Where Can You Eat Traditional Seafood in Central Amalfi? Da Maria Serves Anchovies, Fresh Pasta and Pizza Near the Cathedral
Da Maria sits on Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi, a few steps from the cathedral and the main square. The location could easily support an anonymous tourist restaurant, yet this family-run trattoria has been cooking in the centre of Amalfi since 1968, when Luigi Pisacane opened a five-table dining room and named it after his wife, Maria.
We visited in 2026 and found a large, energetic restaurant serving the food that still makes sense on this coast: anchovies, mussels, local fish, handmade pasta, seasonal vegetables and pizza. The menu is extensive, but the best meal does not require studying every page. Choose a seafood starter, one of the traditional pasta dishes and either fried or grilled fish.
Da Maria is not elegant, quiet or particularly contemporary. It is a busy Amalfi trattoria with quick service, substantial portions and prices that remain grounded despite the central location.
An Old-School Trattoria in Central Amalfi
The restaurant began with recipes shaped by the meeting of the coast and the surrounding hills. Vegetables, legumes, homemade pasta, small oily fish and whatever arrived from the sea formed the original cooking of the Pisacane family. That structure is still visible today, even though the dining room and menu have grown considerably.
The interior is spacious, with white arches, tiled floors and traditional wooden furniture. It lacks the dramatic sea views offered by many Amalfi Coast restaurants, but it also avoids charging for a terrace before the food has reached the table.
The atmosphere is lively and openly tourist-friendly. Staff move quickly, explain the daily fish and keep the meal informal. This is a practical address after visiting the cathedral or returning from a boat trip, not a restaurant built around slow ceremonial service.
Anchovies Give the Menu Its Clearest Local Accent
Fresh anchovies are one of the ingredients that best explain the restaurant. They may arrive marinated, fried or worked into pasta, retaining the clean salinity and gentle bitterness that distinguish local oily fish from generic seafood platters.
The fried anchovies filled with provola and basil are particularly effective. The fish brings salt and richness, the provola melts into the centre and basil lifts the fried coating with a fresh aromatic note. Tomato and olives complete the plate without pushing it into unnecessary complexity.
This is a far more relevant beginning than a large mixed antipasto containing several unrelated preparations. It is specific to the coast, easy to share and substantial enough to prepare the palate without exhausting it.
Linguine with Fresh Anchovies Deserve Attention
The kitchen’s strongest first courses are the simplest. Linguine with fresh anchovies combine pasta, olive oil, herbs and fish without smothering everything in tomato or cream.
Anchovies soften into the sauce, seasoning the pasta naturally while preserving a more delicate flavour than preserved fillets. The result is savoury, aromatic and unmistakably coastal.
The restaurant also prepares pasta with limpets when available. Limpets have a firmer texture and a more mineral flavour than clams, producing a dish that feels genuinely connected to Amalfi rather than written for an international seafood menu. The kitchen’s seasonal repertoire also includes tubetti with baby octopus.
Seafood pasta portions are generous. One plate is sufficient as the centre of lunch, especially after a fried starter.
Scialatielli with Seafood: Richer and More Familiar
For a broader expression of the sea, choose the scialatielli ai frutti di mare. This thick Campanian pasta works well with mussels, clams, prawns and their cooking juices because its substantial texture does not disappear beneath the shellfish.
The sauce is rich, glossy and designed for appetite rather than finesse. Garlic, tomato and parsley bind the seafood without turning the dish into soup, while the scialatielli retain enough bite to support the weight of the sauce.
It is the more familiar choice, but familiarity is not a weakness when the shellfish are fresh and the pasta arrives properly coated. Visitors looking for a classic Amalfi Coast seafood lunch will find exactly what they expect here.
Fried Seafood Keeps Things Straightforward
The mixed fried seafood is another reliable order. Calamari, prawns and small fish arrive with a crisp coating that stays light enough to leave the seafood recognisable.
The kitchen does not transform the dish into a decorative tower or bury it beneath sauces. Lemon is all it needs. The portion is large enough to share after pasta, particularly when the table has already ordered anchovies or mussels.
Whole fish, sea bass and the catch of the day are also available. Ask for the weight and total price before ordering, especially when the fish is intended for two people. A simple grilled fish can be excellent, but it changes the bill much more quickly than pasta or fried seafood.
Pizza Is More Than a Backup Plan
Da Maria also operates as a pizzeria, making it useful for families and groups with different appetites. The pizzas follow the Neapolitan tradition, with a soft centre, raised rim and straightforward toppings.
Pizza is not the principal reason to choose the restaurant, but it is not an afterthought either. A Marinara or Margherita offers a lighter and cheaper meal than a complete seafood dinner, particularly at lunch.
The breadth of the menu works in Da Maria’s favour here. One person can order seafood pasta, another pizza and a child a simple tomato-based dish without forcing the table into a rigid format.
Wine Pairings
With the fried anchovies filled with provola, choose Marisa Cuomo Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco Fiorduva: ripe stone fruit, salinity and volcanic tension stand up to both the fish and melted cheese.
The linguine with fresh anchovies work beautifully with Tenuta San Francesco Costa d’Amalfi Tramonti Bianco Per Eva, whose citrus, herbs and mineral finish keep the pasta bright.
For scialatielli with seafood, pour Reale Getis Costa d’Amalfi Bianco, a more structured local white with enough body for shellfish, tomato and thick pasta.
The mixed fried seafood needs the sharper energy of Casa Setaro Caprettone Spumante Metodo Classico, whose volcanic acidity and fine bubbles clear the palate without covering the sweetness of calamari and prawns.
Service, Atmosphere and Prices
Service is fast, friendly and confident with international diners. The restaurant is popular and the dining room runs at a lively pace, especially around lunch and early dinner. Booking is sensible when Amalfi is at its busiest.
Da Maria offers stronger value than many restaurants within a few minutes of the cathedral. A seafood starter, pasta and dessert cost approximately €35–€45 per person, excluding wine. A simpler meal based on pizza or one pasta dish remains closer to €20–€30. Whole fish, lobster and premium bottles raise the bill considerably.
The portions make overordering easy. A shared starter followed by pasta or fish is enough for most diners; adding both pasta and a full main course turns a straightforward lunch into a heavy one.
Useful Information
- Address: Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi 14, Amalfi
- Area: Historic centre, a few steps from Amalfi Cathedral
- Cuisine: Traditional Amalfi Coast seafood, Campanian pasta and Neapolitan pizza
- Established: 1968
- Signature dishes: Fried anchovies with provola, linguine with fresh anchovies, scialatielli with seafood and mixed fried fish
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, continuous service from around 12:00 pm to 10:00–10:30 pm
- Closed: Monday
- Telephone: +39 089 871880
- Price: €35–€45 per person for a seafood starter, pasta and dessert, excluding wine
- Vegetarian options: Available
- Vegan options: Available
- Gluten-free options: Available
- Outdoor seating: Limited tables available
- Children: Highchairs and simple dishes available
- Reservations: Recommended during the high season
- Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible entrance and dining area
Our Rating of Da Maria Amalfi
Food: 8.6/10
Traditional coastal cooking with generous portions and a clear preference for recognisable flavours.
Starters: 8.7/10
Fresh anchovies and straightforward seafood preparations give the meal a strong local beginning.
Pasta: 9/10
Linguine, scialatielli and seasonal seafood sauces are the centre of the restaurant.
Fish: 8.6/10
Fried and grilled seafood are direct and satisfying, although the daily catch should always be priced before ordering.
Pizza: 8.3/10
A useful and well-made alternative, especially for families and lighter lunches.
Desserts: 8.1/10
Classic and generous, but less distinctive than the savoury courses.
Service: 8.7/10
Quick, welcoming and experienced in handling a busy international dining room.
Atmosphere: 8.5/10
Energetic and traditional, with more character than refinement.
Value for Money: 9/10
Substantial portions and sensible prices in one of Amalfi’s most expensive and heavily visited areas.
Overall Rating: 8.7/10
