Where to eat and drink in Genoa on a budget ( from €1! )
When you think of pesto, you may think of Italy and maybe Genoa? Beyond that fine delicacy, little is know about the incredible food culture of this city and the city itself is a bit of a mystery to many tourists. The answer might partly lie in its layout. Henry James described Genoa as “the most winding and incoherent of cities,” and it is in this maze of caruggi, the narrow alleyways of the old town, you can discover some of Genoa’s best food. We were privileged to visit Genoa a few years ago during the Covid summer of 2021, staying at the excellent Ostello Bello Genoa. During that summer, we got to know the city and its cuisine very well. Genoese cooking, for me, is Mediterranean cuisine at its best and perfect for vegetarians. Vegetables are everywhere on the menu, from Minestrone alla Genovese to Polpettone, a potato and green bean salad. Then, of course, you have Pesto alla Genovese and Salsa di noci, walnut sauce, which is prominent with any pasta-based dish. Seafood is delicious here too. The markets are wonderful, blessed with fresh produce from Liguria, and with over 20 to choose from, you know the food here will be good. While pizza and pasta are always on the menu, there are also a number of excellent local Genovese dishes that visitors overlook, which are covered in this guide of where to eat and drink in Genoa.
1. Sa Pesta
Via dei Giustiniani 16R, Genoa
A no-frills institution since 1889, serving farinata straight from its wood-fired ovens.
Made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, sea salt, pecorino, parmesan and oil, Trofie al Pesto Genovese is Genoa on a plate. Every Genoese family will swear that their pesto recipe is the best, and no two dishes are the same. Trofie (fresh homemade pasta) is the classic pairing, although Trenette, a narrow, flat, dried pasta similar to linguine, is also excellent. A good place to try this is its namesake trattoria: Sa Pesta , a no-frills old trattoria located in Genoa’s old city district.
2. Focacceria Titti e Fede
Via dei Macelli di Soziglia 4R, Genoa
Small, unassuming foccaceria that serves the best focaccia in the old town.
Another typical Genovese delicacy and Genoa’s best cheap eat is focaccia, freshly baked bread typically rolled out or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven. Focaccia is everything to the Genovese. They dip it in their cappuccino, snack on it at work, or enjoy it with a glass of wine during aperitivo. You can sample focaccia at a bakery, bar or sciamadda. My tip is Focacceria Titti e Fede. You can try focaccia with cheese or onions, and even polenta, here.
3. Antica Sciamadda
Via San Giorgio 14R, Genoa
A sciamadda dating back to 1850, known for its farinata and vegetable tarts
Stop at Antica Sciamadda for another Genovese speciality, farinata di ceci. Thin, perfect and cooked in their famous wood oven. This is also a good place to try some local classics like torta di bietole, a tart with chard, and polpettone, a classic potato and green bean, meatloaf-style pie.
4. Antica Friggitoria Carega
Via di Sottoripa 113R, Genoa
Fried seafood snacks served under the Sottoripa arcades since 1890.
This hole-in-the-wall pescheria friggitoria by the Porto Antico has been serving fried seafood snacks since 1890, where in a cuoppo, a rolled-up paper cone, you’re served all kinds of fried dishes, from fried calamari and octopus to shrimp and anchovies. A small paper cone starts from €8, and you can also try panella (chickpea fries) and polpo condito (octopus salad) here.
5. Trattoria delle Grazie
Via delle Grazie 48R, Genoa
Unpretentious neighbourhood trattoria in the caruggi, strong on the Genovese classics.
If you are looking for a traditional trattoria to sample local Genovese cuisine, then the inexpensive Trattoria delle Grazie, tucked into one of the caruggi near the Old Port, is a safe bet. The menu has all the classics, like Gnocchi al pesto (small potato dumplings with basil-based pesto), Pansoti alla salsa di noci (Ligurian ravioli with a creamy walnut sauce) and Cappon Magro, a wonderful layered cold seafood salad that Genovese people eat on Christmas Eve. Finish off with their excellent tiramisù.
6. Antica Osteria Ravecca
Via di Ravecca 29R, Genoa
A cosy osteria near Porta Soprana with a solid list of local pastas and wines.
Another great local restaurant for sampling classic pasta dishes from Liguria is Antica Osteria Ravecca. Their homemade pastas, like Raviolo antica Genova al tocco (ravioli with a traditional Genoese slow-cooked meat sauce), are fantastic, as well as the famous Mandilli al pesto, hand-made pasta shaped like “silk handkerchiefs,” similar to the flat sheets used to make lasagne. Their lunch menu is great value for money.
7. Bar Delle Vigne
Vico dell’Amor Perfetto 5, Genoa
A family-run aperitivo spot with a generous free buffet alongside your drink.
Best aperitivo in Genoa, and great for cocktails and Aperol Spritz, is the family-run Bar Delle Vigne. For those of you unaware of the tradition of aperitivo: basically, for the price of a glass of wine, beer or cocktail in the evening (between 5 and 7pm), you get a generous portion of free light bites, where you get a good mix of meats (prosciutto, salami), local cheeses and focaccia with your drink.
9. Paul Vineria Genova (Da Paul)
Vico dei Caprettari 22R, Genoa
Cheap glasses of wine served in an atmospheric bar in the heart of the Centro historico
Another classic local wine bar is Paul Vineria Genova. Glasses of wine start from a mere €1. Try their Chardonnay Frizz, a slightly fizzy white wine from the Veneto region, and they also have excellent Malvasia. You can bring your own focaccia sandwiches with you if you’re hungry. The owners are lovely, warm people.
10. Bar Degli Asinelli
Via di Canneto il Lungo 78R, Genoa
The classic spot for Corochinato with a slice of lemon and a basket of focaccia.
Last but not least, our favourite way to start an evening in Genoa would be with a glass of the local favourite, Asinello, better known as Corochinato, which is a fortified wine from Genoa, flavoured with an intriguing mix of 16 herbs and spices that include two types of wormwood, cinchona bark and rhubarb. The place to go is Bar Degli Asinelli, where it’s served chilled with a slice of lemon and a generous basket of focaccia. A glass costs a mere €1.50.
Tip: Before sunset, pop over to the pastel-coloured fishing village of Boccadasse on the outskirts of Genoa.
11. La Strambata
Piazza Nettuno 5R, Boccadasse, Genoa
Right on the pebble beach in Boccadasse, good for an early aperitivo as the sun goes down.
La Strambata does a great aperitivo, with outside tables facing onto a nice pebble beach with painted fishing boats.
12. Antica Gelateria Amedeo
Via Boccadasse 7R, Genoa
Genoa’s most famous gelateria, serving cones since 1927.
After, Antica Gelateria Amedeo is the place to go for their excellent gelato and frozen yoghurt.
