Acqua Pazza: one of the best seafood restaurants in Ponza Island

Fresh seafood, a killer view and a Michelin star, that’s exactly what you get at Ponza’s renowned Acqua Pazza restaurant (a must for foodies)! We knew that one of Ponza’s most renowned restaurants was Acqua Pazza. So for our last night in Ponza, we were determined to a get a table there.

We called in the morning and there were no tables available before 10.30pm. Since it was our last night and we wanted to go to Le Terrazze one more time, it seemed like the perfect fit! As we were walking towards Acqua Pazza, I had already set my eye on a front row table with a sea view. You can imagine my excitement when the waiter took us to that table (great last dinner treat)!

From our table, you could see the whole island of Ponza illuminated, it truly felt magical. And the atmosphere was romantic yet relaxed, with candlelit tables setting the tone. The service is also first-class, they are very professional and make sure everything is perfect.

But wait until you take a look at the menu to get your taste buds tingling. At Acqua Pazza, you don’t just dine, you embark on a culinary journey. The food is extraordinary, with a contemporary take on classic Mediterranean cuisine. Just reading through the menu made me want to order everything (no joke)!

Once the waiter took our order, we were offered a delicious fried amuse bouche with a lemon scented sauce. Yummy! Along with the amuse bouche came a fantastic bread selection with this amazing crunchy sesame seed bread that was to die for!

But wait to start tasting their dishes to be completely swept off the ground. I ordered the polpo alla menta con verdure (octopus with mint and vegetables), it was so delicate, so tender and so packed with flavour.

My boyfriend had the explosive carpaccio di gamberi rossi, mango, semi di papavero, avocado e sale di maldon (red shrimp carpaccio with mango, poppy seeds, avocado and malden salt).

And just when I thought I couldn’t have anything more delicious than my starter, my tortelli di nasello con vongole e zucchine arrived (hake tortelli with clams and zucchini) and I was proven wrong. My boyfriend had the renowned tagliolini di gamberi rossi cotti e crudi (pasta with raw and cooked red shrimp) which – as you can imagine – was delightful.

Everything we had was amazing and to accompany our meal, we ordered a delightful local white wine (the wine selection is great at this restaurant).

To finish off, we took a look at the desserts menu, and when I read “ricotta, frutti rossi e crumble all’avena” (ricotta, red fruits and oat crumble) I knew it was love at first sight!

The whole experience at Acqua Pazza is unforgettable. From the food and the service to the view and the atmosphere, this is definitely a must in Ponza. And if you want to make sure you get a front row table with a sea view, make a reservation for 10 – 10.30pm, and you’ll definitely get one!