Food & Drink
Far beyond pizza – the cuisine of Cilento
Local Products
Der Cilento gilt als Wiege der Mittelmeerdiät – nicht als Marketing-Konzept, sondern als gelebte Realität. Hier isst man seit Jahrtausenden so, wie die Ernährungswissenschaft heute empfiehlt: viel Gemüse, Hülsenfrüchte, Fisch, Olivenöl und wenig Fleisch.
Die Küche des Cilento ist keine Küche der Raffinesse, sondern eine Küche der Ehrlichkeit. Jedes Gericht erzählt eine Geschichte – von den Fischern, die mit der Menaica-Methode fischen, von den Bäuerinnen, die Fusilli al ferretto von Hand drehen, von den Büffeln, die auf den Feldern von Paestum grasen.
The ingredients that define the Cilento
Alici di Menaica
The anchovies of Pisciotta, caught using the ancient Menaica method – a net that only catches the largest fish. No industrial fishing, no bycatch. The result is a delicacy unlike any other anchovy in the world.
Mozzarella di Bufala DOP
The buffalo herds of the Paestum plain produce the world-famous Mozzarella di Bufala DOP. Bought directly from the dairy, still warm – an experience that makes every supermarket cheese unpalatable forever.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP
The olive groves of the Cilento – many of them centuries old – produce olive oil of exceptional quality. The Pisciottana variety is unique to the region.
Fusilli al Ferretto
The hand-rolled fusilli of the Cilento are shaped with a thin iron rod – a technique passed down from generation to generation. Served with a simple tomato sauce, they are unbeatable.
Ficchi di Cilento DOP
The dried figs of the Cilento – filled with almonds, walnuts or chocolate – are an ancient sweet pastry now protected as a PDO product.
Carciofo di Paestum
The artichokes of Paestum – large, tender, thornless – are a spring product of exceptional quality. Eaten raw with olive oil and salt, they are a revelation.
Recommended Restaurants
Santa Maria di Castellabate · €€€
Ristorante K in Santa Maria di Castellabate is the flagship of Cilento cuisine. Chef Katello Casale works exclusively with ingredients that have a story – fish directly from the harbour, vegetables from local farmers, olive oil from the village. The result is a cuisine that goes far beyond pizza and pasta.
Taverna del Pescatore
Acciaroli · €€
A real tavern right at the harbour of Acciaroli, where fishermen dock in the morning and eat themselves in the evening. No menu, no reservation – you sit down and get what the sea offered today. Tuna raw, grilled or in sugo, squid, mussels – everything fresh, everything honest.
Agriturismo Marzalonga
Vallo della Lucania (Hinterland) · €€
High up in the Cilento hinterland, surrounded by olive groves and forests, Agriturismo Marzalonga serves grandmother's cuisine. Everything comes from their own farm: pork, chicken, vegetables, olive oil, wine. Pasta is made by hand daily. No electricity, no WiFi – just silence, good food and mountain views.
Il Ceppo
Agropoli · €€
Il Ceppo in Agropoli is one of the most reliable restaurants in Cilento. The cuisine is classic southern Italian, the ingredients are local and seasonal, the service warm without fuss. Particularly recommended are the antipasti di mare and the homemade desserts.
Fusilli al ferretto con ragù di cinghiale
Handgedrehte Fusilli mit Wildschweinragù – das Herzstück der cilentanischen Küche. Die Pasta wird mit einem dünnen Eisenstab (ferretto) von Hand um die Achse gerollt. Das Ragù köchelt stundenlang mit lokalem Rotwein, Tomaten und wilden Kräutern.
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