A family-run Amalfi restaurant with exceptional terrace views, warm hospitality, and generally strong seafood and pasta, though slow service and occasional uneven dishes warrant patience.
La Preferita delivers strong food quality and attentive service anchored by its celebrated panoramic terrace overlooking Amalfi's harbor, a setting repeatedly praised as among the coast's finest. Occasional inconsistencies in execution and service speed during peak hours prevent a higher grade, though the family-run restaurant maintains reliable quality across most visits.
La Preferita is the kind of Amalfi address that initially looks modest, then reveals its trump card: an elevated terrace where the town and harbor glow below you. Reviewers repeatedly describe sunset views, a cozy setting and family members who make dinner feel personal rather than transactional; one synthesized impression is, “It felt more like being welcomed into someone’s home than seated in a restaurant.” The walk can be uphill and the entrance is easy to miss, but the setting is genuinely special. The cooking is rooted in recognizable Campanian seafood and pasta rather than experimental theatrics. Fresh fish, seafood pasta, lemon pasta, simple vegetable dishes and lemon desserts receive the most consistent praise. The current menu supports a broad Italian offering, with seafood mains mostly around €23-25 and pasta commonly €15-25. Risotto is the notable split decision: some diners love its traditional simplicity, while others found it bland or slow, so it is not the safest blind order. Families are welcome, and reviews specifically praise staff for making children comfortable. The menu offers approachable choices such as fries, grilled chicken, simple tomato or lemon pasta, gnocchi, gelato and tiramisu, alongside more adventurous seafood. It is a good family option if children can manage a leisurely meal, but the reported busy-period delays may test younger diners’ patience.
Area vibe: Picturesque seaside tourist area known for historic centre, beaches and coastal views
Safety: Generally safe with lively daytime tourism; quiet streets at night and limited lighting in some spots
What's nearby: In Amalfi town near the cathedral, ferry terminal, shops, and cliffside promenades
The safest path is lemon pasta or seafood pasta followed by a lemon dessert, while the risotto is the dish to approach cautiously
Plan for a leisurely, moderately priced dinner with a possible cover charge, long waits, and an uphill walk to the terrace
Its defining feature is a cozy elevated terrace where sunset views and warm family hospitality outweigh the occasional service delay