The owner (I assume), manager, pizza chef, chef, and, in short, Deus Ex Machina Raffaele deserves 5 stars for his helpfulness and the kindness he exudes from every pore. In my opinion, it's impossible to argue with someone like him. I have many Calabrian friends and acquaintances, but he's one of a kind. A visit to his culinary "laboratory" is worth a visit just for the pleasure of meeting him.
My family and I were returning from a trip to Tropea and Pizzo, two pearls of Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast that have nothing to envy of the Sorrento peninsula (I'd almost say "quite the opposite"). We were hungry, however, and we could have eaten and digested stones. That said, we wanted pizza, and while we waited, he offered us some fried calamari, made with clean oil and quite tasty. Then the pizzas arrived. I'm not judging these because I'm Neapolitan and these pizzas are not, so there's no point in trying to be a sophist. If you're in Amantea and order a pizza, you can eat it and keep quiet.
Afterwards, he offered us some ravioli filled with "seafood" and topped with a nice prawn. If they had been hot and the sauce thinner, I wouldn't hesitate to call them as stratospheric as dear Raffaele said. After a very honest bill, he offered us coffee.
In conclusion, the atmosphere isn't appealing, but there's outdoor seating, in the pizzeria, and in the restaurant. The cooking is influenced by the fact that Raffaele does everything himself, with the help, I believe, of his children—many young, well-mannered people. I've described the place as a "workshop" because it has the potential to grow, and I wish it the best of luck. Perhaps if Antonino Cannavacciuolo were to come by, he'd know how to guide him. One thing's for sure: I'll be back. And if you go and find the food isn't good, or even too good, I urge you to be more tolerant; Raffaele deserves it.
Last but not least: the name of the place would normally scare me away, but he likes it, so be it.
Umberto Morino
.
19 Agosto 2025
10,0