Lu Pisantinu, Gallurese Land-and-Sea Cooking with a Terrace over Porto Cervo

Lu Pisantinu is the restaurant of the Orecchioni family, who have run this spot at Liscia di Vacca since 1985. It is about two kilometres from Porto Cervo, and is now part of the La Tiara di Cervo hotel, though it welcomes anyone with a reservation. In old Gallurese, the menu explains, pisantinu was the wayfarer who stopped where he found warmth, food and company. It is the special dinner of the area: a terrace with granite columns looking over the sea and Porto Cervo, and cooking that reads the Gallurese tradition without overcomplicating it.

The menu

The published menu mixes sea and land. To start, Gallurese boards of land (€60) or sea (€70) for two at least, grilled casizolu with pistoccu bread and thistle honey (€28), or a sea tiepido with prawns, squid and mussels (€35). In the display there is raw seafood by weight: oysters at €5 each, red prawn or langoustine at €7.

The pasta is home-made and is what most defines the house. The Michelin Guide highlights the chijusoni, hand-made Gallurese gnocchi, here with guinea fowl ragù, Carignano reduction and black truffle (€32). There are also potato, mint and pecorino culurgiones with crustacean sauce and red prawn (€30), Sardinian fregola with seafood (€30) and a Gallurese raviolo with goat's cheese, figs and walnuts (€30). For a main course, rack of lamb (€32), beef tagliata with myrtle (€32), grilled octopus (€32) or the fish of the day from the display, at €13 per 100 g if it is from open sea. Desserts, at €12, include seadas with strawberry-tree honey and tiramisu with Sardinian aniseed biscuits.

Hours and booking

It is open Tuesday to Saturday, with aperitivo from 18:00 and dinner from 19:00 until midnight. It is closed Sunday and Monday. The website does not say in which months it opens: if you are travelling out of summer, call beforehand. The Michelin notes that reservations are handled by the restaurant itself: by phone, by WhatsApp or through the booking system on its website.

Getting there

It is on viale Giovanni Maria Orecchioni, in Liscia di Vacca, north of Porto Cervo. From Porto Cervo it is about five minutes by car; from Olbia, about 45. The Michelin notes that there is parking.