I don’t like a dish to be forced by ambition. I always aim to find that balance that allows you to appreciate the three or four elements of which my dishes are composed.
On the steps that lead down to the port of Forio on the island of Ischia is our long-standing restaurant, Il Saturnino, that has been known to Ischians all their lives.
In a comfortable environment with a small number of tables and a bright, picturesque veranda looking out over the natural harbour, we offer cuisine inspired by dishes that stretch back through the area’s maritime history, creatively rethought and accompanied by a wine menu with over 220 international and local labels.
Since 1997 our restaurant has been managed by Ciro Mattera and Stefania Coletta, a close-knit local couple, who enjoy keeping food simple, offering new recipes and refined forms of presentation, and bringing to life a creative cuisine that combines tradition with innovation.
Offering Mediterranean cuisine with genuine passion and style means that anyone who chooses our restaurant will spend a few, very special hours following a very precise taste itinerary, one which is always borne of a selection of excellent raw ingredients.
In the face of a cultural process in which appreciation is growing for rare and traditional local products, Ischia offers an infinite repertoire within an enviable locality.
Ciro Mattera, our chef, is convinced that the island’s “wild” vegetation, along with the sea surrounding it, makes it possible to have intense flavours, something which is reflected in his dishes.
For that reason the secret to our cuisine is in choosing the best traditional vegetable and sea produce to be offered in a simple manner without working the ingredients excessively, since nature has already done half the work.
We offer our customers a welcome appetizer and a basket of four types of homemade bread (glazed bread, wholegrain bread, bread with fennel, and a breadstick), served warm.
As for wine, we initially had the idea of offering only Ischian wines on the menu, but nowadays we prefer to offer a wider selection of wines with around 220 international labels on rotation, privileging those wines which we ourselves enjoy, because we have tasted them and they have inspired dishes with which they could be paired.
In 1997, when we became the new management of this restaurant, we immediately began to offer high quality restauration, and, over time, we have grown with the firm belief that we should offer a diverse catering service, in which simple, well-researched cuisine is coupled with great service and an excellent wine bar.
Nowadays we are featured in all the industry guides and we also tour the world, participating in events that spread our culinary philosophy (London, Copenhagen, New York, etc.). Our restaurant is nevertheless quite affordable when compared with the star restaurants with which we share a clientele.
We like the idea that our establishment is not seen as a classic restaurant. Those who appreciate good food and good wine, along gastronomes of delicacies and specialities, are very welcome. Those who come to Il Saturnino want to stay with us, feel good, and have a satisfying experience.
Our team is ready to welcome you for a unique taste experience.
Our mission is to offer restauration services that say no to farmed fish, choosing only the best, without ever disregarding the importance of quality and freshness in the produce and ingredients we use and choosing only vegetables and spices from local producers.