Pesto pasta, focaccia, chickpea farinata and much more. Use these names to choose a few dishes you want to understand.
A first taste of Liguria
- Trofie or trenette al pesto: pasta with basil sauce; potatoes and green beans may join the plate.
- Focaccia genovese: an olive-oil flatbread with a dimpled surface. Try a plain piece before the toppings.
- Farinata: a thin chickpea-flour bake, best enjoyed warm with crisp edges.
- Pansoti with walnut sauce: filled pasta and a creamy nut-based dressing. Check the filling and sauce.
- Torta pasqualina: a savoury pie with greens, eggs and cheese; family versions vary.
- Cima: stuffed veal, usually sliced. Ask about the filling rather than treating it as a simple roast.
- Stoccafisso accomodato: a preparation of dried cod; it differs from salted baccalà.
- Mesciua: La Spezia’s legume-and-grain soup, a useful reminder to taste beyond Genoa.
- Pandolce, canestrelli or baci di Alassio: three sweet names to look for in the area where you are staying.
Let the place guide your plate
The coast invites fish dishes, but herbs, vegetables, olive oil and inland cooking are just as important. Read the actual menu: a sea view does not tell you where a fish came from or how it will be prepared.
Order one dish well
Choose what interests you and ask how it is made. Pesto usually includes cheese and pine nuts; walnut sauce has its own ingredients. Traditional names are a starting point, not an allergen guarantee.
Bring home something manageable
- A small bottle of olive oil with the producer and origin named.
- A bakery treat for the same day.
- A sealed local product with storage instructions.
- A recipe you want to make again.
Read further
Visit Genoa: typical dishes · La Mia Liguria: regional recipes · La Mia Liguria: La Spezia · Basilico Genovese DOP: the consortium
Sources checked on 14 October 2026. Confirm current opening times, menus and transport before travelling.