DaV Mare

Verdict: Book It for the Setting, Stay for the Cooking

At the €€€€ price point, DaV Mare is asking you to pay for two things simultaneously: a front-row seat to one of the most photographed harbourside squares in Italy, and the contemporary Italian cooking of a family that runs a three-Michelin-starred operation in Bergamo. That combination is harder to find than it sounds. If you are visiting Portofino and want a meal that holds up on both counts, this is the clearest recommendation on the waterfront. If the price feels steep for a casual lunch stop, Da O Batti is a more affordable Ligurian alternative. But for a gourmet dinner or a serious occasion meal, DaV Mare is the right call.

What You Are Actually Getting

The Cerea family operates Da Vittoria in Bergamo, which holds three Michelin stars: one of Italy's most decorated dining institutions. DaV Mare is their Portofino outpost, and the pedigree shows in the execution. The kitchen turns out contemporary Italian food at a level of consistency that is rare for a seasonal destination restaurant. The Michelin Guide has awarded it a Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025, which signals cooking that meets Michelin's quality threshold without reaching the starred tier. For context, a Michelin Plate denotes good cooking: it is a meaningful credential, not a consolation prize.

The wrought-iron outdoor dining area faces directly onto Portofino's harbour square, with the castle promontory in the sightline. The atmosphere is calm and composed rather than high-energy, this is not a buzzy, noisy room. Lunch here feels unhurried; dinner shifts toward something more occasion-ready. If you were here once for lunch, returning for dinner offers a genuinely different experience in terms of mood and pacing. The square quiets down as the evening progresses, and the setting becomes considerably more atmospheric after the day-tripper crowds clear.

Tasting Menu and Dining Progression

Given the Cerea family's background in structured, multi-course fine dining at the calibre of restaurants like Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler or Dal Pescatore, the kitchen at DaV Mare is well-positioned to deliver a coherent tasting progression rather than a disconnected à la carte selection. The contemporary Italian framework here typically moves through Ligurian coastal ingredients and Mediterranean technique. What the Cerea track record and the Michelin recognition together suggest: the sequencing and technical quality will be at a level above the average Portofino restaurant.

For a returning diner, the question is whether to commit to the full dinner format or keep it to a focused shorter meal. Given the price tier and the kitchen's fine-dining lineage, a full dinner with the complete progression is how this restaurant is leading experienced. A quick lunch is perfectly viable and the Michelin Guide specifically notes it as an option, but the cooking is built for longer, more deliberate dining. If you had a lunch visit previously, dinner is the logical next move.

Practical Details

Reservations: Book ahead, the table count is small and demand is high, particularly in peak summer months. The Michelin Guide flags this directly. Booking difficulty: Easy to book in principle, but availability compresses fast in July and August; contact as early as possible for summer dates. Dress: Smart casual at minimum given the price point and setting; Portofino's harbour context means the clientele tends toward resort-elegant. Budget: €€€€, allow for a full dinner with wine to land at the higher end of Portofino restaurant pricing. Leading timing: Dinner over lunch if you want the full experience; arrive before or after peak season (June or September) for easier reservations and a more relaxed atmosphere.

How It Compares

Within Portofino's small dining ecosystem, DaV Mare occupies the clearest position at the top of the contemporary Italian tier. Cracco Portofino is the other €€€€ option, with a seafood focus and the Carlo Cracco name attached, if you want a more seafood-forward menu with a celebrity-chef profile, that is the comparison to weigh. DaV Mare's advantage is the Cerea family's deeper fine-dining track record and the more intimate square-facing setting. For a significantly lower spend with local Ligurian cooking, Da O Batti is the practical alternative, though the experience is less polished. Splendido operates in a different category as a hotel dining experience, but if you are weighing a hotel dinner against a standalone restaurant, DaV Mare's cooking credentials make it the stronger choice for food-first diners.

For Italian contemporary dining at a comparable or higher level elsewhere in Italy, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Uliassi in Senigallia, and Piazza Duomo in Alba represent the higher end of the category if a special-occasion trip is being planned around food specifically. DaV Mare sits below that tier by award level, but it is the right choice when the Portofino visit is the primary reason for being there.

Pearl Picks: If You're Planning Around This

• Restaurants in Portofino: See our full Portofino restaurants guide
• Hotels in Portofino: See our full Portofino hotels guide
• Bars in Portofino: See our full Portofino bars guide
• Wineries near Portofino: See our full Portofino wineries guide
• Experiences in Portofino: See our full Portofino experiences guide
• Italian Contemporary comparisons: L'Olivo in Anacapri, Agli Amici Rovinj in Rovinj, Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone, Reale in Castel di Sangro, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence

Ratings

4.2 / 5 (271 reviews). Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025.