Oneglia harbour is one of Imperia’s most recognisable places: walking along the quayside, watching the boats and stopping for dinner allows you to experience one of the city’s most authentic sides. But where should you eat on Oneglia harbour when you are not simply looking for a table with a view, but for a culinary offering capable of creating a lasting memory?
The choice may start with the location, but it should focus above all on cuisine, ingredients, seasonality and the wine list. On the harbour, the sea is inevitably the star of the setting, but that does not mean it has to be the only star on the plate.
Where to have dinner in Oneglia: start at the harbour, but do not stop at the view
For those visiting Imperia, Oneglia harbour is a natural place to end the day. It is pleasant to arrive before dinner, stroll between Calata Cuneo and the surrounding streets, and then choose a restaurant on the harbour.
The view and atmosphere have their part to play, but when choosing well it is worth looking at the menu too. An interesting cuisine should be able to convey a sense of place without being reduced to the most predictable offerings.
Casa della Rocca, at its Imperia location, takes precisely this approach: the sea features in the culinary offering, but it engages with meat, vegetables, seasonal produce and ingredients from different regions.
A harbour cuisine that goes beyond the classic fish restaurant
Those looking for a restaurant on Oneglia harbour might expect a menu built exclusively around the catch of the day. The
Casa della Rocca menu instead takes a broader direction.
Among the starters, for example, salt-cured bonito with pine nuts and nasturtium immediately evokes the sea. Alongside it is charcoal-grilled carrot with carrot fondant, double-cream kefir and carrot pickles, an example of how a vegetable ingredient can also become central to the creation of a dish.
The menu therefore allows you to move from sea to land without losing coherence, giving diners the opportunity to create a very different dinner depending on their tastes.
Dishes that showcase research, ingredients and seasonality
Another element to consider when deciding where to have dinner in Oneglia is the kitchen’s ability to change with the seasons.
Casa della Rocca’s menu features preparations such as raw Lucanian Dolomites beef with seasonal first fruits, spring onions and black garlic, or white and green asparagus with Comté from the Jura, marinated egg yolk and chervil.
Among the pasta dishes, toasted barley chitarrine with courtyard ragù, Malga butter and salt-cured juniper sits alongside Felicetti “Dal 2018 ad oggi” monograin spaghettone, served with anchovy cream, lemon pulp and breadstick crumble.
These dishes show that the cuisine is not built solely around the restaurant’s location, but through broader work with produce, techniques and pairings.
Sea and land in the same journey
Among the main courses, “Our Bouillabaisse” clearly evokes the marine world, while the bone-cooked quail with Madeira jus, spring onion and coconut cream, and the grilled bavette steak with vignarola, chimichurri and brown jus, take the dinner in different directions.
This alternation is what makes a dinner on the harbour interesting even for a couple or group with different tastes: there is no need to choose between a fish restaurant and a meat restaurant, because the journey can include both sides.
Wine completes dinner on Oneglia harbour
When looking for a restaurant in Imperia for a special evening, the wine list can also make a difference.
Casa della Rocca also offers the “Quattro Mani” tasting menu, which can be paired with a wine pairing designed to accompany the various courses.
Those wishing to explore this aspect further can discover the selection and philosophy dedicated to wine on the
Casa della Rocca Enoteca page.
Where to eat on Oneglia harbour for a dinner with character
The harbour can be the starting point, but a dinner capable of standing out is created through the combination of atmosphere, cuisine, service, produce and wine.
For those looking for somewhere to eat in Oneglia and seeking a contemporary offering that brings sea and land together, Casa della Rocca offers an experience built around culinary research and seasonality.
You can learn more about the location on the page dedicated to the
Casa della Rocca restaurant in Imperia or consult the
restaurant menu.
Book your table at Casa della Rocca Imperia.
