5 Restaurants in Assisi that will make you want to stay longer

Wondering about where to eat in Assisi? About the best restaurants in Assisi? And what restaurants in Assisi have a view to soak up with your pasta?

Assisi is a small town in Umbria, that I return to frequently. Everyone who comes to visit us gets an afternoon in Assisi.

Partly because it’s beautiful. 

Partly because the Basilica is one of the most beautiful and spiritual places I’ve ever set foot in. 

And partly for the restaurants in Assisi, which I’m happy to go back to over and over again.

Where we have dinner is up to the friends or family visiting, but these are the options I give them. 

Want to know more about what I like to do in Assisi? I have a post here about enjoying a day in the town.

5 Restaurants in Assisi I like to eat at:

1. La Stalla, a restaurant just outside of Assisi.

In the summer it has amazing views out over the valley towards Perugia. The rest of the year it’s full of character.

This restaurant, whose name translates as the Stable, is named after the building it’s in. A stable.

It oozes atmosphere. A massive open fire for cooking all the meat, potatoes, and onions. Long tables you share with others or a table tucked into a stall. And graffiti all over the walls.

In the summer all the tables are outside under cover so you can enjoy a light breeze and a bit of shade.

You won’t have a cover charge like other restaurants because it’s serve yourself. You pick your table, go to the till and order, place your order with the kitchen and pick up your food, cutlery and drinks.

But from October till June you’re seated inside the stables. With the nooks and crannies, waiters and service.

What’s even better? The food is great. For meat lovers or vegans, this place is perfect. The house red is good. And the wait staff treat you like old friends.

The downside (or maybe upside?) is that you need a car or a cab to get here. The restaurant isn’t close enough to Assisi to walk. 

And yes, there are English menus.

Favourite things to order at La Stalla?

A must for us is the potatoes and onions cooked in the coals and covered in olive oil and salt. Better than dessert. 

I love the bigoli for a primo. A vegetarian dish that’s something like gnocchi but made with greens and ricotta. 

For a secondo I like their chicken. I’ve heard the steaks are excellent. And if you’re sharing I suggest getting their selection of desserts. Fun and great for trying a few things.

Website: La Stalla

Closed on Wednesdays. No reservations are taken, unless a big group.

Price: We normally spend 20 euros each, including a bottle of wine.

2. Osteria Piazzetta dell’Erba, in the historic centre of Assisi

In a little piazza, or piazzetta, it’s tucked away right off a main roads in Assisi.

A little fancy and a little trendy, this is a lovely restaurant.

I highly recommend making reservations for dinner here, even mid week in November or January.  The portions are on the smaller side and the prices are slightly higher, but the quality and flavour make it worth it.

They don’t have many vegetarian options on the menu, but all you have to do is ask. The chef is happy to alter several dishes to be vegetarian.

Their selection of wines is good and they’re very knowledgeable and helpful for getting something you’ll like. 

And there are English menus so don’t worry. 

What should you order at Osteria piazzetta Dell’Erba?

It’s tricky since they change the menu regularly, but I like that since we go every few months. 

The pasta is excellent, especially the ravioli. I’ve enjoyed their salads as a side. And normally I order whatever fish dish they have, which is always great.

Just don’t get their desserts that are ‘fai da te’. I made the mistake of ordering the tiramisu, and it was disappointing. They hadn’t thought it through. Tiramisu is always better the next day, not right after it’s been made.

Website: Osteria Piazzetta dell’Erba

Closed on Mondays.Always make a reservation: +39 075 815352

Price: Around 30-35 euros each, but with a glass of wine not a bottle.

3. Trattoria Pallotta, just off the main piazza in Assisi

No view, but the arches in the ceiling make up for it.

Are you looking for somewhere on the main piazza? Charming, old, traditional? 

This is a great little place in the main piazza. Easy to find. Local, seasonal and traditional Umbrian food.

Best things to order at Trattoria Pallotta?

For vegetarians, and everyone else, there’s the house pasta with mushrooms.

We don’t make cannelloni ever, so that would be my pick if it isn’t summer.

They have a dish with the beans from Trasimeno which I love.

And if you want to embrace being in Umbria, go for the pigeon or rabbit. 

Website: Trattoria Pallotta

Closed on Tuesday.

Price: There’s a ‘tourist’ menu for 18euros. Includes a primo, secondo, fruit and wine.

4. Ristorante Bar San Francesco, in front of the Basilica.

This restaurant has the million dollar view in Assisi. It looks right out onto one of the most beautiful basilicas in Italy.

You’ve just spent the afternoon in the Basilica of San Francesco. You know that there’s a good walk back up to the town center. And really all you want to do is digest everything you’ve just seen while eating some carbs. 

Or maybe just a drink to get your strength back. A caffe, an herbal tea or indulge in an aperol spritz? Then the bar might be a better bet.

And with a view of the Basilica, why not? 

Just fine Umbrian cuisine at reasonable prices with a fantastic view. 

Go in, sit down, and recover from a long day. Don’t spend the next hour trying to find Osteria Piazzetta dell’erba and pissing off whoever you’re with. Go for lunch tomorrow. 

What should you order at Ristorante Bar San Francesco?

I would go for the local pasta Umbricelli, a lot like spaghetti.

Vegetarian friendly, they have a whole part of their menu for different cheese dishes or even a bean and vegetable soup.

I haven’t had any of their starters, but I do like the deserts.

Website: Ristorante Bar San Francesco

Not closed any day of the week. Note that I never go to Assisi on the weekends when they’re really busy.

Price: Honestly I’ve never paid for anything here. Whoever I’ve been with has picked up the tab so I’m not sure.

5. Osteria San Vittorino, below Assisi by Saint Frances’ woods

Again, this restaurant is not in town. But it’s in a wood named after a saint known for his love of wildlife. A beautiful and peaceful spot.

If you’re staying for a few nights, or using Assisi as your base for your holiday, consider exploring the bottom of the hill that Assisi is perched on.

The park below is an area that is set aside for walks and hikes, not even mountain bikes are allowed.

Beautifully kept and easily marked, the trail is mostly flat and follows a river. There are benches, picnic tables and an olive grove. 

Look up from the olive grove and you’ll see the Rocca (fortress), a line of cypress trees marking Assisi’s cemetery and in between the two you can just see a cross. The top of the Basilica di San Francesco.

After enjoying the oaks, weeping willows and olive trees of the Bosco del San Francesco, head 2 minutes away by car to the Osteria. 

They make their pasta, flat bread, bread and desserts in house. The prices are normal, the food is great. 

What to order at Osteria San Vittorino:

I strongly recommend trying the liver pate. I don’t normally see this on a menu, but it’s common in Umbrian homes.

I’m interested in trying their pork with prunes in a wine sauce.

Website: Osteria San Vittorino

Closed on Wednesdays.

Price: 25 euros each with a glass of wine.

Other Restaurants in Assisi to try

I’ve not tried all the restaurants in Assisi. And I know there are a few I should try. Like Trattoria degli Umbri in Piazza del Commune. I’ve heard this is supposed to be a simple, friendly and yummy spot for some classic Umbrian cooking that won’t break the bank. So it’s on my Umbrian eating bucket list.

What about Perugia? Are you visiting there? Here is my list of favourite restaurants in the ‘big city’.