What to eat in Alghero

Alghero’s culinary scene is one of the most varied in Sardinia because in addition to the typical Sardinian dishes it also includes Catalan cuisine, handed down from its four centuries of Spanish domination.

A tour through the characteristic alleys of the historic center will lead you to discover some of the best restaurants in Alghero where you can enjoy good food and excellent wine. There are so many small restaurants that offer typical Sardinian/Alghero cuisine with fresh fish specialties, but also meat dishes such as the classic roast suckling pig.

Typical Alghero cuisine is mainly based on fish and seafood specialties: monkfish, sea bream, mullet, moray eels, snapper, amberjack and grouper but also octopus, squid and the renowned lobster. All the catch of the Gulf of Alghero turns into delicious recipes that trace the history of the Catalan city.

In the many restaurants of the old town you can taste these products in the most traditional recipes handed down directly by the fishermen of the Alguer Vella. Even today from the port of Alghero you will see the small boats of fishermen leave – the typical Latin sail boats – in search of the good catch in the direction off the Alghero bay.

In recent years the cuisine of Alghero has brought a new creativity with high-level chefs who propose recipes revisited in a modern way. However, both the old traditional recipes and the modern ones garantee freshness flavor and local products.

Let’s see in detail what to eat in Alghero: typical dishes of the Alghero cuisine

THE FISH

Fish main courses

Fried moray
Dogfish in garlic red sauce
Monkfish Catalan style
Salt sea bream
Algherese fish soup (copatxa de peix)
Octopus in garlic red sauce
Catalan lobster
Soup with mussels and clams
Fried sea actinias

Pasta dishes

Spaghetti with lobster
Tagliolini with bottarga and artichokes
Spaghetti with sea urchins
Algherese paella with Sardinian fregola
Spaghetti with clams and bottarga
Octopus tagliolini

MEAT-BASED DISHES

Sardinian gnocchi with sausage
Ravioli with lamb ragù
Roast Sardinian suckling pig
Boiled sheep
Fillet of beef with green pepper

TIPICAL DESSERTS

Menjar blanc
Catalan cream
Seadas with sugar or honey
Amaretti, pirichitti, papassini (biscuits of the Sardinian tradition)

CHEESES

Although Alghero it does not have an agro-pastoral tradition – thanks to the proximity of the nearby mountain villages – it is possible to find excellent quality cheeses and cured meats produced by local shepherds. To try: fresh sheep ricotta, lightly smoked mustia ricotta, Dolce Sardo cheese (excellent also melted), spicy cream cheese and the classic Sardinian pecorino. Among the typical cured meat: dried sausage, coppa, pancetta, loin.

OLIVE OIL

Some of the best oil mills in Alghero have obtained important awards for the precious quality of extra-virgin olive oil. The olive groves of Alghero are made up of plants mostly of Bosana quality, a typical variety of Sardinia. Among the most important oil mills: Tenute San Giuliano e Antica Accademia Olearia.

THE WINE

You can’t really enjoy a meal if you haven’t had at least a good glass of wine. In the Alghero area, we have several local wineries that produce bottles of excellent quality between red and white wines.

The most important wineries in Alghero are the Cantina di Santa Maria la Palma and the Cantina di Sella & Mosca. Among the white wines produced in Alghero: vermentino and sparkling vermentino DOC. A special wine is definitely the Akenta Sub Vermentino di Sardegna DOC extra-dry aged under water, practically a cellar in the sea off Capo Caccia cliff! Among the reds, the Cagnulari (autochthonous vine), San Giovese and obviously the Cannonau also autochthonous are produced.

BEST RESTAURANTS AND AGRITURISMI IN ALGHERO

It is almost impossible not to find good food in Sardinia, any place usually offers fresh and genuine products. But if you are really looking for the best restaurants try some of our suggestions which will give you the best offer of what to eat in Alghero. Sure, they won’t let you down!