Calabrian food is one of the more distinctive cuisines of southern Italy — heavily spiced with peperoncino, big on cured pork, and dependent on the local 'nduja sausage and pecorino crotonese. Seafood dominates along the coast: swordfish, anchovies, sardines, and the local bianchetto whitebait fried in olive oil.
In the centro storico, Mediterraneo does Calabrian classics with a modern hand — try the swordfish involtini and the local Cirò red wine. Trattoria L'Oste della Pizzata, a few streets down from the castle, leans into traditional family dishes including hand-rolled fileja pasta with goat ragù. On the seafront, Lido Azzurro is the standard pick for fritto misto and grilled prawns straight off the boats, with tables right above the sand.
End the meal with liquirizia — Calabria is the world's largest producer of liquorice — or a small glass of the amaro silano, a herbal digestif made in the mountains east of town.