We don’t need to tell you that Italy has good food, but Genoa, in particular, is absolute heaven for food-focused travelers. The birthplace of pesto, and a seafood hub, the city boasts an incredible choice of top-quality eateries, from street corner trattorias to Michelin-star restaurants. Here are a few spots not to be missed in Italy’s biggest port city.
Le Rune
Located just a few steps from the historic Via Garibaldi, in the center of Genoa, this restaurant really showcases the region’s high-quality produce. Le Rune serves seasonal, regional food (meaning that the menu is ever-changing, according to the time of year) with an emphasis on freshly hauled fish and seafood.
Sa Pesta
The beautiful building that houses Se Pesta (which literally translates to crushed salt) was once a salt market during the ancient republic of Genoa. It is now a landmark trattoria serving Genoese classics like seppie con piselli (cuttlefish with peas), and chickpea flour flatbread.
Zeffirino
This family-run restaurant has been around for the past 80 years, so you can be sure it’s something special. Zeffirino was started by a family of farmers during WWII and has been cooking top-notch traditional Genoese food ever since.