Restaurant in Portofino, Italy
Portofino's wine-serious dining, independently verified.
Splendido holds a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation, which separates it from Portofino's other high-end options and makes it the strongest wine-forward dining choice in the village. Booking is accessible compared to Italy's most competitive fine-dining destinations, and the harbour setting makes it the clearest call for a special occasion on the Ligurian coast.
Splendido holds a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation — a credential that places it in serious company across Italy's wine-forward dining scene. If you are visiting Portofino and want a formal dining experience with the service depth and wine program to match the setting, this is the address to book. The combination of Portofino's harbour backdrop and that level of wine accreditation makes it the strongest case for a special-occasion meal in the village. Booking is direct compared to Riviera peers, which makes the decision easier still.
Portofino is one of the most visually arresting villages on the Italian coast, and Splendido's position within it is what the setting was made for. The room delivers the kind of view that justifies the trip before food arrives — terracotta, fishing boats, the pastel-coloured harbour buildings that have made Portofino a reference point for Italian coastal aesthetics for the better part of a century. If you are booking for a celebration, an anniversary, or a milestone meal, that visual context does real work.
The editorial angle here is service, and the World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation tells you something specific: the wine program is not an afterthought. At this tier of recognition , one that venues like Osteria Francescana in Modena, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, and Uliassi in Senigallia occupy , the cellar depth and sommelier service are expected to carry the meal as much as the kitchen. That is a meaningful promise at a destination that could otherwise coast on the postcard location alone. For diners who want food-and-wine parity rather than wine as an afterthought, Splendido has earned the credential to back that up.
Service at this level of accreditation and setting comes with expectations. The formal nature of the room is suited to occasions where that register feels right , a significant anniversary, a business meal where you want the environment to do some of the talking, or a dinner that marks something. It is less suited to a casual drop-in or a meal where you want to be anonymous. Portofino's scale means you will be aware of other guests, and the room has the kind of energy that rewards being present for it rather than treating it as background.
For practical planning: Splendido is accessible relative to more over-subscribed Italian fine-dining destinations. You are not competing with the six-month wait lists that venues like Osteria Francescana or Dal Pescatore in Runate require. That said, Portofino's capacity as a village is genuinely limited , there are only so many covers in the destination , and peak summer months (July and August) will tighten availability. Book two to three weeks ahead for shoulder season; aim for four to six weeks in high summer. The village itself is accessible by boat from Santa Margherita Ligure or by the coastal path, and arriving by water is the smarter choice if the weather allows.
Splendido sits within a broader Italian fine-dining context that includes heavier hitters in terms of Michelin recognition , Piazza Duomo in Alba, Reale in Castel di Sangro, or Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico , but none of those offer a Portofino harbour at the table. The 3-Star Wine accreditation is what separates Splendido from being purely a location play. It is a restaurant that earns its price point through the wine program and service depth, not just the postcode.
If you are building a broader Portofino itinerary, Pearl's guides to Portofino restaurants, Portofino hotels, Portofino bars, Portofino wineries, and Portofino experiences are the practical starting points.
Within Portofino's small dining scene, Splendido is the clearest choice for a formal occasion with wine at the centre. Cracco Portofino is the other high-end option in the village , it brings the weight of Carlo Cracco's name and a seafood-forward menu that suits the harbour setting. If what you want is precise, technique-driven seafood and a celebrity-chef kitchen, Cracco Portofino competes directly. But Splendido's World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation gives it a wine-program edge that Cracco does not match at the same documented level. For diners where the bottle matters as much as the plate, Splendido is the call.
Da O Batti is the correct answer if you want genuine Ligurian cooking without the fine-dining price tier. It is a different register entirely , informal, local, and the kind of place that earns its reputation through consistency over decades rather than setting or accreditation. If you are choosing between a blowout occasion dinner and something more grounded, Da O Batti and Splendido serve different purposes. They are not really in competition.
DaV Mare sits at the €€€€ tier alongside Cracco and Splendido, with a contemporary Italian menu that appeals to diners who want modern technique over classical formality. It is a reasonable alternative if the traditional fine-dining format at Splendido feels too structured for the occasion. For a group that wants contemporary plates and a slightly less formal room, DaV Mare is worth comparing directly. For a milestone occasion where service depth and wine carry real weight, Splendido retains the edge.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splendido | {"wbwl_source": {"slug": "splendido", "page_type": "star_accreditation", "category_slug": "star-accreditation", "award_result": "Accredited", "is_global_winner": "False"}, "scraped_details": {"hero_image": "", "page_title": "3-Star Accreditation", "page_url": ""}, "source_row_snapshot": {"raw_name": "Splendido"}} | Easy | — | ||
| Cracco Portofino | Seafood | €€€€ | Unknown | — | |
| Da O Batti | Ligurian | Unknown | — | ||
| DaV Mare | Italian Contemporary | €€€€ | Unknown | — |
How Splendido stacks up against the competition.
Portofino's dining culture skews dressed-up — the village attracts a well-heeled crowd and restaurants at this level reflect that. A collared shirt and trousers for men, or an equivalent smart outfit, is the safe call. Trainers and beachwear are a poor fit for a venue with a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation.
Cracco Portofino is the high-profile celebrity-chef option if you want a name attached to your meal. Da O Batti is the local favourite for a more grounded, less formal experience at lower spend. DaV Mare leans into seafood and the waterfront setting if the view matters as much as the plate.
Portofino's fine dining rooms tend to be table-service formats where solo diners are accommodated but not the primary design. At a venue with Splendido's wine credentials, a solo visit can work well if your goal is focused attention on the wine list rather than a social evening. Call ahead to confirm seating options.
Portofino operates on a short summer season with peak demand in July and August — book at least 3 to 4 weeks out for those months. Shoulder season (May, June, September) gives you more flexibility, but a venue at this level of wine recognition fills consistently. Don't assume walk-ins are viable in high season.
Yes, with caveats. The combination of Portofino's setting and Splendido's World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation makes a strong case for a milestone dinner, particularly if wine is central to the occasion. If you want guaranteed bang-for-buck on food alone, compare against Cracco Portofino before committing.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
