Antica Pensione Pinna

The spot is very nice and the service was great. The restaurant does lovely local food, especially fresh fish and seafood, though it isn’t cheap. I understand the Italian setup of starters, first courses, and mains, but €19 for pasta with courgette and prawns that had literally three prawns and three slices of courgette? Honestly.

We spent a couple of nights in Castelsardo, and Pinna was our pick for dinner both times. The view is amazing, the menu has plenty of fresh fish and great desserts, and the staff are incredibly nice. I’d highly recommend it!

We only stopped for drinks. The staff were friendly and the prices seemed okay, but what we saw with the animals was awful. Why parade a live lobster and a langusta/crayfish around for photos? The langusta wriggled loose in panic and fell to the floor. When the waitress picked it up, she casually ripped out its feelers. It was already clearly terrified. If they’re going to serve them, just kill and cook them, hopefully as two separate dishes, but there’s no reason for that needless cruelty. I’ll never go back, regardless of the food quality. Animals deserve respect, even if they’re livestock intended for consumption. Another bad point: the cashier took a tip for himself and said thanks. I was too flabbergasted to object. It was only 50 cents, so the money isn’t the issue, but the principle is. I’d never tip at a place like this.

We tried the mixed starters, the shepherd’s platter with cold cuts and cheese, local fish in tomato sauce, fried squid, mixed seafood, and homemade pasta with porcini mushrooms and prawns. The fish and seafood selection depends on the catch of the day; we got shrimps, swordfish, and orada. Everything was tasty, and the terrace view was awesome. The staff were really nice too. Our host recommended the place while we were on vacation in Castelsardo, and we were so satisfied that we came back the next night for dinner.