Home › Food tours › Amalfi Coast
Food tours in Amalfi Coast: what to eat and which tour to book
The Amalfi Coast is a string of small towns on a steep cliff road, and each one has its own specialities. Cetara is a fishing village known for anchovies and colatura, the clear anchovy sauce descended from Roman garum. Minori makes ndunderi, an ancient ricotta gnocchi, and has some of the coast's best pastry. Amalfi and Positano cook seafood and lemons, the large, thick-skinned sfusato amalfitano, into almost everything, while up in the hills Agerola supplies fior di latte and provolone. Prices in Positano and on the beaches are among the highest in Italy; the same food costs much less a few kilometres away.
Use this page to decide what to eat in which town. The dishes and areas below say what each place does well and when to go. The tours are real listings on GetYourGuide, with prices as seen when we checked; prices and group sizes change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Amalfi Coast
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scialatielli with seafood scialatielli ai frutti di mare | Thick, short fresh pasta ribbons (a local invention) tossed with clams, mussels, prawns and cherry tomatoes. | Trattorias in Amalfi, Minori and Maiori; cheaper away from Positano's beachfront. | roughly €16–25 a plate |
| Pasta with anchovy sauce spaghetti con colatura di alici | Spaghetti dressed simply with colatura (an amber anchovy extract matured in chestnut barrels), garlic, olive oil, chilli and parsley. | Cetara, where colatura is made; restaurants along the harbour and shops selling bottles to take home. | roughly €14–20 a plate; a small bottle of colatura about €8–15 |
| Ricotta gnocchi ndunderi | Soft gnocchi made from ricotta and flour, traditionally served with tomato sauce and basil. Minori's signature dish. | Restaurants in Minori. | roughly €12–16 a plate |
| Squid and potatoes totani e patate | Flying squid stewed with potatoes, garlic, tomato and white wine. A traditional home dish of Amalfi and Praiano. | Family trattorias in Amalfi, Praiano and Conca dei Marini. | roughly €15–22 a portion |
| Lemon cake delizia al limone | Small sponge dome soaked in limoncello syrup, filled with lemon cream and covered in more lemon cream. | Pasticcerie in Amalfi, Minori and Maiori; widely sold at bars along the coast. | about €3.50–6 each |
| Santa Rosa pastry sfogliatella Santa Rosa | Shell-shaped flaky pastry filled with semolina and ricotta custard, topped with cream and sour cherries. Created at a convent in Conca dei Marini. | Pastry shops in Amalfi and Conca dei Marini; Conca holds a festival for it in August. | about €3–5 |
| Lemon liqueur limoncello | Liqueur made from lemon peel, alcohol, sugar and water, served ice cold after dinner. | Everywhere; small producers in Amalfi, Minori and Maiori sell tastings. | often free after dinner; bottles roughly €10–25 |
| Agerola cheese fior di latte and provolone del Monaco | Cow's-milk mozzarella and a semi-hard aged provolone from the dairy farms on the Agerola plateau above the coast. | Dairies (caseifici) in Agerola, or delis in Amalfi. | about €8–14 per kg for fior di latte; provolone more |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Cetara
Working fishing village with anchovy and tuna canneries, colatura producers and a harbour lined with fish restaurants; much less crowded than Amalfi.
Minori and Maiori
Neighbouring beach towns with lower prices than Positano, ndunderi, fresh pasta workshops and well-known pastry shops.
Amalfi town
The coast's historic centre, with bakeries, lemon shops and trattorias in the lanes behind the cathedral; the main street is touristy, the side streets less so.
Agerola
Hill town on the plateau above the coast, known for dairies, cured meats and simple mountain cooking at lower prices.
Positano
The most photographed town on the coast, with beach restaurants and high-end dining; expensive and busy, but with some good family-run places up the hill.
Food tours in Amalfi Coast compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amalfi: Cooking Class and Farmhouse Visit With Meal | 4 hours | from €129 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Lemon Trail: Lemon Tour with food tasting on the Amalfi Coast | 1 hour | from €35 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Amalfi: Mozzarella, Fettuccine, and Tiramisù Cooking Class | 3 hours | from €60 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Cooking class: Pasta & Tiramisù with lunch in Amalfi Coast! | 3.5 hours | from €164 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
Amalfi: Cooking Class and Farmhouse Visit With Meal
On GetYourGuide · run by AMALFI: COAST & CUISINE
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €129 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 479 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Lemon Trail: Lemon Tour with food tasting on the Amalfi Coast
On GetYourGuide · run by Agricola Ruocco’s
- Length
- 1 hour
- Price
- from €35 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 52 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Tour among the lemon groves, a lesson to discover the main stages of processing and the secrets of lemon cultivation on the Amalfi Coast. Food tasting of lemonade, lemon salad, lemon marmalade, and limoncello.
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- The meeting point is inside our Lemon Point. It's a kiosk with a clearly visible ceramic sign and external decorations like baskets of lemons, lemons, etc.
Amalfi: Mozzarella, Fettuccine, and Tiramisù Cooking Class
On GetYourGuide · run by Cookingclass Con Ferdinando
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €60 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 50 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Cooking class Professional Neapolitan Cook Lunch or dinner (depending on the time) Guided tour of the farmhouse Local wine and limoncello tasting Free parking
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- *
Cooking class: Pasta & Tiramisù with lunch in Amalfi Coast!
On GetYourGuide · run by Positano Boats
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €164 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 31 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
There is little street food beyond panini from delis, pizza by the slice and fried seafood cones (cuoppo) sold near beaches. A sandwich of local cheese and cured meat from a salumeria is the cheapest good lunch on the coast.
Sit-down meals
Most eating here is sit-down: a seafood pasta, grilled fish and a lemon dessert, with views. Restaurants in Positano and on beaches charge a premium; Minori, Maiori, Cetara and Praiano give more for the money. Many places close or cut hours from November to March, and in summer booking is essential.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are common, often on a farm or terrace in the hills with lemon groves, teaching fresh pasta, mozzarella-based dishes and a dessert, followed by lunch with wine. Ask whether you cook hands-on and how you get there, because transport on the coast road is slow.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | €35–50 (bar breakfast, deli panino or pizza lunch, simple pasta dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | €70–110 (two sit-down meals with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €200+ (tasting menu at a hotel or Michelin-starred restaurant) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable: pasta with tomato and basil, gnocchi alla sorrentina, eggplant parmigiana, mozzarella, lemon desserts. Seafood dominates menus, and some sauces use anchovies or colatura, so ask. Vegan options are thinner because of the dairy.
Halal: Halal-certified restaurants are essentially absent on the coast. Seafood and vegetable dishes are the practical choice; check that sauces contain no wine or pork, and ask about stocks.
Gluten-free: Italian coeliac awareness helps: many restaurants offer 'senza glutine' pasta, and the AIC (Italian Coeliac Association) lists accredited places. Small family trattorias may not, and cross-contamination in pasta water is common, so ask directly.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Fish and lobster priced 'per hectogram' (100 g) or 'S.Q.' (secondo quantità), producing a far larger bill than expected. Ask for the weight and total price before the fish is cooked.
- Beach clubs and seafront restaurants with high minimum spends, sunbed charges added to lunch, or cover charges not shown on the menu. Ask for the menu and sunbed price before sitting; a coperto is legal but must be listed.
- Limoncello and 'local' ceramics shops selling industrial limoncello made with artificial flavouring as handmade. Read the label: it should name sfusato amalfitano lemons and list few ingredients. Buy from producers that offer tastings.
- Restaurants with touts on the main streets of Positano and Amalfi offering 'tourist menus' of reheated pasta. Walk into the side lanes or to the next town; check recent reviews.
Top tours & activities in Amalfi Coast
Rent a car in Amalfi Coast
Compare rental cars from local and international companies, with free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare car rentals in Amalfi CoastPlan the rest of your Amalfi Coast trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip on the Amalfi Coast?
Tipping is not expected the way it is in the US. Most bills include a coperto (cover charge, usually €2–4 per person) and some add a service charge, which must be listed on the menu. If service was good, leaving 5–10% or rounding up is appreciated. Guides on food tours and cooking classes are often tipped a few euros per person.
Which town is best for food?
For value and character, Cetara (anchovies and colatura), Minori (ndunderi and pastry) and Maiori are the best bases for eating. Amalfi has the widest choice. Positano has the most expensive restaurants and beach clubs. Agerola, up in the hills, is worth a trip for cheese and simpler, cheaper mountain food.
Is the coast open for eating in winter?
Partly. From roughly November to March many hotels and beach restaurants close, and others shorten their hours or open only at weekends. Amalfi, Minori and Maiori keep more places open because people live there year-round. Check opening days before you travel, and expect a quieter, cheaper coast.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a budget, about €35–50 covers a cornetto and coffee, a deli sandwich or pizza and a simple pasta dinner. Two sit-down meals with a carafe of wine come to about €70–110. Seafood by weight, beach clubs and hotel restaurants in Positano can push a single meal past €100 per person.
Should I book restaurants and cooking classes in advance?
In June to September, yes. Popular restaurants in Positano and Amalfi fill days ahead, and small cooking classes have limited places. Book classes a week or more in advance in summer. Also check how you will get there: buses on the coast road are crowded and slow, and taxis are expensive.
What should I bring home?
Colatura di alici from Cetara, a bottle of limoncello from a small producer, dried scialatielli or pasta from nearby Gragnano, and lemon-based sweets. Fresh mozzarella does not travel well. Check your home country's rules on bringing cheese and cured meat, especially when flying outside the EU.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.