Restaurant in Imperia, Italy
Technical pizza worth the Ligurian detour.
Kilo is the best reason to venture into Prino, Imperia's ancient fishing quarter, for a pizza that earns the detour. Chef Chieppa works a mixed-flour dough through careful leavening to produce a super-crispy base topped with first-choice local products. Casual booking, neighbourhood setting, and a seasonal approach to Ligurian ingredients make it a practical and worthwhile stop on the Ligurian coast.
If you are driving the Ligurian coast and want a pizza worth stopping for, Kilo in the ancient fishing quarter of Prino delivers the kind of technically considered crust that most coastal towns in this stretch cannot match. Chef Chieppa works with a blend of flours and a careful leavening process that produces a super crispy base — the kind that holds its structure without turning cardboard-stiff. This is not a tourist-trap slice. For food enthusiasts who care about how dough is made and what goes on leading of it, Kilo earns a booking.
The setting itself signals intention: a gracefully restyled space in pastel colours typical of Prino, the older fishing village that sits just inland from the seafront. The space has been thoughtfully updated without losing the quiet, neighbourhood character of Prino. Kilo is not trying to compete with the white-tablecloth dining rooms you will find at Osteria Francescana in Modena or Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico — nor should it. It occupies a different register entirely: a neighbourhood pizzeria where the craft is in the dough work and the sourcing, not the theatre.
Chef Chieppa's reputation at Kilo rests on experimentation , working with different flour combinations and fermentation timings to shift the character of the crust depending on the season and the toppings. If you are the kind of traveller who has sought out serious pizza in Naples or tracked down sourdough-forward pies at destination spots, the approach here will feel familiar and worth investigating. The use of first-choice products on leading reinforces that the kitchen treats the whole pizza as a system, not just the base.
Liguria's produce calendar matters at a place like Kilo. Spring and summer bring the region's leading tomatoes, fresh basil, and local vegetables that will almost certainly appear on the menu in some form. Autumn shifts toward the earthier end , olive oil from Imperia's famous Taggiasca olive groves, mushrooms, and heartier toppings that suit the crispier, more structured base that cooler fermentation conditions can encourage. If you are visiting Imperia in the warmer months, eating on or near the lungomare and then moving to Prino for pizza at Kilo is a logical two-part evening. In the off-season, the quieter neighbourhood setting in Prino makes the experience more intimate.
Imperia sits at the heart of Ligurian olive oil production , the Taggiasca olive is a local staple , and that culinary backdrop gives Kilo's sourcing claims genuine local credibility. For the food-focused traveller already working through Imperia's restaurant scene, this is a different gear from the seafood-forward options like Sarri or Osteria Didù, which anchor the local dining scene closer to the port.
Kilo is direct to book by the standards of Italian destination dining , no months-long waitlists, no tasting-menu-only formats. Walk-ins may be possible on quieter weeknights, but calling ahead or booking in advance is sensible if you are visiting in summer when the Ligurian coast draws more visitors. Prino itself is easily reachable from the Imperia seafront; the address on Lungomare C. Colombo places it within the coastal zone of the wider Imperia municipality.
Price range data is not confirmed for Kilo, but the format , neighbourhood pizzeria with quality sourcing , typically sits in a comfortable mid-range bracket by Italian standards. If you are also planning time in Imperia beyond the meal, see our guides to Imperia hotels, Imperia bars, Imperia wineries, and Imperia experiences.
Quick reference: Neighbourhood pizzeria in Prino, Imperia. Booking: easy, call ahead in summer. Price: mid-range (unconfirmed). Leading seasons: spring and summer for local produce; autumn for heartier combinations.
Kilo is a neighbourhood pizzeria in Prino, not a fine-dining room, so dress casually. Smart-casual is more than sufficient , clean jeans and a shirt or light dress will fit the setting. There is no dress code to worry about, and the restyled but unpretentious interior does not call for formality.
The draw here is the signature super-crispy pizza built on a mixed-flour dough with careful leavening , that is the dish to anchor your order around. Chef Chieppa's approach to toppings prioritises first-choice local products, so choose combinations that lean on seasonal Ligurian ingredients: Taggiasca olives, local vegetables, or fresh herbs in spring and summer. Specific menu items are not confirmed in our data, so ask staff what is in season on the day.
For seafood-driven dining in Imperia, Sarri and Osteria Didù are the natural alternatives, both operating closer to the waterfront and focusing on the Ligurian coast's fish-forward traditions. Neither overlaps with Kilo's pizza format, so if you are planning multiple meals in Imperia, they complement rather than compete. For broader context, see our full Imperia restaurants guide.
Yes. A neighbourhood pizzeria is one of the more comfortable solo-dining formats in Italy , counter or small-table seating, no awkward large-format menus, and a casual enough atmosphere that eating alone feels natural rather than conspicuous. If you are a food-focused solo traveller working through Imperia, Kilo fits the schedule well as a standalone lunch or early dinner stop before exploring the lungomare.
Not the obvious choice for a milestone dinner. The format , neighbourhood pizzeria with a casual, restyled interior , suits a relaxed evening over interesting pizza rather than a formal celebration. If you are marking an occasion in Imperia, a seafood-focused dinner at Sarri or a longer trip to Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone would be more appropriate. Kilo is better framed as a high-quality casual stop than a destination occasion venue.
No confirmed information is available on dietary accommodation at Kilo. Given the pizzeria format and the kitchen's emphasis on specific dough-making techniques, gluten-free options are unlikely to be the focus , but contact the venue directly to confirm. Phone and website details are not currently in our database; your hotel concierge or a local search can provide current contact information.
Booking is direct by Italian destination-dining standards. In the off-season, a day or two ahead should be sufficient. In summer, when the Ligurian coast sees higher visitor numbers, booking a few days in advance is sensible. Walk-ins on quiet weeknights are plausible but not guaranteed. This is not a hard-to-book venue , plan ahead but do not stress about it the way you would for a Michelin-listed room.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilo | Easy | — | |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Dal Pescatore | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Osteria Francescana | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Quattro Passi | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
| Reale | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Kilo and alternatives.
Kilo is a pizzeria in the fishing quarter of Prino, so dress casually and comfortably. The restyled pastel interior is charming but relaxed — there is no need to dress up. Clean, everyday clothes are perfectly appropriate.
The pizza is the reason to visit: Chef Chieppa's multi-flour dough with careful leavening produces a notably crispy base, and the kitchen sources first-choice products throughout. Focus on the pizza rather than treating this as a broad Italian menu — that is what Kilo has built its reputation on in Prino.
Kilo is the standout option in Imperia specifically for technically driven, artisan pizza. If you want a broader Ligurian dining experience rather than a pizza-focused meal, look along the coast toward San Remo or Bordighera for fuller seafood-led menus — but for pizza in the region, Kilo is the reference point.
Yes. A neighbourhood pizzeria in a small fishing quarter is one of the more comfortable solo dining formats in Italy — no tasting menu commitment, no group expectation. Kilo's casual setup in Prino suits single diners without awkwardness.
It depends on what kind of occasion. Kilo works well for a low-key celebration among people who care about food craft — the experimental pizza approach and distinctive Prino setting give it enough personality for a meaningful meal. For a formal or multi-course anniversary dinner, a different format would serve better.
The venue data does not confirm specific dietary accommodation policies. Given that the kitchen works with a defined dough process and first-choice ingredient sourcing, it is worth contacting the restaurant directly before visiting if dietary needs are a factor — the multi-flour base may affect gluten-related requests.
Kilo does not carry the waitlists of Italy's high-profile destination restaurants — booking a few days ahead should be sufficient outside peak summer weekends. In July and August, when the Ligurian coast fills with Italian and French tourists, booking at least a week out is sensible. Walk-ins may be possible, but calling ahead removes the risk.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
