RISTORANTE DA MARIA
RISTORANTE DA MARIA
With its beach-side location, Ristorante Da Maria is the perfect place to escape for a while from the Ischian summer sun. The restaurant itself is a family business and as such, very welcoming and laid-back.
Ristorante Da Maria pride themselves on traditional Ischian (Ischitano in Italian) cuisine which they have been cooking since they were children. Fresh fish and the local "Coniglio all'Ischitana" (rabbit) are specialities but you'll also find pasta and a good selection of vegetables.
Apart from the dishes mentioned above, a special treat at Da Maria is the fried, sugared doughnuts which are fabulous. Most importantly, Maria, the lady that runs the restaurant and hotel is a kind and amiable host who will do everything she can to make sure you're happy with your meal and your surroundings.
I should also say that the restaurant isn't the easiest place to find, particularly if you're on foot (see directions below). However, you have the option of a short but romantic water taxi from Ischia Ponte which will save you a 30-40 minute walk if it's a bit of a hot day.
Also, bear in mind that on this side of the island the sun disappears from view a little earlier than it does on the rest of the island so lunchtime is probably the best time to visit or obviously later on in the evening for your main meal.
Ristorante Da Maria pride themselves on traditional Ischian (Ischitano in Italian) cuisine which they have been cooking since they were children. Fresh fish and the local "Coniglio all'Ischitana" (rabbit) are specialities but you'll also find pasta and a good selection of vegetables.
Apart from the dishes mentioned above, a special treat at Da Maria is the fried, sugared doughnuts which are fabulous. Most importantly, Maria, the lady that runs the restaurant and hotel is a kind and amiable host who will do everything she can to make sure you're happy with your meal and your surroundings.
I should also say that the restaurant isn't the easiest place to find, particularly if you're on foot (see directions below). However, you have the option of a short but romantic water taxi from Ischia Ponte which will save you a 30-40 minute walk if it's a bit of a hot day.
Also, bear in mind that on this side of the island the sun disappears from view a little earlier than it does on the rest of the island so lunchtime is probably the best time to visit or obviously later on in the evening for your main meal.
PRICE RANGE:
€€€€€
€€€€€ = Very cheap
€€€€€ = Below average prices
€€€€€ = Average prices
€€€€€ = Above average prices
€€€€€ = High end prices
€€€€€ = Below average prices
€€€€€ = Average prices
€€€€€ = Above average prices
€€€€€ = High end prices
Contact Details:
Address: Via Vecchia Cartaromana 79, 80077 Ischia, Italy
Tel: (0039) 081 993 275
E-mail: info@albergodamaria.it
Tel: (0039) 081 993 275
E-mail: info@albergodamaria.it
Directions:
Ristorante Da Maria sits on Cartaromana beach but many visitors (including myself!) find it a little bit difficult to find it and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, there are in fact two Cartaromana beaches, an old (vecchia) and a new one (nuova). Nuova Cartaromana is really just a series of drop-off points for boats visiting Ristorante Il Giardino Eden and the hotels around Michelangelo's Tower such as the Strand Hotel Delfini. You certainly wouldn't describe these places as beaches as there are just small areas where you can enter the water around the rocks.
The beach where you'll find Ristorante Da Maria is in fact Vecchia Cartaromana (old Cartaromana) and is in an area further away from Ischia Ponte than the Nuova Cartaromana as described above. To make life just that little bit more complicated, the local brown road signs start near Castello Aragonese and direct visitors towards "Spiaggia Cartaromana" (Cartaromana Beach). However, by following these signs you will find yourself at the viewing area ("belvedere" in Italian) near Hotel Strand Delfini. This is a lovely picturesque place but it is not Cartaromana beach. You will also see signs in a hotel pointing you towards "Spiaggia Cartaromana" but you cannot walk there from this point. The signs actually direct you to a small boat which will take you to Vecchia Cartaromana but you will have to pay (I will find out costs for this and report back) for this.
You can though, walk to Vecchia Cartaromana without the need to pay for a boat to take you. So, (and I hesitate to say this), follow the signs from Ischia Ponte near Castello Aragonese but just for the first part. If you imagine you are walking away from the castle and it is behind you, walk through the main town until you see one of the brown signs saying "Spiaggia Cartaromana", which will be directing you to your left and up a steep hill.
Depending on your level of fitness, the walk up the hill could take between 5-10 minutes before you come to a T-Junction with another brown sign directing you to go left. Do not go left here, if you do go left here you will walk towards Michelangelo's tower and the viewing area near Hotel Strand Delfini. Instead, carry on up the hill for around half the distance of the hill you just climbed, something like a few hundred metres I would estimate. You will eventually come to a small "Conad" grocery store on the left hand side of the road. Do not go as far as the store, instead take a left along the road that precedes it and continue until you reach a large cemetery.
At the cemetery turn left and you will start to gradually descend down a hill. Continue along this road when it bends round to the right. You will eventually start to see the beach in the distance with the Hotel Da Maria sitting above it and to the right. This is the direction you now need to follow. You shortly come across a path that you can see will lead you down to the beach. This path is fairly steep and certainly requires at least an average level of fitness, especially on the way back up.
The beach where you'll find Ristorante Da Maria is in fact Vecchia Cartaromana (old Cartaromana) and is in an area further away from Ischia Ponte than the Nuova Cartaromana as described above. To make life just that little bit more complicated, the local brown road signs start near Castello Aragonese and direct visitors towards "Spiaggia Cartaromana" (Cartaromana Beach). However, by following these signs you will find yourself at the viewing area ("belvedere" in Italian) near Hotel Strand Delfini. This is a lovely picturesque place but it is not Cartaromana beach. You will also see signs in a hotel pointing you towards "Spiaggia Cartaromana" but you cannot walk there from this point. The signs actually direct you to a small boat which will take you to Vecchia Cartaromana but you will have to pay (I will find out costs for this and report back) for this.
You can though, walk to Vecchia Cartaromana without the need to pay for a boat to take you. So, (and I hesitate to say this), follow the signs from Ischia Ponte near Castello Aragonese but just for the first part. If you imagine you are walking away from the castle and it is behind you, walk through the main town until you see one of the brown signs saying "Spiaggia Cartaromana", which will be directing you to your left and up a steep hill.
Depending on your level of fitness, the walk up the hill could take between 5-10 minutes before you come to a T-Junction with another brown sign directing you to go left. Do not go left here, if you do go left here you will walk towards Michelangelo's tower and the viewing area near Hotel Strand Delfini. Instead, carry on up the hill for around half the distance of the hill you just climbed, something like a few hundred metres I would estimate. You will eventually come to a small "Conad" grocery store on the left hand side of the road. Do not go as far as the store, instead take a left along the road that precedes it and continue until you reach a large cemetery.
At the cemetery turn left and you will start to gradually descend down a hill. Continue along this road when it bends round to the right. You will eventually start to see the beach in the distance with the Hotel Da Maria sitting above it and to the right. This is the direction you now need to follow. You shortly come across a path that you can see will lead you down to the beach. This path is fairly steep and certainly requires at least an average level of fitness, especially on the way back up.
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