Restaurant in Chiavari, Italy
Michelin-backed fish, honest Ligurian prices.
Da Felice holds consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025) and a 4.5 Google rating from 934 reviews — the strongest value-for-money credentials in Chiavari. The fish-forward Ligurian menu follows daily market sourcing, and the short tasting menu is where the kitchen earns its recognition. At €€ pricing, this is the right booking for anyone who wants serious Ligurian cooking without a fine-dining price tag.
934 Google reviews averaging 4.5 stars, back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition in 2024 and 2025, and a €€ price tag: Da Felice is the most credentialed value-for-money restaurant in Chiavari. If you are visiting the Ligurian Riviera and want a serious fish-forward meal without a €€€€ invoice, book here. The short tasting menu is where the kitchen earns its Bib Gourmand twice over — Michelin's own designation for exceptional cooking at a moderate price. For a special occasion dinner that does not require a splurge budget, this is the right call in Chiavari.
Da Felice has been in business for many years at Corso Valparaiso, 136 in Chiavari — a long-running presence on a stretch of the Ligurian coast where restaurants come and go with the tourist seasons. Longevity here is evidence of something: a consistent kitchen, a local following, and a format that works. The open-view kitchen at the rear of the dining room means you can watch the cooks at work, which matters when the menu is built around daily fish-market sourcing. What you are eating reflects what was good at the market that morning , a practical commitment to freshness that shapes the entire menu.
The cuisine is Ligurian, and specifically fish-forward. The kitchen works the catch in several directions: carpaccio preparations for clean, direct flavour; fried dishes that call on the Ligurian coastal tradition of light, precise frying; and oven-baked preparations that draw out sweeter, more concentrated notes from the fish. These are not fusion detours or creative reinterpretations , they are traditional methods applied to whatever the market delivered. For a diner who wants to understand what Ligurian coastal cooking actually tastes like without the restaurant adding layers of concept, the approach here is more honest than theatrical.
The tasting menu is the format Michelin singled out for value, and it is the right way to experience Da Felice on a first visit or a special occasion. A short tasting menu in this price tier is a practical proposition: you see the kitchen's range without committing to a multi-hour progression, and the price-per-course ratio at €€ is considerably more favourable than anything at the €€€€ end of the Italian restaurant spectrum. If you prefer to order à la carte, the fish market sourcing means the selection changes, so arriving with a fixed idea of what you want is not the right approach. Trust the daily menu.
Outdoor space is a practical consideration worth noting. A fresh, cool terrace adds a second seating dimension, and in Chiavari's warmer months it is the more appealing option for a long lunch or an early evening dinner. Request it when you book if the season is right. The dining room itself, with its open kitchen, is the better option in cooler months or if you want proximity to the cooking.
Chef Erin Shambura leads the kitchen. The Bib Gourmand in consecutive years is the most concrete evidence of consistent execution , Michelin does not retain that designation without ongoing scrutiny of value and quality together. That two-year track record matters more than any single review.
For context on where Da Felice sits in the Ligurian dining picture: Vescovado in Noli and Bagatto in Loano are the closest regional comparisons for traditional Ligurian cooking at a similar price point, both worth considering if you are travelling the coast. Within Chiavari itself, Duo offers a contemporary alternative and Lord Nelson covers the seafood angle from a different angle. See our full Chiavari restaurants guide for the complete picture.
If you are building a wider itinerary around serious Italian dining, Da Felice sits in a very different register from the €€€€ destinations elsewhere in Italy , Osteria Francescana in Modena, Piazza Duomo in Alba, or Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone , but it delivers a more grounded, market-led experience that those rooms are not trying to provide. The comparison is not competitive; they are different propositions. Da Felice is the meal you book when you want to eat what Chiavari actually cooks, at a price that makes sense.
Booking difficulty is easy. Da Felice does not carry the reservation pressure of a starred room, and walk-in availability is realistic outside peak summer weeks. That said, securing a table in advance is still worthwhile for weekend evenings and in July and August when the Ligurian coast fills up. If you want the outdoor terrace specifically, request it at the time of booking. No phone or booking URL is currently listed in our data , check directly via the restaurant's address at Corso Valparaiso, 136, Chiavari.
Quick reference: Da Felice, Corso Valparaiso 136, Chiavari | €€ | Michelin Bib Gourmand 2024–2025 | Easy to book | Fish-forward Ligurian tasting menu
Da Felice is in central Chiavari, accessible on foot from the town centre. For accommodation, hotels, bars, and other experiences nearby, see our guides: Chiavari hotels, Chiavari bars, Chiavari wineries, and Chiavari experiences.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Da Felice | €€ | Easy | — |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Dal Pescatore | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Enoteca Pinchiorri | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Enrico Bartolini | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Le Calandre | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Da Felice and alternatives.
Da Felice is the only Michelin-recognised option in Chiavari at the €€ price point, which narrows the field considerably. For comparable Ligurian fish cooking with slightly more formal service, you'd need to look at restaurants in nearby Sestri Levante or Portofino. Within Chiavari itself, no direct peer matches its combination of Bib Gourmand recognition, open kitchen, and market-driven fish at this price.
Yes. The open-view kitchen at the rear of the dining room gives solo diners something to watch, and the Bib Gourmand format — focused, shorter menu, reasonable prices — suits a single cover without any social awkwardness. The €€ price range means you won't feel the financial pressure of committing to a long tasting format alone.
At €€ with back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition in 2024 and 2025, yes — this is one of the clearer value cases on the Ligurian coast. The Bib Gourmand designation specifically marks venues where Michelin judges the quality-to-price ratio to be strong, so the endorsement is directly relevant to the question. If you're expecting starred-level plating and ceremony, recalibrate; if you want well-executed, market-fresh Ligurian fish without a large bill, Da Felice delivers.
The venue data does not confirm a bar or counter seating arrangement. The dining room has an open-view kitchen to the rear, but whether that translates to counter seats is not documented. check the venue's official channels at Corso Valparaiso, 136 to confirm seating options before visiting.
For a low-key celebration, yes — the Michelin Bib Gourmand credential gives it a credibility that makes the evening feel considered, and the outdoor terrace adds atmosphere. It is not a full-ceremony, white-tablecloth special-occasion venue; if you need a starred room with a long tasting menu and extensive wine service, look at restaurants further along the Ligurian or Piedmontese coast. For a birthday dinner or anniversary where quality food and value matter more than pomp, Da Felice works well.
The menu is built around fish from the daily market, so it shifts based on what came in that morning — carpaccio, fried, and oven-baked preparations are the recurring formats. Booking difficulty is low, walk-ins are realistic outside peak summer, and the price range sits at €€, so there are no financial surprises. The outdoor terrace is a draw in good weather; arrive early enough in the evening to secure a spot.
Yes, specifically. The Michelin Bib Gourmand notes that the short tasting menu offers excellent value for money — that phrasing in the award description is deliberate. At €€ pricing, the tasting menu format here is a stronger argument than it would be at a venue charging two or three price tiers higher. If you're visiting once and want a structured read of what the kitchen does best with Ligurian fish, the tasting menu is the right call.
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