Le Sirenuse: dinner at La Sponda, Positano

La Sponda in Positano is the restaurant of Le Sirenuse, open for dinner every night under hundreds of hanging candles, facing the village’s houses and its church dome. Executive chef Gennaro Russo runs the kitchen, and he has cooked with fresh, local, seasonal produce since he began cooking at home in Somma Vesuviana.

Updated 24 October 20264 min readHow we write the guide

La Sponda’s empty tables beneath the arches, with Positano’s lights beyond the terrace.

The choice, in short

Why choose Le Sirenuse

Dinner outdoors: as soon as the weather allows, it moves from the dining room to the panoramic terrace, with Franco and Andrea on guitar and mandolin.

Raw seafood

When to look elsewhere

Children under 6 are not admitted, and neither are pets.

Desserts

Gennaro Russo’s cooking

For Gennaro Russo the hard part is keeping it simple: he starts from the land’s produce and its culture, and pares them back to the essentials.¹

Tradizione brings braised baby octopus with escarole, olives and capers, elicoidali alla genovese with beef ragù, black truffle and salted sheep’s ricotta, then roast veal with carrots, hazelnuts and leek. Viaggio moves from Sicilian red prawns with anchovy colatura and buffalo stracciata to Da Vinci pasta with prawns, langoustines, squid, mussels and clams, then herb-crusted sea bass and lamb rump with pumpkin, broccoli and chestnuts.³

The à la carte menu has a white truffle section, where chestnut ravioli come with creamy potatoes and 3 g of truffle. The autumn risotto with langoustine and porcini takes 20 minutes, the grilled ribeye is for 2, and the caviar is Calvisius Oscietra Royal or Beluga Royal.³

The evening itself

A glass first
The aperitivo and after-dinner list comes from the don’t worry bar; Dom Pérignon Brut 2018 is among the grand wines poured by the glass.⁶
15 minutes’ grace
Your table is held for 15 minutes; if you are late, ring +39 089 875066.²

Le Sirenuse

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Gran Crudo

What comes to the table

4 oysters and 2 langoustines
4 Sicilian red prawns and 4 Sicilian red shrimps
2 fish tartares, 1 carpaccio and a squid julienne, with the classic condiments

Where it is

Address	Via Colombo 30, Positano.⁵

Rooms at the hotel

A Courtyard Room: the bed with its blue headboard, blue glass lamps, bird prints and the window onto the courtyard.

Rooms and staying here

4 desserts, 4 glasses

Fish served raw is treated beforehand, as the law requires, and may have been frozen; if that matters to you, ask the team.³

Dessert	What it is	The suggested glass
70% dark chocolate soufflé	Soft, with vanilla ice cream.	Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella 2019.
Chestnut mousse	Nocino liqueur and gianduia ice cream.	Quinta do Noval Tawny Port 20 Years.
Ricotta and pear	Soft pear, hazelnut biscuit and bergamot ice cream.	Disznókő Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2013.
Tarte Tatin, for 2	Caramelised apple tart served warm, with vanilla ice cream.	Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone Moelleux.

Before booking

Does La Sponda have a Michelin star?

No: it is in the MICHELIN Guide selection without a star, in the €€€€ price band, for Mediterranean cooking inspired by Campanian tradition with a contemporary twist.⁵

Can I walk in without a booking?

Generally not: a table only frees up after a late cancellation or a no-show.²

How do I book for 8 or more?

Online bookings go up to 7; for a larger group, email dining@sirenuse.it.²

How do I flag an allergy?

In a note on your booking, with any other dietary restriction; the maître d’ takes it from there when you arrive.²

Can I bring my own wine?

No, outside wine is not allowed; the sommeliers suggest pairings for each seasonal menu.²

Where do I park?

Le Sirenuse has no parking of its own; the hotel points guests to Parcheggio di Gennaro nearby.²

The venue page

La Sponda

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