After Amalfi Coast, Ischia felt like a totally different animal. The herds are gone, Americans replaced by Dutch, and pizza replaced by rabbit, and more pizza. It’s the vacation after vacation you didn’t know you needed when you booked the Amalfi Coast. In fact it didn’t take long for it to feel like a Caribbean island, starting with our Dominican shuttle driver.
Food was a bit more hit and miss than I normally like, which feels like a trend lately. Not the best timing before our first trip to Lima. But we managed, and always end up finding some juicy nuggets. Other than our one meal in Procida, all our eating was in Forio since that’s where we stayed. Didnt feel the need to venture too far from the excellent Tenuta del Poggio Antico.
Montecorvo
While many do the pilgrimage to this old timer, it just happened to be a five minute walk from our our hotel. Walking more than 5 minutes on these roads reduces the chances of making it alive 1% for every minute. Montecorvo opened in 1983. The original owner passed away a few years ago, and son Nicola runs the place now. Easy to reserve the same day via Whatsup, including how many rabbits you will need. One was plenty for the four of us.
Just about every traditional place in Ischia serves the famous Coniglio all’ischitana (Ischia-style rabbit). And many offer it with Bucatini cooked with the braising sauce. The Bucatini here is indeed superb, but the Tagliatelle with wild boar is even better. The rabbit itself is stellar. Juicy, tender and flavor packed. Like Cacciatore on crack.
With that said, its recommended to start your meal at Montecorvo with the house antipasti that took me back to Puglia for the amount and quality. Wash it all down with a local Tommasone, Tenuta Monte Zunta, an exceptional red blend of mostly Piedirosso. Our favorite dinner in Forio.
La Tinaia
From the outside La Tinaia doesnt look like much, and inside it looks more like a tourist trap than a place that would make this list. But locals swear by it. Our trusted driver Antonio almost ran over someone from excitement when I told him about our lunch plans. Owned by the same family since 1988, with the original owner’s wife and four daughters running it today.
You cant go wrong with any of the pizzas. Light, thin, with just the right chew and char. But as good as the pizzas were, you absolutely need to save room for pasta and even dessert. A special of Spaghetti with olives, capers and seafood, sublime. A seemingly simple Lemon Pasta, of the baby angels singing variety. One of the best dishes of the trip. And one of those pistachio cheesecakes you still talk about days later. Exceptional value for Americans. Pound for pound, one of the best meals of the trip.
Pietratorcia
Forget everything you know about winery dining. In Ischia they skew more rustic, and unpretentious. This is a small family producer, dishing out solid, homey, comfort food paired with their delicious whites. Hard to find Ischian wine in the US, so make it count.
Terrific eggplant parm, bean soup with mussels and clams. A fine Fusilli with zucchini cream and guanciale. More delicious rabbit of course, but in this case you dont need to order a day or hours in advance.
Not in Ischia Bonus: Ristorante da Maria alla Corricella (Procida)
This is on the sister island picture perfect Procida. Recommended by our trusted skipper that took us on a tour around Procida. Another place that looks like a tourist trap, but there were hardly any tourists here. In fact there was a table full of fishermen right next to us. I already wrote about this place here
Eating With Ziggy 