beer hall of pretzels, steaks and grappa whose kitchen runs on until 02:00.
Signature drink: German beer and grappa
Food: Grill and pretzels
Order: A grilled steak with a stein of German beer.
Tip: The kitchen stays on until 02:00, which covers the gap after concerts and late films; there is an outdoor space for the warm months.
Ditrizio Pasticceria bakes just below the Bastione on Via Crispi in Cagliari, turning out pastries and pizzette sfoglia from seven in the morning.
Try: Pizzetta sfoglia
Order: A pizzetta sfoglia, tomato and oregano.
Tip: Gambero Rosso gave it the top Sardinian score of the Due Torte pasticcerie; Monday is the rest day, and the Ditrizio LAB counter is on Via Ottone Bacaredda 18.
Francis Drake on Via Oristano is where Cagliari eats at three in the morning, a kitchen running to 05:00 with pizza, pasta and grilled plates.
Try: Late-night pizza
Order: A pizza at an hour nothing else is open.
Tip: The kitchen runs to 05:00, which no other room in central Cagliari matches; expect a queue after 02:00.
Brinkhoff's grills late on Via del Pozzetto in Cagliari, a German beer hall of pretzels, steaks and grappa whose kitchen runs on until 02:00.
Order: A grilled steak with a stein of German beer.
Tip: The kitchen stays on until 02:00, which covers the gap after concerts and late films; there is an outdoor space for the warm months.
Ditrizio Pasticceria bakes just below the Bastione on Via Crispi in Cagliari, turning out pastries and pizzette sfoglia from seven in the morning.
Try: Pizzetta sfoglia and pastries
Order: A pizzetta sfoglia, tomato and oregano.
Tip: Gambero Rosso gave it the top Sardinian score of the Due Torte pasticcerie; Monday is the rest day, and the Ditrizio LAB counter is on Via Ottone Bacaredda 18.
Francis Drake on Via Oristano is where Cagliari eats at three in the morning, a kitchen running to 05:00 with pizza, pasta and grilled plates.
Try: Late-night pizza
Order: A pizza at an hour nothing else is open.
Tip: The kitchen runs to 05:00, which no other room in central Cagliari matches; expect a queue after 02:00.
Caffè dell'Arte on Via Caprera is the specialty coffee bar of Cagliari, pouring V60 and cold brew from beans roasted on the floor above since 2020.
Order: A V60 of the current single origin.
Tip: Andrea Pettinari started serving specialty here in 2016 and the roaster sits on the first floor above the bar.
Bistrot 100 on Via Tuveri is the Villanova bistrot Cagliari uses for a proper weekday lunch, short menu, wine by the glass, service both sittings.
Order: The lunch plate of the day with a glass of Vermentino.
Tip: Sunday is lunch only and Monday the room is dark. The Gambero Rosso 2026 guide lists it among the city's informal rooms.
Ditrizio Pasticceria bakes just below the Bastione on Via Crispi in Cagliari, turning out pastries and pizzette sfoglia from seven in the morning.
Order: A pizzetta sfoglia, tomato and oregano.
Tip: Gambero Rosso gave it the top Sardinian score of the Due Torte pasticcerie; Monday is the rest day, and the Ditrizio LAB counter is on Via Ottone Bacaredda 18.
Francis Drake on Via Oristano is where Cagliari eats at three in the morning, a kitchen running to 05:00 with pizza, pasta and grilled plates.
Try: Pizza, pasta and grilled plates
Order: A pizza at an hour nothing else is open.
Tip: The kitchen runs to 05:00, which no other room in central Cagliari matches; expect a queue after 02:00.
Brinkhoff's grills late on Via del Pozzetto in Cagliari, a German beer hall of pretzels, steaks and grappa whose kitchen runs on until 02:00.
Try: Grill and pretzels
Order: A grilled steak with a stein of German beer.
Tip: The kitchen stays on until 02:00, which covers the gap after concerts and late films; there is an outdoor space for the warm months.