Cetara Seafood — Al Convento & the Colatura di Alici

Why It Belongs on the List

One of the strongest seafood destinations on the Amalfi Coast — the restaurants of Cetara, the working tuna-fishing village on the eastern end of the coast where Al Convento (Piazza San Francesco 16, the former convent refectory that is a well-cited Cetara restaurant) serves the colatura di alici (the amber fermented anchovy sauce that is Cetara's 11th-century contribution to Italian gastronomy) with pasta, grilled fresh tuna from the village's own boats, alici fritte (fried anchovies, the purest expression of the ingredient), and the freshness that comes from cooking what was swimming this morning. Access, reservations, boat service, menus, and opening periods can change substantially by season; verify directly before setting out.

What Stands Out

• Colatura di alici (11th-century Cetara anchovy sauce): the direct descendant of Roman garum — the defining condiment of the Amalfi Coast today
• Al Convento in the 13th-century cloister: the celebrated Cetara restaurant — colatura production visible, spaghetti alla colatura as the definitive dish
• The freshest fish on the coast: Cetara's working fleet delivers directly to its restaurants — the direct boat-to-kitchen relationship no tourism-dependent restaurant can replicate
• Alici fritte: fried fresh anchovies as the purest expression of the ingredient — available at every Cetara restaurant for €8–12 as an antipasto
• The economic argument: the finest seafood experience on the coast at half the Positano price by virtue of Cetara's authenticity over fame