We live in the foothills of the Apennines, the kingdom of pork and rich meaty dishes from the mountains, so when we want to eat out in Le Marche where do we go from something different? Fano for pesce (fish), of course!

 

Fano is an ancient Roman seaside settlement, complete with the Arco D' Augusto (year 9 A.D.)welcoming you at the main entrance to this walled fisherman's village. We love it here. The Saturday morning market is charming & bustling with locals shopping & socializing, and the warm summer evenings make you want to linger long into the night, pouring another glass of Verdicchio and breathing in that salty sea air.

Picking a good seafood restaurant can be tricky, especially once tourist season along the Adriatic Coast opens up in June. There's a million crappy pizza places & sub-par frozen fish joins that pepper the coastline from Rimini to Pescara. So whether you are visiting for a week or just passing through, "where should we eat?" is always the question...

Here is a list of our favorite five places to eat fish/seafood in Fano at any budget! These are not just our recommendations, but backed by locals as well (and we only included place we have eaten at & can vouch for).

Regardless of where you eat, make sure to finish your meal with "la moretta," a locally famous fisherman's coffee, spiked with booze & a twist of lemon!

And for good measure - save room for a scoop or two of gelato at Gelateria Maki for hands down the BEST in Fano!

5 Favorite Places to Eat Fish in Fano:

1. Pesce Azzuro - The fisherman's cooperative. Family friendly and a great place to bring large groups - this slide-your-tray cafeteria style restaurant is packed with both hungry tourists and locals alike. You can't beat the price: 12 Euro/person for the four courses with bread, water, and wine! The price may be cheap, but the fish is fresh and the portions are generous.

Pesca Azzurro Fano - $
Viale Adriatico, 52 / 61032 Fano (pu)
t. 0721 803165
Closed on Monday
No reservations
Hours: 12:00-14:00, 19:30-22:00

2. Trattoria La Quinta - One of the oldest family run osterias in Fano. Just a few doors down from Pesce Azzuro, they started the restaurant in just the front small room and as they years have passed they continue to expand. Packed with locals, the only menu is in Italian (which no one looks at) and with plastic table cloths, there is a very laid-back vibe (yet a definite step up from Pesce Azzuro). You go to La Quinta for the fritto misto & grigliato misto or mixed fried fish & grilled fish - order both and share. The sea snails in tomato sauce with wild fennel is amazing. Eaten with a toothpick, they take work, but are finger-licking good - literally. Eat like a pig for 40 Euro for two and that includes a liter of house white; I suggest the Bianchello frizzante!  *Tip: Visit during the week, weekends are busy! And check the board when you walk in for the daily specials.

Trattoria La Quinta - $$
Viale Adriatico, 42  
Fano (PU) - Marche 61032 Italia
tel. 0721.808043
Closed on Sunday for Dinner and Festival Days
Hours: 11-16 / 19-22

3. Yankee Ristorante-Pizzeria - $$-$$$ - An American expat suggesting a restaurant called "Yankee" sounds totally cliched, I know. But trust me on this, head to the end of Sassonia beach - past the caravan parks and away from the crowds - for a huge bowl of cozze or mussels in white wine in the open air, and watch the setting sun at the water's edge. As an antipasto/appetizer, order the flat bread/pizza bianco with rosemary and olive oil - it's addictive. Of course pick a nice vino bianco - perhaps a bottle of Passerino, a gorgeous aromatic white wine from Southern Marche that will bring out the sweetness in the mollusks.

Yankee Ristorante - Pizzeria
Via Ruggero Ruggeri
61032 Fano (Pesaro Urbino) Italia
Tel. 0721 807748 | Mob. 366 1020014

4. Bistro Cile's - For a beautiful lunch in a super cute spot, look no further. The menu like the decor is more refined and at times slightly 'exotic' for the local fare. In a city where most locals would prohibit grated parmesan & red wine on a table with fish, here they celebrate the pairing with dishes like pesce carbonara - pasta with fish, pancetta, cream, and cheese. The simplest dish on the menu is one of our favorites - pasta tossed with white anchovies, butter, & sage on a bed of toasted breadcrumbs - insanely delicious. The dish may seem out of the norm (or Sicilian-inspired), but in fact it is the Chef's interpretation of a local crostini made with butter & anchovies. Ordering a few antipasti and two pasta dishes was perfect for lunch, along with a bottle of Verdicchio and caffè; the cost was about 60 Euro. If nothing else, come here for one of the best "Caffe Moretta" in all of Fano.

Cile's Ristorante & Bistrot - $$$
Via Dante Alichieri, 89 - 61032 Fano (Pesaro Urbino) Italia
tel.  0721 803390
(Closed Monday)
Hours: 12.30 - 14.00 | 19.30 - 22.00

5. Regina Isabella - This is hands-down my favorite place to eat fish in Fano. Sailing along the Adriatic in a wooden yacht, with the smell of grilled fish in the air and a glass of crisp white Verdicchio in hand is one of the best ways to enjoy Le Marche, and one of the most memorable meals you will have! The menu varies daily by lunch & dinner, it's about 35 Euro/person and worth every penny. Here's an example of a recent lunch: sole, coda di rospa (monk fish), scampi, sardoncini, sepia, sea snails, fried anchovies, pasta, and the list goes on! The captain grills fish off the side of the boat while you swim in the Adriatic!! If you go for dinner, enjoy the sunset at sea.

Caicco Regina Isabella - $$$
departs from the Port of Fano, Le Marche Italy
Reservations a must with Roberto: +39 333.6182325

fresh fish grilling on the Regina Isabella

Local Tips:

1. Make a reservation. Even if you just pop in earlier in the day to add your name to that night's list - it's much better to know you've got a spot come 7:30pm when you start getting hungry.

2. Arrive early for seafood, especially on the weekends. Lunch is normally served at 1pm or 2pm in the countryside,  but on along the coast, it's best to arrive early while the fish is still fresh & they still have it in stock; they do run out, as most of these places only buy what they need daily from the local fisherman.

3. Sunday dinner & all day Monday most fish restaurants are closed.

$ Price Scale for dinner/lunch for TWO with wine.
$ = about 25 Euro
$$ = about 40 Euro
$$$ = about 60 Euro