Li Galli

Should You Book Li Galli? The Verdict

If you've dined at Li Galli before, the question now is whether the room under chef Savio Perna still earns its Michelin star on its own terms — without the Nino Di Costanzo name anchoring it. The short answer is yes. Perna's cooking is technically precise, rooted in the Amalfi Coast's produce, served in one of the most spatially arresting rooms in Positano. Book it, but book early: a Michelin star in a seven-table restaurant on the Amalfi Coast means availability disappears fast, especially from June through September.

The Room: Seven Tables, a Glass Ceiling, the View

Li Galli seats a maximum of around 28 guests across seven tables, which sets the tone for everything else. The dining room at Villa Franca sits in the upper part of Positano, which means the sea views are wider and less obstructed than those at beach-level restaurants. Black marble tables, a glass ceiling, floor-to-ceiling windows that open fully in summer mean the space shifts between enclosed and open-air depending on the season. In summer, with the windows retracted and the night air coming off the Tyrrhenian, the room feels genuinely different from a first visit — lighter, more exposed to the coast. In winter or shoulder season, the same glass architecture makes it feel like a lantern above the town. Either version is worth experiencing, but they are not the same meal spatially. If you're returning, consider visiting in a different season to see how the room changes.

The intimacy of seven tables also means that seating proximity matters more than at a larger restaurant. Request a window table when booking. At this scale, the kitchen is present in the dining room through trolley service, olive oils, breads, desserts are presented table-side rather than plated in isolation. This is one of the details that separates Li Galli from more anonymous fine dining rooms: the service has a physical rhythm to it that keeps the meal moving without feeling rushed.

Chef Savio Perna and the Current Cooking Direction

Perna, originally from Torre del Greco on the Bay of Naples, draws his menu primarily from the local region. The produce sourcing extends beyond the immediate coast where it makes sense: pigeon, for example, comes from a specialist breeder in Tuscany, reflecting the kind of targeted sourcing that characterises serious contemporary Italian kitchens. The cooking style is described as focused on presentation and a light touch, which in practice means this is not a heavy, butter-forward kitchen. If you're returning and previously found the cooking restrained, that restraint is intentional and consistent. The food is precise, not timid.

For returning guests, the trolley experience is worth paying attention to. The bread selection and olive oil service are presented as a serious course rather than a pre-meal formality. The dessert trolley operates on the same logic. These are not afterthoughts. They are among the most memorable aspects of the service format, easy to underestimate on a first visit when the view and room are competing for attention.

The Wine List

Around 1,000 labels span the cellar, with France and Italy at the centre. Champagne is a particular strength, with Krug well-represented. A meaningful selection is available by the glass, which matters at this price tier, you're not locked into a bottle at €€€€ spend per head. If wine matters to you, Li Galli's list is serious enough to treat as part of the evening's value calculation rather than a cost to manage. For comparison, Zass also runs a strong cellar at the same price tier, but Li Galli's champagne focus is a specific differentiator if that's your direction.

Booking Li Galli: How Far Out and What to Expect

With seven tables and a Michelin star, Li Galli is a hard booking. In peak season (June to August), expect to need a reservation at least four to six weeks out, possibly longer for prime Saturday slots. The restaurant opens for dinner only, every day from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. There is no lunch service, which makes it a dinner-only proposition. Walk-ins are not a realistic option. The booking difficulty is comparable to La Sponda at the Sirenuse, which is the other obvious Positano fine dining benchmark at the same price tier. Both fill well in advance during summer. If you're planning a Positano trip around a Li Galli dinner, build the reservation before confirming anything else.

How Li Galli Compares in Positano

Li Galli sits at the top of Positano's fine dining range alongside La Sponda and Zass. For a different style of Italian fine dining beyond the Amalfi Coast, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, and Le Calandre in Rubano represent different regional approaches to serious contemporary Italian cooking. If you're building a broader Italian itinerary, Dal Pescatore in Runate and Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico offer strong contrasts to the coastal Campanian tradition. For contemporary fine dining outside Italy at a comparable level, Jungsik in Seoul and César in New York City are useful reference points. If you're not ready to commit to the €€€€ spend, Al Palazzo (€€€) is the next tier down in Positano, Da Vincenzo (€€) delivers solid Campanian cooking at a fraction of the price. For a complete picture of eating and drinking in the area, see our full Positano restaurants guide, bars guide, and hotels guide.

More in Positano

• Chez Black, casual Italian and pizza on the beach, no booking required
• Da Vincenzo, Campanian cooking at €€, the leading value-to-quality ratio in town
• Next2, contemporary option for a different take on the Positano fine dining tier
• Our full Positano experiences guide
• Our full Positano wineries guide