Old Friend

Old Friend, Cagliari: The Verdict

A Google rating of 4.7 across 405 reviews, backed by consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards in 2024 and 2025, makes Old Friend one of the most consistently well-regarded mid-range restaurants in Cagliari. At the €€ price point, it delivers seasonal farm-to-table cooking with the kind of credentialed quality that is hard to find at this price in Sardinia. If you have been once and enjoyed it, there is plenty of reason to return — the rotating seasonal menu means the kitchen moves on even if you don't. Book it again.

About Old Friend

Old Friend sits on Via Giuseppe Abba, a short walk from Cagliari's main shopping streets but removed enough from the tourist drag to feel like a local find. The Bib Gourmand recognition — Michelin's marker for good cooking at a moderate price, awarded in both 2024 and 2025 , tells you most of what you need to know about the kitchen's ambitions. This is not a special-occasion destination priced for once-a-year visits; it is the kind of place you should be going back to every few months precisely because the menu shifts with the seasons.

Chef Matt Abé runs the kitchen with a commitment to seasonal produce, rotating between meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes as ingredients come and go. The menu structure is flexible: you can order à la carte, or choose from three tasting menus if you want to hand the decision-making to the kitchen. For a returning visitor, the tasting menu is worth trying if you haven't yet , it gives a fuller picture of what the kitchen is doing in any given season, and at the €€ price band, it remains accessible rather than ceremonial.

The dining room is described as fresh and contemporary in feel, with background music and service that is both warm and competent. It does not try to be a formal fine-dining room, which is exactly right for its price point and neighbourhood positioning. For farm-to-table cooking in Cagliari, this is the address that holds up across multiple visits.

What the Seasonal Format Means for Return Visits

For anyone coming back to Old Friend, the seasonal rotation is the main reason to do so. The kitchen does not keep a static menu, which means a visit in spring looks materially different from one in autumn. If your previous visit leaned toward fish dishes, a return in a different season may shift the balance toward vegetables or meat. Ask the front-of-house what is currently dominant on the tasting menu before you decide whether to go à la carte or commit to the full format , the staff are reported as cordial and knowledgeable enough to give a useful answer.

The three tasting menu options give you a structured way to explore the current kitchen output without having to read the whole seasonal menu cold. For a group with different appetites, the à la carte route remains viable and lets the table mix formats. Either way, the Bib Gourmand standard implies a kitchen that is working at a consistent level, not coasting.

Practical Details

How It Compares

FAQs

• How far ahead should I book Old Friend? Booking difficulty is rated easy, so a few days in advance should be sufficient for most nights. That said, the Bib Gourmand recognition in both 2024 and 2025 has raised the profile of the restaurant, so if you have a specific date in mind , particularly on a Friday or Saturday , booking a week out is sensible. Walk-ins may be possible on quieter weekday evenings, but there is no confirmed walk-in policy in the available data.
• Is Old Friend good for a special occasion? It depends on your definition. At €€, Old Friend is not the place for a lavish splurge , for that, Gli Uffici at €€€ offers a more formal setting. But for a meaningful dinner that feels considered rather than casual, the Bib Gourmand standard and three tasting menu options make Old Friend a strong choice for a low-key anniversary or birthday. The service is described as warm and competent, which matters on an occasion night.
• What are alternatives to Old Friend in Cagliari? For Sardinian cooking at the same price, ChiaroScuro is the clearest peer. If you want contemporary cooking at a lower price point, CUCINA.eat at € is worth considering. Amanõ and Da Marino al St Remy both sit at €€ and cover Mediterranean ground. For a broader view of where to eat in the city, see our full Cagliari restaurants guide.
• Is Old Friend worth the price? Yes, clearly. The Bib Gourmand is Michelin's explicit endorsement of good cooking at a moderate price , receiving it in consecutive years (2024 and 2025) means the kitchen is not a one-season story. At €€ with seasonal produce and three tasting menu formats on offer, Old Friend delivers more structured quality than you would typically expect at this price band in Sardinia.
• Can I eat at the bar at Old Friend? There is no confirmed bar seating in the available data. The restaurant's format as described is a dining room with table service. If bar seating matters to you, contact the venue directly before visiting , no phone number is currently listed, but the address is Via Giuseppe Abba, 51, Cagliari.
• Can Old Friend accommodate groups? Seat count is not confirmed in the available data, so large group bookings should be arranged directly with the venue in advance. The dining room is described as contemporary and relaxed in feel, which suggests it can handle a small group dinner without difficulty. For groups of six or more, contact ahead to confirm availability and whether a tasting menu format works for the whole table.

More from Cagliari and Italy

• Our full Cagliari restaurants guide
• Our full Cagliari hotels guide
• Our full Cagliari bars guide
• Our full Cagliari wineries guide
• Our full Cagliari experiences guide
• Duanima , Contemporary dining in Cagliari

Farm-to-Table Peers Elsewhere in Italy

• Osteria Francescana in Modena
• Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence
• Le Calandre in Rubano
• Dal Pescatore in Runate
• Enrico Bartolini in Milan
• Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico
• Au Gré du Vent , Farm to table in Seneffe
• BOK Restaurant Brust oder Keule , Farm to table in Münster