Food and Drink in Ancona: Cafes, Pizza, Restaurants & Bars We Tried

We spent nearly a week at a hotel in Ancona, so we enjoyed a variety of restaurants, pizzerias, cafes, and fast-food places for food and drinks. Ancona had a good selection of places for meals out, including restaurants in the centre and those with sea views near the beach at Passetto.

Bars and cafes were all over Ancona, and many were convenient for a coffee, a beer, or a break from the summer heat. For some meals we used the Deliveroo app, including pizzas and a kebab night.

Tried and Tested Restaurants & Street Food in Ancona

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We dined out a few times while sightseeing in Ancona and found the restaurant scene to have good variety

Ristorante L’Ascensore

For a treat meal for my wife’s birthday, we visited Ristorante L’Ascensore, which is at the top of the lift from Passetto beach. It’s a nice place with views of the coast, the beach and the Passetto stairway. We got a great seat and didn’t need to book; for later meals, especially at sunset, reservations are recommended.

First up: drinks while we read their seafood menu and decided what to eat that evening. I had Italian Ichusa beer, and my wife stuck with soft drinks. The service was attentive, and the servers knew their food.

For food, we had three courses; first up was a cold octopus salad with olives, which tasted good. For the main course, we ate their special frito misto with small fish, squid, and prawns. This was crispy and flavourful. For dessert, we tried something new: pistachio semifreddo, which hit the spot.

Da Morena

On our first night in Ancona, we opted for some Italian street food at a place called Da Morena. It’s in the centre, next to Fontana del Calamo and near Pizza Roma. It’s a kiosk-type place where you order your food and drinks, then they call your name when it’s prepared. It was popular, and many people were here having fun.

For drinks, I had a large Icnusa beer while sitting, debating what to order for food. They had a chalkboard menu that seemed to change frequently. The seating had good views of the vibrant area.

For food, I ordered a selection of dishes that looked good at the counter. This included an octopus and potato salad, a prawn and avocado salad and some delicious deep-fried olives.

L’arte della Pizza

In a side street in the centre was L’arte della Pizza Ancona, a nice pizzeria for a quick lunch or snack. It has a counter where you choose your pizza and drinks, then eat inside or outside. They had a big selection of pizzas to choose from. I had one with sausage meat and a vegan slice with courgettes, which hit the spot. I washed it all down with a Peroni, a popular Italian beer.

Mood 22 in Green

Another bar/street-food place we tried was Mood 22 in Green on Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi. They have an outdoor seating area to enjoy drinks and food. On this visit, I had a small beer and a hot arancini ball, which tasted good and was filled with tomato sauce. They also served pizzas, focaccia, panini, and piadine.

Pizzeria Da Gianlu

Another lunch place I visited was Pizzeria Da Gianlu, a small place in the main shopping area. It was a grab-and-go place with many ready-to-eat pizza options. I had their mushroom pizza and a Coke Zero. It tasted good, and I found the owner friendly.

Bars and Cafes in Ancona

In true RJ style, we tried many bars across the city for coffee, beer, and soft drinks. These are the places we had drinks only or a cheeky pastry with drinks.

The Mole

The place we visited most for drinks was The Mole (the literary café of Ancona), a nice café-bar in Mole Vanvitelliana. We mostly visited during morning dog walks and sat outside. They also had a nice indoor seating area. Their beer was draught, and the coffee was very good, and they even gave Henry water and dog treats. They also have breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

REDS Bar Miramare

Before hitting Passetto Beach, we stopped at Reds Bar Miramare, near the Passetto staircase. It has a nice terrace with views of the promenade and is one of the closest bars to the beach. They had table service and a big selection of drinks and snacks. We had coffee and a beer on their outside terrace. We visited during the daytime, but in the evenings they have music, including their “Sunday sessions”.

Rosa Cremeria

A centrally located cafe we visited multiple times was Rosa Cremeria, a cafe, ice cream, and cake shop. We visited with Henry and found them dog-friendly. Here we enjoyed coffee, beer, breakfast cornetto, and cakes. It was a good place for sweet food and a morning drink.

Bar Bac

Near the ferry port was Bar Bac, a place I visited after my sunrise walks, as it seemed to open earlier than most places. It’s primarily a coffee place with a few seats for the port. As you walk in, they immediately offer you espresso. I had coffee and beer here. They also have snacks and sell local produce for tourists passing through.

Caffè Degli Archi

On the road from the centre towards the railway station is Caffè Degli Archi, a small place in a portico. They served coffee, wine, and beer, with tables inside and in the shade of the portico. I found it quite friendly, and the prices were good.

Papero Bar

Lunderette runs are always an opportunity to visit bars in unusual parts of town off the usual tourist trail, and Ancona was no different. The nearest place serving beers was Papero Bar. They had outside seating; however, there was no shade from the beaming sun, so I drank inside. This is quite an informal place; you grab a bottle from the fridge, take it to the counter to pay, and get a glass. I had a big Moretti and a beer on my visit.

Food Delivery Ancona including Pizza

Ancona has a great selection of places to order food to your hotel on the Deliveroo app. We found this worked seamlessly, as it did back in the UK, and ordered takeaway twice to enjoy a chilled evening in.

Poldo’s Pizza

On a lazy day after lots of exploring, we ordered food from Poldo’s Pizza on the Deliveroo app. I had their spicy sausage version, and my wife ordered the quartor stagioni. These were nice and had lots of toppings. They also have a sit-down restaurant in the suburbs.

Sultan Pascia

I fancied something different after indulging in eating lots of Italian food and scouted out the kebab shops near the launderette while doing the laundry. I spotted Sultan Pascia as a nice-looking, popular restaurant, so I earmarked it for delivery later. We had their chicken and lamb kebabs with all the trimmings. The restaurant called us to confirm the sauces, as they are rather strong. The food arrived on time and was hot and delicious.

Breakfast at NH Hotel

Breakfast was included in our stay at the NH Hotel in Ancona, and it was good. They offered a good selection of food, including continental and cooked breakfast. They also had a range of fruits and sweet savouries. For drinks, they had proper coffee and fruit juices. My highlights were the Italian cheeses and bread selection.