Mimmo e Lucio — Restaurant in Salerno

In short- Go!

We wandered across this local institution and instantly fell in love with the vibe and simplicity of this place. Mimmo is an absolute legend and quite a character, who undoubtedly impresses thousands of people every year with his love of food, wine and people.

While we speak very limited Italian and our host spoke the same limited amount of English, we still managed to have a fantastic conversation with Mimmo about his life and history of the ristorante.

I’m a sucker for a simple, authentic dish and when I asked for his recommendation, Mimmo suggested the speciality, pasta e fagioli.

Creamy, barely smokey beans, mixed with pasta and very few other ingredients. Simple and rustic and absolutely devine. I’m still dreaming of the flavours.

The moment I put the first forkful in my mouth, I was transported back to my childhood, and the cassoulet my grandfather lovingly made for us. Although the flavours were different from grandpas dish I’d adored, the same quality of simplicity and love transported me back, and it was a truly beautiful food experience that will remain with me.

There were so many delicious things on the menu. I asked our waiter if they could serve a small/tasting size order of the gnocchi I saw the guests beside us enjoying - homemade, fluffy and delicate. I hate wasting food and there was no way we could eat another plate! The waiter first said they couldn’t, but halfway through our meal, Mimmo brought a plate for me. He didn’t even put it on our bill even when we insisted. These acts of kindness make me so grateful for the people I encounter during my travels.

After our leisurely lunch, he showed us around, eager to have me capture the photos of the surrounding beauty of Amalfi as shown in the paintings that decorate the walls of this homey place.

I have to add that prices were so low we felt we had to pay more than he charged us. Every item was much less than the surrounding restaurants charged. This isn’t just a “business” for Mimmo- you can tell it’s his life’s passion.

This is the only spot that we returned to (for dinner) during this trip to Italy. Mimmo was quick to bring a bottle of the wine (from his home town of Ravello) that we had enjoyed days before! We were impressed he remembered us as his is a very busy place and he must see at least a hundred guests daily. This place has been open since 1968 and is a must go while in Salerno.

I could speak for much longer on this experience. Suffice to say, I highly recommend you visit this location if you appreciate simple food and wonderful hosts.

Thank you Mimmo! Meeting you was a highlight of our...

Extremely Disappointing Experience – Misleading, Overpriced, and Dishonest

We came across this restaurant while walking by and noticed it had a 4.4 rating on Google. Not outstanding, but we thought it would be decent. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had.

We ordered the baked sea bass and seafood spaghetti. The portions were small: a small piece of fish, a small side of what looked and tasted like reheated zucchini, and a modest serving of spaghetti. The fish seemed like it had been frozen and thawed multiple times, the zucchini was bland and soggy—like it had been sitting in a fridge for days—and the spaghetti tasted like leftovers.

To make matters worse, when the bill came, we were charged extra for the zucchini, which we never ordered. It was served with the fish, so we naturally assumed it was part of the dish—especially since nothing else came with it.

Adding to the unpleasantness, we were also surrounded by fruit flies throughout the meal.

The experience was so poor, we knew it would be useless to argue. We just paid and left, feeling completely scammed. I strongly recommend avoiding this place.

For what it’s worth, TripAdvisor rates it a 3.8—we wish we had checked TripAdvisor...

We had two lovely meals here, on the recommendation of our B&B host. The restaurant looks humble and unassuming from the outside, but the food and service are really great. The staff were friendly and helpful, and they were very sweet and funny with our 8-year-old son. They even taught him how to eat spaghetti with a spoon and fork in the true Neapolitan style. Most of the customers were local Italians who eat there regularly, which is always a good sign. And they were all very nice to us too, asking us about our stay in Salerno and even offering us some of their food to try! We ate in other fancier and more expensive restaurants during our stay, but we agreed that none of them matched the experience we had here. I hope...