Restaurant in Marciana Marina, Italy
Elba's clearest answer for a special dinner.
Scaraboci holds a Michelin Plate (2024) and a 4.4 Google rating at the €€ price point, making it the clearest answer for creative seafood cooking on Elba. The private summer terrace steps from the Marciana Marina seafront tips it firmly into special-occasion territory. Book well in advance for outdoor tables and note there is no wine by the glass.
Yes, if you are looking for creative, technically considered cooking on the island of Elba, Scaraboci is the clearest answer. Sitting on Via XX Settembre just metres from the seafront at Marciana Marina, it holds a Michelin Plate (2024) and a Google rating of 4.4 across 198 reviews — a combination that places it meaningfully above the average tourist-facing restaurant on this stretch of the Tuscan coast. For a romantic dinner, a birthday, or any meal where the cooking should match the setting, this is the right call at the €€ price point.
Scaraboci's reputation is built on fish and seafood, handled with enough technical intent to earn Michelin recognition. The kitchen works in the creative register, which here means thoughtful combinations rather than theatrical complexity: ingredients from the surrounding Tyrrhenian waters given clear, considered treatment. Meat dishes appear on the menu alongside the fish, but the seafood is the reason to come. The Michelin Plate designation, while not a star, is a meaningful signal — it indicates cooking that inspects as consistent and technique-led, not merely acceptable. At €€ pricing, that level of ambition is worth noting. You are not paying fine-dining prices for it, which makes the value equation direct.
For context, creative Italian seafood at this quality tier is harder to find outside major cities. Compare the offer here to what you would get at a comparable price point in Florence or Milan and Scaraboci punches above its coastal-village weight. If you want to understand where it sits against Italy's most decorated creative tables , Osteria Francescana in Modena, Uliassi in Senigallia, or Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence , the ambition is different in scale, but the intent in the cooking is recognisably similar. That is a useful benchmark for managing expectations: serious cooking, not gastronomy tourism.
The private terrace for summer dining is the detail that tips Scaraboci firmly into special-occasion territory. Outdoor dining this close to the Marciana Marina seafront, at a table that can be reserved privately, is a pairing that works for anniversaries, proposals, or any dinner where atmosphere carries as much weight as the food. The instruction is simple: if you want the terrace, book well in advance. Summer on Elba is busy, and this is not a seat that holds itself open. Book early and specify the terrace request at the time of reservation.
Wine by the glass is not available, which is worth knowing before you arrive. The workaround the restaurant offers is sound: well-chosen half-bottles, which keeps the option of variety without committing to a full bottle per wine. For a two-person dinner, this is a practical solution rather than a real constraint. For larger groups, plan accordingly or accept a full bottle selection.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which reflects both the venue's size and its location outside the major city circuits. That said, summer availability on Elba tightens fast, and the terrace tables in particular require forward planning. Off-season, walk-in chances improve considerably, but calling ahead is always the sensible move when the terrace or a specific date matters. There is no online booking information confirmed in the current record, so direct contact via the address on Via XX Settembre, 29 is the reliable route.
For peer comparisons across the island and the wider Marciana Marina dining scene, see SaleGrosso as the closest local alternative with a seafood focus. For a broader picture of where to eat and stay, the full Marciana Marina restaurants guide covers the current options across price tiers. If you are planning the wider trip, the Marciana Marina hotels guide and bars guide are worth pairing with this reservation. For wine enthusiasts, the Marciana Marina wineries guide and experiences guide round out the visit.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scaraboci | Creative | €€ | Easy |
| Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler | Italian, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Dal Pescatore | Italian, Italian Contemporary | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Osteria Francescana | Progressive Italian, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Quattro Passi | Italian, Mediterranean Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Reale | Progressive Italian, Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
A quick look at how Scaraboci measures up.
Lean toward the fish and seafood dishes — that is where the kitchen has built its Michelin Plate reputation. The menu takes a creative approach, so expect considered combinations rather than straight Italian classics. If a half-bottle of wine fits your budget, the list supports that format since wine is not available by the glass.
Scaraboci is a Michelin Plate-recognised restaurant on the island of Elba, so smart casual is a reasonable read — think a step above beach clothes without requiring formal dress. The private terrace setting in summer is relaxed but occasion-appropriate. No explicit dress code is documented for this venue.
The restaurant sits a few metres from the seafront on Via XX Settembre in Marciana Marina, so the setting is compact and walkable from the harbour. Booking ahead is advisable, especially if you want the private terrace in summer, where demand outpaces availability. Wine is sold by the bottle or half-bottle only, so plan accordingly.
Yes. The private terrace, waterfront proximity, and Michelin Plate-level cooking at €€ pricing make it one of the more compelling special-occasion options on Elba. Book the terrace well in advance for summer dates — it fills early and is the detail that most separates Scaraboci from casual harbour-side alternatives.
SaleGrosso is the closest local alternative with a comparable seafood focus in Marciana Marina. For a broader search on Elba, the island's dining options are limited by geography, which is part of why Scaraboci draws repeat bookings from visitors staying in the area.
The venue holds a Michelin Plate at €€ pricing, which means tasting menu format — if offered — would represent strong value relative to the kitchen's technical standard. Specific menu formats and current pricing are not confirmed in available venue data, so check directly when booking.
At €€ pricing with a Michelin Plate and a private terrace option, the value case is straightforward for Elba. You are not paying the premium of a starred restaurant on the mainland, and the creative fish cooking is more technically considered than most island options at this price point. For a casual pizza, it is overqualified; for a dinner worth planning around, it delivers.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
