Trattoria Da Piva

This is an authentic Italian restaurant. The service was ok and there was a slight language barrier, but the food was excellent. We came at just after noon on a Wednesday and got stuck behind people running to a boat, so they were a bit overwhelmed at first. The gnocchi with pesto was great, the seafood pasta a little spicy, but also really great. Compliments to the chef! Ciao, ciao!

Complete joke of a restaurant.
Went around 830, one table available and waiter was going to sit us next to the garbage, luckily someone was leaving as we were being seated and took their table instead.
Ordered the trenette al pesto and frittura mista (mixed fried fish). Out comes a sorry looking plate of dry pasta with 2 tablespoons of pesto dolloped in the middle. Couldn’t you have at least mixed the pesto in with the pasta?
The frittura was good, fresh, fried crispy but not over done. As we were eating dinner though, we were joined by a small friend at our feet, a mouse… lovely. Waiters wanted nothing to do with us, didn’t offer dessert, nor did they ever bring us out bread.
Don’t waste your time or money by going here, they clearly do not realize the reason they are in business is because of the tourist industry and they treat you like complete crap, sad but true.

We came to try the seafood risotto hearing that it was so good. The presentation was beautiful and the pot was great (held together with a pipe clamp!). As for flavor, it was good but didn’t really do it for us. Unless you are a big risotto fan maybe you’ll like it better than we did. Decent house wine. Nice little hidden restaurant.

There are restaurants, and then there is Da Piva. I have been here once, and the amazing seafood risotto (risotto a frutti di mare) is the most incredible meal I have EVER had– so much so that I came back to Vernazza on another visit to Italy, to try and eat it. The only problem was that the restaurant was shut down on our second visit, as the town had been flooded by torrential downpour.
I am not sure if it’s open again. It was supposed to come back in the next few years (my last visit was in 2012 when it was shut down due to post-​flood renovation), but when it opens, YOU NEED TO GO. It’s one of the most delicious, mouthwatering meals ever. The backdrop was a great collection of musical instruments hung all over the walls. The waiter was friendly and showed us his boat and cats… The restaurant is symptomatic of all that Italy is– and the warmth and welcoming folks who run the restaurant will stay with you long after you have left Cinque Terre.