Paestum Restaurants

Paestum's best—certainly most scenic—lunch remains this 18th-century casa colonica, converted to a restaurant in 1929, and often taken over by entire busloads of tourists. It's wedged between the parking lot and archaeological site entrance, with a glassed-in patio a scant 500 feet from the temples.

Arrive early or book to get that prime view of the ruins, but if you find the crowds milling about the souvenir stands and into the site distracting, you can retreat to the grandly arched interior. The house dish is crespolini (baked pasta crepes wrapped around fresh mozzarella studded with prosciutto), or start with stracciatella (egg-drop soup with parmigiano) before sampling their cotoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet) or pollo al forno (oven-roasted chicken). ... » more

Also recommended as a cheap hotel, the Delle Rose—located about 100 yards from the Paestum museum—has a restaurant downstairs with outdoor tables serving tasty cheap pizzas (pizza and a drink cost €7), an outstanding caprese salad, and other Campanian dishes. ... » more