Chef Gisele Lovacchi’s Auberge Santa Barbara (Route de Propriano; 04-95-77-09-06), near Sartene, serves first-rate country-style Corsican cooking, with dishes like pigeon cooked with myrtle berries and polenta. In Bonifacio, in the south, dramatically perched on seaside cliffs, the cozy Stella d’Oro (7 Rue Doria; 04-95-73-03-63) offers excellent family-style cooking, centering on seafood.
The Grand Hôtel de Cala Rossa (Lecci de Porto-Vecchio; 011-33-4-95-71-61-51; from $884), an elegant Relais & Châteaux property, has an equally elegant restaurant. Superchic and luxurious Hôtel Casa delmar has a spectacular view of the bay of Porto-Vecchio and a Mediterranean-fusion restaurant (Route de Palombaggia, Porto-Vecchio; 011-33-4-95-72-34-34; from $785).
Philippe Orsoni Buisset, the founder of Miels et Merveilles, long lobbied for Corsican honey’s own AOC. Try his honey made from chestnuts or from the autumn maquis. Or visit his miellerie outside the beautiful hill town of Véro (20172 Véro; 04-95-52-86-00).
Just outside Aléria, on the eastern coast, feast on oysters from the Étang de Diane and the locally produced wine Réserve du Président at Aux Coquillages de Diana, a casual seaside barge restaurant (about a mile north of Aléria on Nationale 198; 04-95-57-04-55). Then head inland to Corte, where the best restaurant, U Museu (Rampe Ribanelle; 04-95-61-08-36), sits on a ledge just below the citadel where the Musée de la Corse is located. Sample the cannelloni stuffed with brocciu or the goat ribs. Overnight at nearby Hôtel Dominique Colonna (Vallée de la Restonica, southwest on D23; 011-33-4-95-45-25-65; from $115), a simple but pleasant hotel on the edge of the rushing rapids in the Gorges de la Restonica, and dine next door at Auberge de la Restonica (04-95-46-09-58), which offers great regional cooking such as soupe corse (hambone stock, sausage, white beans, and herbs).
A Casarella (6 Rue Ste.-Croix, Bastia; 04-95-32-02-32) is much beloved by the townspeople for its cooking based on ancient local recipes, including anchovies in herbs, garlic, and olive oil.
The drive north from Bastia along the coast is beautiful. Cross Cap Corse, the northernmost finger of the island, to tour the Jardins Traditionnels du Cap Corse (D180, Luri; 04-95-35-05-07), whose mission is to preserve this microregion’s vegetal diversity. Pick up some of their housemade conserves, like a white zucchini jam or watermelon preserves. Emerging on the western coast of the Cap, head for Corsica’s take on a New England seafood shack, U Scogliu (Marine de Canelle, Canari; 04-95-37-80-06), for grilled langouste (spiny lobster), sea bream baked in a crust of salt, and sea urchin in season.
La Balagne, the northwestern coast of the island, is the most popular destination for French vacationers. After lunch on the terrace at Chez Charles (N197, Lumio; 04-95-60-61-71), which serves contemporary versions of Corsican dishes, drive the back roads, including D236, D151, and D71, for stunning scenery.
Calvi pulls a stylish yachting crowd and has two of the best hotels on the island. Hôtel La Villa (Chemin Notre Dame de la Serra; 011-33-4-95-65-10-10; from $459) is swathed in Pierre Frey fabrics, and restaurant L’Alivu makes terrific veal chops cooked with maquis herbs. Go to Auberge-Relais La Signoria (Route de la Forêt de Bonifato; 011-33-4-95-65-93-00; from $338) for its lush gardens and private beach. But you can’t beat an alfresco dinner overlooking the harbor and the waterfront at Calellu (Quai Landry, Calvi; 04-95-65-22-18), a friendly fish place supplied by artisanal fisherman Jo Riccho. —Alexander Lobrano
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