14 Essential Dishes to Experience in Sardinia

Traveling to Sardinia? Prepare for more than a single visit can offer. This 9,300-square-mile island west of Italy is a rugged expanse filled with wild prickly pears, myrtle bushes, and inviting locals. The Sardinian culinary scene is distinct from typical Italian fare, featuring regional specialties that vary by terrain. Mountainous areas focus on meat and cheese, while coastal regions and smaller islands highlight seafood delicacies like mullet bottarga in Cabras and tuna ventresca in Carloforte.

Exceptional dining options abound, but don’t expect many English menus (which is a good thing). To help you navigate Sardinia’s culinary landscape, we’ve put together a guide to its essential dishes. As for sampling them all during your potentially brief stay, that’s up to you.

Pardulas

Ideal for breakfast but delightful at any time, these small pastries are filled with a blend of ricotta, saffron, and lemon, all encased in a delicate, crispy puff pastry. Once a traditional Easter treat, they are now enjoyed year-round at nearly every local bakery. Look out for a variation called casadinas, which uses young pecorino sardo instead of ricotta. Where to find it: Biscottificio Collu, San Sperate (also available at local grocery stores).

Fregula

Fregula is a distinct Sardinian pasta resembling couscous, traditionally made by hand using a sieve called a scivedda that forms small pellets from the dough. Often prepared like risotto, it is typically served with flavorful Sardinian clams and a generous sprinkle of bottarga. Complement it with a glass of nuragus or vermentino. Where to enjoy it: Sa Cardiga e Su Schironi

Snails

Sardinia boasts a rich history of preparing snails, particularly in the northern region near Sassari, where the local cuisine is deeply influenced by the countryside. Here, snails are commonly cooked in a spicy tomato sauce or sautéed with oil, garlic, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Where to try it: Le Due Lanterne, Sassari

Suppa Cuata (Gallurese soup)

Despite its name, this local dish resembles more of a lasagna than a soup. It features layers of stale bread soaked in lamb broth and topped with fresh cow’s milk cheese known as casizolu, and finished off with a sprinkle of grated pecorino. Where to enjoy it: Il Purgatorio, Tempio.

Roasted suckling pig (Porcetto arrosto)

Sardinian culinary tradition is deeply rooted in its pastoral heritage. Historically, shepherds would cook a young suckling pig in a pit lined with aromatic herbs like myrtle and rosemary. Today, it’s more common to prepare this dish by slow-roasting the pig on a spit for about seven hours, which tenderizes the meat and crisps the skin. After roasting, it is wrapped in myrtle leaves and served warm or at room temperature. Where to savor it: Su Gologone, Oliena.

Malloreddus alla campidanese

Hailing from the southern and central regions of Sardinia, this small pasta, made from durum wheat semolina, water, salt, and a touch of saffron, is sometimes likened to Sardinian gnocchi due to its shape (though it more closely resembles cavatelli). Malloreddus is typically served with a rich ragu of pork sausages, tomatoes, and a generous amount of grated pecorino sardo. Where to find it: Ristorante Italia, Cagliari.

Seadas (or sebadas)

For dessert, try this large, deep-fried semolina dumpling filled with tangy fresh pecorino cheese and lemon zest, traditionally accompanied by bitter miele amaro (also known as corbezzolo, or arbutus honey). Where to enjoy it: Pastificio Vito Arra, Lanusei

Lobster

Sardinia's connection to Catalan cuisine, especially in the Alghero region, is evident in its beloved lobster stew, a classic also found in Catalonia. Here, they keep things straightforward: female lobsters, with their signature red roe, are swiftly steamed and served with a sauce of tomatoes and onions, enhanced with a quick mix of olive oil, lemon, and black pepper. Where to enjoy it: La Lepanto, Alghero

Pane Carasau

This traditional, ultra-thin, and crispy bread hails from Sardinia's mountainous regions. Crafted from hard wheat bran, water, salt, and yeast, it undergoes a double-baking process at extremely high temperatures (840 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit). In the first baking, the bread puffs up like a balloon, is sliced into delicate disks, and then baked again. A variation, Pane Guttiau, is seasoned with local olive oil and salt. Where to try it: Panificio Soru in Ovodda, Azienda Galanu in Orgosolo, or Tundu Carasau in Oliena.

Pecora in cappotto

A hearty mutton stew, rich in broth, wild herbs, and potatoes, represents the heart of Sardinian cuisine. The name, meaning “sheep in a coat,” refers to a tradition where the oldest sheep in the herd would be left unshorn during the annual sheep-shearing festival. Today, mutton is celebrated in Sardinia, appearing in innovative dishes like tartare, ragu, and even sheep’s milk ricotta panna cotta. Where to savor it: S’Hostera Nugoresa, Nuoro.

Culurgiones

These hearty, plump ravioli are packed with a savory mix of potatoes, pecorino cheese, and fresh mint. Traditionally served in rosso, with a rich red sauce, or simply with butter and Parmigiano, each piece is crafted by hand with artistic precision. Originally from the Ogliastra region, variations abound, such as the Villagrande version using basil instead of mint. Where to try them: Ovile Bertarelli, Baunei.

Bottarga

A prized Mediterranean treat, bottarga is made from dried mullet roe. This versatile delicacy is commonly grated over pasta (spaghetti with bottarga is a local favorite), sprinkled on asparagus, or served on its own, sliced thick and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. Where to find it: Ristorante Sa Barracca, Quartu Sant’Elena, or Zia Belledda, Oristano.

Cordula (lamb offal)

Quinto quarto, or “the fifth quarter,” refers to the off-cuts and offal that were once highly prized in Sardinian cuisine. Today, many of these traditional dishes are fading away, but one worth preserving is Cordula—spit-roasted lamb intestines. The intestines are slow-cooked until tender inside and crispy outside, often enjoyed with hands. Other variations include intestines sautéed with peas or a dish called trattalia, featuring heart, lungs, and liver, spit-roasted and served with sliced bread. Where to try it: Il Rifugio, Nuoro.

Burrida

Burrida features gattuccio, a small type of catfish once deemed a low-cost catch. This rustic dish sees the fish marinated in a vinegar-based sauce, then simmered with finely chopped walnuts and the fish’s liver. Typically served as an appetizer, it’s a Cagliari specialty. Try it at Barceloneta or Lo Scoglio, Cagliari.

Viviana Devoto is a writer and journalist based in San Francisco. Hailing from Sardinia, she covers food and restaurant trends for both American and Italian publications.