The last stop on our culinary tour of Italy was hotel Il San Pietro’s Zass in Positano. This was the perfect last meal because it satisfied us on so many levels and we can confidently say that this restaurant has well earned its Michelin star. We arrived at the hotel about an hour and a half before our 8:00 reservation, and I am so happy we decided to arrive early. The hotel has one of the most stunning terraces off of a cliff in Positano where you can enjoy delicious cocktails while taking in the scenery surrounding you, with views of both Positano and neighboring Praiano. We enjoyed Moscow mules and champagne while the sky turned shades or bright orange and pink and yellow and the sun set. In the background, two men played instruments that just added to the beautiful ambiance. The terrace is beautifully appointed, I especially loved the colorful ceramic benches that we sat in as we sipped our drinks.
For dinner, we sat at a beautiful table and sipped glasses of Furore wine while the waiter brought out a selection of breads and something so simple yet amazing that I was blown away — a bowl of bite-sized pieces of pizza from the restaurant’s brick oven. Restaurants of the world, I pose you a question — why on earth hasn’t anyone else thought of doing this? These pizza chips were absolutely delicious. Next, our waiter brought us each a slice of pizza to eat. I loved how many of our starters were served on colorful ceramics that are handmade in the region.
We started with a ricotta and spinach pie for two people. I’ve literally dreamt of this starter since, that’s how great it was. The spinach and ricotta were in a delectable pastry, and came with fresh burrata mozzarella on the side, salami and artichokes. It was delightfully rustic, but elevated to restaurant quality.
Next, we split a burrata cheese risotto because the cheese from the starter was so creamy and fresh. The risotto had capers and smoked bonito fish.
For our mains, I had the snapper filet which was cooked in a black olive crust. The crust was a show stopper, adding a level of saltiness to the dish. The boyfriend had roasted lamb with lemon confit, caramelized hazelnuts and artichokes. The fish was extremely fresh and delightfully prepared with such a unique and tasty crust. The lamb was perfectly cooked and the tartness of the lemon played off of the flavors in the lamb.
We ended the meal with a decadent chocolate dessert paired with sorbet and fresh raspberries. The raspberries added some tartness to the dish which perfectly balanced out the richness of the chocolate.
If you’re headed to the region, make sure to book a dinner reservation at Zass. The food is delectable, and I appreciated how they struck the right tone of being authentic to Positano’s rustic nature while elevating the dishes to top-notch restaurant quality. Zass is formal dining, so make sure to dress up and be warned that the restaurant closed at 10 pm. Prepare to arrive around 6 or 6:30 to enjoy cocktails on the patio before dinner.