Sublime

$$ Riomaggiore

Il Casello is the only place for a fun meal on a terrace overlooking the old town beach. With outdoor tables on a rocky outcrop, it’s a pleasant spot for a salad, pasta, or secondi (€9-13 pastas, €13-18 secondi, daily April-Oct—food and drinks served all day long, closed Nov-March, mobile 333-492-7629, Bacco).

Up at the very top of town, in the residential zone above the church, dining options are sparse, but the one place that’s here is a good one: Trattoria dal Billy offers both good food and impressive views over the valley. With Edoardo and Enrico’s homemade black pasta with seafood and squid ink, green pasta with artichokes, mixed seafood starters,

Vernazza’s skimpy business community is augmented Tuesday mornings (8:00-13:00), when a meager gang of cars and trucks pulls into town for a tailgate market. Eros is often among the vendors; his family has sold flowers here for many years (and he’s also an amazing opera singer).