Food and eating out

Restaurants and Bars.

There are ample bars, cafes and restaurants in the area. The coast has many varied establishments, from pizzerias to expensive diners. 

Inland are several excellent restaurants, some specialising mushrooms, others famous for meat, or just the local cuisine. Many have a set price menu which includes house wine for between 30-35 euros, or choose more simple fare at a pizzeria for around 15 euros per person inclusive of drink.

Wine is relatively cheap in the bars and cafes, whilst beer can seem expensive but Italians don’t drink the beer in the same volume at the Brits! Most evening drinks are served with aperitivos or appetisers, ranging from a simple bowl of peanuts or lots of tasty little morsels made by the proprietor. Be careful not to eat too many as the hotel evening meal is as long and arduous as some of the trails!

Molini has 4 bars and in the summer its brilliant to sit out in the warm evenings watching the world go past. A short trip up the mountain is Triora which is famous for witches (scene of persecution in the Middle Ages and a notorious trial where several local women were killed). Many locals claim descent from those that died, including Maria-Chiara owner of the Santo Spirito Hotel.

Badalucco, 10km down the valley towards the coast, is a little larger than Molini and has an ice-cream parlour famed for its home made products. Two pizzerias, Il Ponte & La Stua, and a restaurant are well worth trying, plus the other bars along the main street.

All through the summer months the many hilltop villages and hamlets stage their festas.  Traditional music mixed with disco and lots to drink and eat.  Many are themed for the regional food such as snails - Molini, mushrooms - Triora and trout - Carpasio.  Badalucco is famed for its beans!