Though it’s officially one of Italy’s 20 regions, Sardinia feels a world apart from the mainland. ‘We consider ourselves Sardinian first, Italian second’ was the adage explained to us during a vineyard tour at Capichera estate, just outside Arzachena, where the island’s Vermentino takes on the fragrance of helichrysum and wild sea thyme. Then again when we sat down for a slow-cooked porceddu (suckling pig) at the La Colti agriturismo, deep in the untouched mountainous countryside of Barbagia. And finally, when we sailed to the remote Maddalena islands and feasted on sea urchin plucked from the seabed that day.
Across the island, a rich and distinct food culture is revealed at every turn. Perhaps surprisingly, traditional Sardinian food is more about the land – the pecorino cheeses and pork; the grains, herbs and citrus – than it is about the sea. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation, informed both by the harsh, remote landscape and by Arab, Moorish, French and Italian influences over the centuries. The east coast of Sardinia was for many centuries occupied by Catalan people and the influences show in the cooking there too.
Perhaps surprisingly, traditional Sardinian food is more about the land than it is the sea
You’ll find giant couscous-like fregula, hand-rolled malloreddus pasta, paper thin pane carasau flatbread and stuffed dumplings called culurgiones. Bottarga, saffron and sea urchin often make their way into dishes, while there are dozens of varieties of pecorino cheese across the region.
As a visitor to the island, the most outstanding meals often come in the unlikely places. Be sure to visit a few agriturismi – traditional farmsteads that open their doors to guests for hearty dinners of typical Sardinian fare, cooked from the land. Along the coast, lesser-known ittiturismi are the fishermen’s equivalent: rustic seafood restaurants that revolve around the catch of the day and the activities of fishing communities. On the glittering Costa Smeralda on the northern tip of the island, fine-dining restaurants attract honeymooners and the super-yacht crowd.
Read on to discover six of the best restaurants in Sardinia.
Six of the best restaurants in Sardinia
Le Grande at Cala di Volpe hotel
Before there was the Costa Smeralda, with its beach clubs and yachts and designer shopping, there was Cala di Volpe. When Prince Karim Aga Khan IV first stumbled upon the area in early ‘60s and decided to transform it into a luxury destination, he begun with this hotel. Now, more than 60 years on, it’s still utterly iconic. Splash the cash on a signature Bellini – made using the freshest peaches – in the Atrium bar, before heading through for a blowout dinner at Le Grande. The service here is extraordinary. When the autumnal Maestrale wind blew over one of our cocktails, a waiter handed us a new, freshly shaken one within a minute without batting an eyelid.
The various set tasting menus are indulgent and timeless: red prawn carpaccio, lemon-scented linguini buttered with sea urchins, and herb-crusted lamb (there are famously more sheep than people on the island) glazed in heather honey. Desserts are a highlight: an old-school crêpe suzette whipped up over an open flame before our eyes and a bitter-sweet sgroppino made with island prosecco, vodka and lemon sorbet. Our sommelier grew up on the island and talked us through various wine-pairing options before settling on a Vermentino produced especially for Cala di Volpe.
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Su Gologne
In the craggy Supramonte mountains about halfway down Sardinia, Su Gologne offers a culinary experiences like no other. There’s no generic hotel fodder here. Instead, hotel guests and visitors can head to Nido del Pane – ‘the bread nest’ – to watch traditional breadmaking by a wood-fired oven before settling in for a set menu of homemade delicacies, with many ingredients from the vegetable patch. If you’ve visited a few rustic trattorias by now, this menu will come as a welcome change in terms of creativity: edible flowers and wild herbs from the grounds are woven into the dishes, with long-forgotten recipes such as pane fratau brought back to life.
Elsewhere in the rambling estate, there’s a traditional restaurant with the aroma of meat slowly roasting on the large open fireplace, and a signature menu showcasing the most traditional dishes. And finally, on a secluded terrace between the wild garden and the natural spring-filled pool, a seafood restaurant serves freshly caught fish and smooth jazz. It doesn’t end there – the hotel can also arrange traditional Sardinian cooking classes and visits to local goat herders for a lunch consisting of their cured meats and fresh cheeses.
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Lu Branu
The drive from the coast to Lu Branu is exhilarating, with hairpin bends and potholes galore on the dusty farm track. Persevere, and you’ll be rewarded with a true local gem, a traditional farm with goats, donkeys, acres of vines and fruit orchards. Arrive in daylight to soak it all in, before sitting down to a traditional Sardinian feast. It’s a set menu; no choices, no preamble. Platters of antipasti, including homegrown olives, breads, homemade ricotta, cold cuts and honey-drizzled semolina, are followed by plate after plate of handmade pasta. Table wine flows freely and, just when you think you must be done, the secondi appear: suckling pig, lamb falling off the bone and a seasonal salad for good measure. Be sure to try the after-dinner digestifs: this is the only agriturismo on the island still producing a traditional goats-milk liqueur but for those who can’t stomach it they also do myrtle, aniseed and other liqueurs. If you only have time for one agriturismo in Sardinia, Lu Branu is one of the greats.
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Agriturismo La Colti
Agriturismo La Colti, a rambling farmhouse just a short hop from the Costa Smeralda, strikes the perfect balance between tourist appeal and authenticity. The menu here is steeped in Gallurese culinary tradition. On warm summer days, eat outside in the shade of an old carob tree with a huge vegetable garden and orchard beyond. On cooler evenings, step inside the thick stone walls, where the scent of suckling pig roasting slowly on the open fire fills the space. Throughout the year, there are certain deeply traditional dishes on the menu that are difficult to find outside of a handful of traditional agriturismi: suppa cuata, a rustic soup made from stale bread, beef stock, cow’s cheese, parsley and cinnamon, is one. To delve deeper, book into a day-long cookery course.
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Baltolu Trattoria da Ottavio
Da Ottavio is a simple yet elegant seafood spot on the water’s edge in northern Sardinia, which opened last summer with local chef Ottavio at the helm. Following the tradition of the ittiturismo, the dining experience is centred around local fishing community and the menu changes with whatever the catch of the day is. Lobster, clams, octopus, spider crab, sea urchin and various types of local grouper all feature regularly, simply grilled or served in traditional pasta dishes. Instead of parmesan, Sardinia’s famous bottarga is grated over pasta for the finishing touch, adding a rich umami depth to each dish. There’s a good selection of Vermentino wines on the menu, with traditional mirto liqueur to finish. Opt for a table by the wall-to-ceiling window, looking out onto a small jetty where fish is delivered daily. Further out, watch the sun setting over the tiny Isolotto dei Fichi d’India (or ‘Prickly Pear Island’) on the horizon.
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Sa Mandra
Husband and wife Mario and Rita left their homes in inland Sardinia in the early ‘90s to open an agriturismo near the seaside town of Alghero and have never looked back. Now, 30 years later, Sa Mandra is a thriving yet traditional farmstead and restaurant still run by the couple, with their children (and small grandchildren) in tow. Rita still makes all the pasta by hand, while her husband and son roast the suckling pig for around five hours each afternoon. Sound idyllic? You can come for dinner or book in for a few nights and get stuck in with milking cows, foraging for herbs and churning fresh cheeses alongside the family and staff. 80% of the food served at the restaurant is produced organically on the farm, with the rest – plus the wine – all from local producers.
