Genoa street food: tips where to eat

Genoa has abundant historical attractions, but it is also a city which thrives on eating out, and eating well!

So, what we suggest is to take a break from sightseeing and do not forget to experience the Ligurian street food!

In fact, if you are searching for an easy and nice place to have lunch or a quick snack during your visit to the historical center, in Genoa (but also in other small villages all along the Italian Riviera), you’ll find various places that offer simple, good and authentic Genoese/Ligurian dishes.

Among Genoa’s narrow alleys you can follow your nose and I’m sure you’ll end up with a great food treat.

The caruggi (Genoa’s alleys) and the Sottoripa, abound with great smelling focaccerie or bakeries and other little traditional street food shops serving vegetable pies, pasta, farinata, fried fish, great caffè and much more.

I always say that a holiday to Liguria is not complete without a taste of its traditional cuisine and today, I’d like to give you some useful tips to find your favorite Genoese “street food” shop.

Traditional Genoese street food shops

Focacceria or Bakery

In these food shops, you can try the local specialty, focaccia, preferably fresh from the oven. It can be stuffed with whatever you like, mushrooms, olives, onions, tomatoes, rosemary and many other things or any combination of them.

Focaccerie also sell bread, slices of pizza and focaccia al formaggio di Recco (cheese focaccia).

Friggitorie

These are fried food shops.

There you can have a tasty quick lunch of fried fresh seafood, frittelle and farinata to be eaten at the counter or to take away.

Sciamadde

If you fancy being a real Genoese, do not miss the sciammadde shops in Sottoripa (the medieval covered lane in front of the Old Port).

These traditional shops offer hot or cold Ligurian specialties to take away.

I suggest to you to try farinata, one of Liguria’s gastronomic symbols, stuffed vegetables, vegetable pies, the local specialty called “friscieu”, which are tasty fried batter balls filled with herbs and whitebait (bianchetti) when in season.

Torte e Farinate

In these local food shops, you can enjoy traditional Ligurian dishes, such as every kind of vegetable pies, farinata, pizza, stuffed vegetables and much more.

More Tips and ideas?

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