La Tonnarella | Rustic Beach Dining in Conca dei Marini
Tucked away in a pretty cove on the beach in Conca dei Marini, La Tonnarella is one of the most popular restaurants on the Amalfi Coast. Adorned with large wooden wine barrels overflowing with fresh aromatic herbs, bunches of bright red tomatoes drying out on a string, and old fishing nets hanging from the ceiling—a rustic, warm and inviting atmosphere, that provides a family friendly environment and mouth-watering dining experience.
Ristorante La Tonnarella was formerly a structure where the local fishermen stored their tuna fishing nets, called tonnara in Italian. And the isolated, pebbly beach was used to park their colorful wooden fishing boats after they hauled in their nets and collected their catch. Then back in the early 1960’s, Umberto Lauritano, a native of a small town up in the hills called Trovera, converted it and opened the restaurant, which served simple local cuisine, featuring the daily fresh catch brought in by his friends; the local fishermen. And fresh, seasonal vegetables. The restaurant soon became a popular place for the locals to gather on the beach, enjoy a good meal, and a little sun and fun. But, to Umberto’s great surprise and pleasure, it also swiftly attracted the jet-setting tourists of the time, who were interested in the more laid-back, authentic experiences along the Amalfi Coast.