Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, is a fascinating city and a good place to taste the wonderful regional cuisine of the island, la cucina Sarda. Here are my favorite restaurants in Cagliari, most of them recommended to me by Sardinia tour guide Paola Loi. I've eaten at all of these places and recommend them as great places to eat in Cagliari.
Dr Ampex
Dr Ampex started as a night club but has since turned into a fantastic restaurant in Cagliari's Villanova district. Start with the mixed antipasti where you can taste pretty much everything that's in season. If you can eat any more try a pasta like the spaghetti with clams or head straight for dessert. The atmosphere is casual and it's usually full of locals.
Dr Ampex: Via San Giacomo, 31. Open for dinner only, closed on Sundays.
Ristorante Il Buongustaio
This is a great place to try the traditional culurgioines (a type of pasta stuffed with potatoes and mint) or fregola, both hand-made at the restaurant by a woman who has been doing this for many years. You'll find a good seafood antipasti assortment, regional cuisine, fish, and meat. Casual atmosphere.
Ristorante Il Buongustaio: Via Concezione, 7, off Via Roma in the Marina District. Open for lunch and dinner, closed Tuesday.
Su Cumbidu
If you want to experience dinner at an agriturismo without leaving the city, head to Su Cumbidu. You'll start with a hearty selection of antipasti that includes salumi and cheeses from the countryside as well as a variety of vegetables. The specialty is roast meat and each night there are two or three selections offered. It's a good place to taste traditional Sardinian roast suckling pig, quail cooked in myrtle leaves, lamb, or horse. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they serve the tradtiional first course, pane frattau, another Sardinian specialty.
Su Cumbidu: Vai Napoli, 11/13, off Via Roma in the Marina District. Open for dinner only.
Trattoria Gennargenttu
Trattoria Gennargentu is a good place to try Sardinian specialties like bottarga (made of fish eggs) served sliced with celery or an octupus salad. There's a large selectoin of antipasti (to be ordered individually), pasta dishes, fish, and meat.
Trattoria Gennargentu: Via Sardegna, 60 (street parallel to Via Roma). Open for lunch and dinner, closed Sunday.
Trattoria Ci Pensa Cannas
Ci Pensa Cannas serves inexpensive meals in a lively, casual setting. Food is nothing fancy, just good basic Sardinian and Italian dishes. Portions are satisfactory but not huge and it's fine to order just one course, making this a good choice when you don't want a big meal.
Ci Pensa Cannas: Via Sardegna, 37. Open for lunch and dinner.
L'Isola del Gelato
Every trip to Italy must include gelato and the gelato at L'Isola del Gelato is some of the best I've ever tasted. This is a treat not to be missed. You can get a cone to go or pay a little extra and sit outside in the square.
L'Isola del Gelato: Piazza Yenne, 35, at the top of Largo Carlo Felice.
