Orèstorante + Oresteria by Ponza Fish {Where to Eat in Ponza}

This year we decided to spend more than a weekend on the island of Ponza. We had ten luxurious days to explore, nap, swim and eat. One of the places I was most looking forward to revisiting was Orestorante, an elegant and refined restaurant and their casual spinoff, Oresteria.

On our first afternoon on the island, as soon as we had dropped our bags off at our villa we headed back down to Ponza's main drag for lunch at Oresteria. We perched on chairs and ordered plates of all of my summer favorites; Marinated anchovies, cubes of locally sourced raw swordfish and albacore tuna, spaghetti all vongole and stewed friagtelle peppers with cherry tomatoes. Keeping with our beach lunch tradition we had a well-chilled bottle of pecorino. This meal was so delicious we went back again and ordered everything a second time!

We had one last dinner at Orèstorante with its spectacular views out over the port and well-considered wine list. Valentina, the sommelier, and wife of the chef brought us a white from a small wine producer in Piemonte and the best selection of appetizers to complement the wine she had selected. 

Plate after plate after delicious, Amalfi coast decorated ceramic plate, came to the table filled with the islands freshest ingredients and modern flavors. Tastes like a smooth potato soup with lime and caviar, the cheekily named gnocchi mojito, with tuna and spiked with mint and lime, raw gamberi rossi (a local red shrimp) with a creme brule caramelized top which was an amazing sensation of cool and hot, sweet and sharp. Fish that comes sizzling on a hot black rock from the nearby island of Palmarola. There might have been more, I know there was not a crumb left on any of those many pretty plates. 

For our main courses, Mark chose grilled gamberi rossi wrapped in phyllo like shreds and also wanted to try the islands famous lentils which came topped with grilled fish and I had pasta swirled with gamberi rossi and tomatoes. 

Dessert was a perfectly sized bite of berries, biscuits and marscapone in a tiny jar.

These two restaurants are a perfect stylish pair. You can have a quick meal in your beach clothes at Oresteria or a refined dinner is your prettiest party dress at Orestorante. I suggest doing both. 

L’Oresteria
via Carlo Pisacane, 51
Tel: 347.3011376
Open all year for lunch and dinner

Orèstorante
via Dietro la Chiesa, 3
Tel.: 0771.80338 – 338.83.180.03
Open for dinner Easter through September
Reservations suggested