Dal Forno a Legna
From the Wood-Fired Oven
Vesuvio erupts
Named for the volcano that gates the Amalfi Coast — and on weekends, Vesuvio erupts. Youths line up beside red velvet ropes, waiting for space at the rooftop Star Bar.
Italian cuisine seen through the lens of the Pèpe family, who emigrated from Napoli, stopped in Hoboken, and settled in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The menu tells that story through food — fantastic wood-burning Neapolitan pizza, homemade ravioli, and a rotating carte that highlights in-season produce from California farms.
Downstairs you'll find something rare in Carmel: folks who live here. Locals keep coming back for inventive cocktails like the Momma's Boy and the award-winning McSuvio burger. It's hard to pinpoint one thing, because it's everything.
Blistered, leopard-spotted crust from the wood-burning oven — from a classic Margherita to seasonal figs, pancetta and arugula. Best Pizza, 2025 Golden Pine Cones.
If you haven't tried the Truffled Gnocchi, you must. Fried Artichoke Crochette are an insider favorite — as is the grilled heirloom artichoke from Scattini Farms in Castroville.
End the night with a $5 shot of house Pèpecello, a Limoncello Mousse Cake, or a Play That Funky Cello cocktail — up on the rooftop where Vesuvio erupts.
Grab a spot at the Star Bar, order a Momma's Boy, and stay for the pizza. Happy hour, a rotating carte, and the liveliest room in Carmel-by-the-Sea are waiting.