Since 1960
A galleon anchored on solid ground—that’s how "Il Pirata" appears, a majestic restaurant perched over the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, like a ship ready to set sail toward new horizons.
In the 1960s, Casimiro Milano had yet to become the captain of this galleon. At that time, he was a simple citrus trader. Every day, he traveled along the Coast with his load of lemons, taking them all the way to the general market in Rome. It was a grueling, low-paying job, but in those years, there was no other choice. Life along the Coast was defined by the rhythms of fishing, agriculture, and trade, while tourism was limited to the more famous destinations like Positano and Amalfi.
Praiano, a small village hidden among the rocks, remained out of the world’s spotlight, except for l' Africana, an exclusive nightclub set in a cliffside cave next to a Spanish watchtower. This magical place became an icon of the Neapolitan *Dolce Vita*, frequented by celebrities and renowned figures.
It was in this context that Casimiro's audacity began to take shape. He had an idea: to buy a piece of mountain near l'Africana, directly across from La Praia beach, and turn it into a bar. He had no experience in the field, nor did his wife, Pasqualina, a young Neapolitan woman he had met during his visits to an uncle who worked in finance. But sometimes fate calls in unexpected ways.
"I would come from Naples to help my aunt," recalls Pasqualina fondly. "Casimiro would hide behind a fig tree and watch me from afar. I liked him. He was a good man, and in October 1960, we got married." Pasqualina was a seamstress and knew nothing about bars or restaurants, but the idea of building something together, starting from that somewhat wild dream, excited her.
Finding the four million lire needed to buy the land was the easiest part. The real investment wasn’t in money, but in sweat, determination, and courage. “To make the bar, we first needed gunpowder to blast through the mountain, and then months of pickaxing,” Casimiro recalls. Even in the toughest moments, when storms lashed threateningly against the coast, Casimiro never doubted his choice. With each passing day, his conviction grew stronger: this project had to go forward.
The transition from bar to restaurant wasn’t planned; it happened almost by chance, as if it were written in the stars. It all began with their children, who didn’t want to eat sandwiches every day. So Pasqualina asked Casimiro to buy a small kitchen, and she started cooking for her family. Word spread quickly among the local fishermen, who began asking to taste those dishes. Despite Pasqualina’s attempts to direct them to the famous Da Luca restaurant next door, their insistence couldn’t be stopped.
Pasqualina and Casimiro were wary of offending Luca Milano, an accomplished chef and dear friend, by starting to cook right beside him, even though they had a license. But one day, a fisherman brought some Purpitielli — the local small octopus —insisting that Pasqualina prepare a spaghetti dish. That spaghetti meal marked the beginning of a long series of exquisite dishes that would turn Il Pirata into a haven for lovers of fine cuisine.
When it came time to name their restaurant, it was Casimiro who came up with the idea. With the Spanish watchtower so close, his thoughts immediately turned to the figures who had terrorized the coasts for centuries: pirates. “The choice was between Saraceno and Pirata,” Casimiro says. “I chose Pirata because the Saracens defend, but pirates attack and conquer. And in a way, we have conquered this land and the sea that embraces it.”
Thus, Il Pirata was born—a stationary galleon, yet ready to sail into infinity with the dreams of those who built it and those who still cross its threshold today.
Today...
Today, at the helm of the galleon are their children, Rino and Vera, passionately continuing the course set by their parents.
Pasqualina, with her unmistakable smile, never fails to delight everyone with her legendary potato croquettes, prepared using her treasured Neapolitan recipe, passed down through the years.
At the stern of the galleon, an international clientele finds themselves immersed in a unique atmosphere, where Casimiro and Pasqualina’s warm hospitality makes everyone feel like part of the family!
