Restaurant in Cagliari, Italy
Seasonal, local, good value — book it.
Old Friend holds consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) and a 4.7 Google rating, making it the most credentialed mid-range table in Cagliari. At €€, the seasonal farm-to-table menu with three tasting menu options delivers consistent quality that justifies repeat visits. Booking is easy — a few days ahead is usually enough.
A Google rating of 4.7 across 405 reviews, backed by consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards in 2024 and 2025, makes Old Friend one of the most consistently well-regarded mid-range restaurants in Cagliari. At the €€ price point, it delivers seasonal farm-to-table cooking with the kind of credentialed quality that is hard to find at this price in Sardinia. If you have been once and enjoyed it, there is plenty of reason to return — the rotating seasonal menu means the kitchen moves on even if you don't. Book it again.
Old Friend sits on Via Giuseppe Abba, a short walk from Cagliari's main shopping streets but removed enough from the tourist drag to feel like a local find. The Bib Gourmand recognition — Michelin's marker for good cooking at a moderate price, awarded in both 2024 and 2025 , tells you most of what you need to know about the kitchen's ambitions. This is not a special-occasion destination priced for once-a-year visits; it is the kind of place you should be going back to every few months precisely because the menu shifts with the seasons.
Chef Matt Abé runs the kitchen with a commitment to seasonal produce, rotating between meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes as ingredients come and go. The menu structure is flexible: you can order à la carte, or choose from three tasting menus if you want to hand the decision-making to the kitchen. For a returning visitor, the tasting menu is worth trying if you haven't yet , it gives a fuller picture of what the kitchen is doing in any given season, and at the €€ price band, it remains accessible rather than ceremonial.
The dining room is described as fresh and contemporary in feel, with background music and service that is both warm and competent. It does not try to be a formal fine-dining room, which is exactly right for its price point and neighbourhood positioning. For farm-to-table cooking in Cagliari, this is the address that holds up across multiple visits.
For anyone coming back to Old Friend, the seasonal rotation is the main reason to do so. The kitchen does not keep a static menu, which means a visit in spring looks materially different from one in autumn. If your previous visit leaned toward fish dishes, a return in a different season may shift the balance toward vegetables or meat. Ask the front-of-house what is currently dominant on the tasting menu before you decide whether to go à la carte or commit to the full format , the staff are reported as cordial and knowledgeable enough to give a useful answer.
The three tasting menu options give you a structured way to explore the current kitchen output without having to read the whole seasonal menu cold. For a group with different appetites, the à la carte route remains viable and lets the table mix formats. Either way, the Bib Gourmand standard implies a kitchen that is working at a consistent level, not coasting.
| Detail | Old Friend | ChiaroScuro | Amanõ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisine | Farm to table | Sardinian | Contemporary |
| Price range | €€ | €€ | €€ |
| Michelin recognition | Bib Gourmand 2024, 2025 | , | , |
| Google rating | 4.7 (405 reviews) | , | , |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | , | , |
| Tasting menu available | Yes (3 options) | , | , |
| Location | Via Giuseppe Abba, 51 | Cagliari centre | Cagliari centre |
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Friend | Farm to table | Somewhat off the beaten path from the shopping streets, the restaurant has a fresh and trendy allure, with background music and cordial, competent service in the dining room. While the dishes follow the seasons – with meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes alternating – taste and quality remain essential constants. You’re certainly presented with the menu, but if desired, three different tasting menus are also offered.; Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | Easy | — |
| ChiaroScuro | Sardinian | Unknown | — | |
| CUCINA.eat | Modern Cuisine | Unknown | — | |
| Amanõ | Contemporary | Unknown | — | |
| Da Marino al St Remy | Mediterranean Cuisine | Unknown | — | |
| Gli Uffici | Mediterranean Cuisine | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Cagliari for this tier.
Book at least one week in advance, and two weeks if you're visiting on a weekend. Old Friend's Michelin Bib Gourmand status in both 2024 and 2025 has raised its profile, and the dining room is not large. Its location just off Cagliari's main shopping streets means it draws both locals and visitors, so availability shrinks quickly around Italian public holidays.
Yes, especially if you want something that feels considered without a heavy price tag. The €€ pricing and Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition mean you get quality cooking without a formal fine-dining atmosphere. Three tasting menu options give the meal structure if you want a proper occasion format, while the seasonal menu keeps it from feeling routine.
Da Marino al St Remy is the natural comparison for local Sardinian cooking with more traditional roots. CUCINA.eat and Amanõ are closer in register if you're after a contemporary, produce-led format. Gli Uffici works well for a more formal setting if the occasion calls for it. Old Friend sits at the accessible end of the quality spectrum in Cagliari, which is its main advantage over pricier options.
At €€, it's one of the stronger value propositions in Cagliari's dining scene. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards are specifically given for good food at a moderate price, which is exactly what Old Friend delivers. If you're weighing it against a more expensive dinner elsewhere in Cagliari, the tasting menu format here gives you more eating for less money.
Bar seating is not documented in the available information for Old Friend. Given the restaurant's format and size, the dining room is the core experience. check the venue's official channels via their address at Via Giuseppe Abba, 51 to confirm seating options before your visit.
Small groups of three to six should be fine with advance notice. For larger parties, call ahead — the restaurant's dining room is not described as a large space, and the seasonal, daily-changing format means the kitchen works best at a measured pace. The three tasting menu options make group ordering easier if everyone wants a shared format.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
