What to Eat in Genoa: Focaccia, Pesto, Farinata and the Dishes to Order (2026)

Wondering what to eat in Genoa? Start with the three things the city gave the world: focaccia, pesto and farinata. Genoa is a port, so its cooking is thrifty and bold, built on olive oil, herbs and chickpeas. This guide goes dish by dish and explains when locals eat each one. It also covers the two protected names worth knowing before you order.

Last updated: September 30, 2026

Rather taste it all in one walk? Then our page on a Genoa food tour compares a full street-food walk and a shorter tasting.

What to eat in Genoa at a glance

In short, Genoa rewards grazing. So plan small portions through the day rather than one big meal.

Focaccia: the first thing to eat in Genoa

Genoese focaccia, called fugassa in dialect, is thinner and oilier than the focaccia most Americans know. The top is golden and salty, with pools of oil in the dimples. Bakeries sell it from early morning. Many locals eat it at breakfast, and some even dip it in a cappuccino.

• How to order: ask for a slice, or un pezzo, and pay by weight or by the piece.
• Plain first: try the classic before the versions with onion, olives or potato.
• Timing: the best focaccia comes out in the morning, so go early.

Focaccia di Recco: the protected cheese version

The cheese focaccia from Recco is a different dish. It has two very thin sheets of dough with soft fresh cheese in between. Since January 2015, Focaccia di Recco col formaggio has been a protected name (PGI) in the EU. According to the EU registration regulation and the Recco focaccia consortium, only producers in Recco, Camogli, Sori and Avegno can sell it under that name (checked September 2026).

So it is worth the short trip. According to the Trenitalia journey planner (checked September 2026, for a weekday in mid-October), regional trains from Genova Brignole reach Recco in 22 to 37 minutes for €3.50. Camogli is one stop further along the same line.

Pesto: what makes it Genoese

Pesto is the most famous answer to what to eat in Genoa. The key ingredient is Genoese basil, which has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) since 2005. According to the Basilico Genovese PDO consortium, however, there is no PDO pesto: only the basil carries the protected name (checked September 2026).

• The classic recipe: basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and aged cheeses. It uses no cream.
• The pasta: trofie, short and twisted, or trenette, flat ribbons. Some cooks add potato and green beans to the pot.
• On a label: look for “Basilico Genovese DOP” in the ingredients if you buy a jar to take home.

Farinata and other street food

Farinata is a thin, crisp pancake of chickpea flour, water, oil and salt, baked in a wide copper pan. Genoese bakeries and old-style sciamadde, wood-oven shops, sell it by the slice. It is best hot, with black pepper. Alongside it, you will often find:

• Panissa: chickpea batter set, sliced and fried.
• Fried anchovies: the port’s everyday fish, often in a paper cone.
• Torte di verdura: vegetable pies such as torta pasqualina.

What to order in a Genoese trattoria

At a sit-down meal, the menu adds dishes you rarely see outside Liguria. Here is what to eat in Genoa when you have time for lunch:

• Pansoti al sugo di noci: triangular pasta filled with wild greens and cheese, in a walnut sauce.
• Minestrone alla genovese: vegetable soup, often finished with a spoon of pesto.
• Cima alla genovese: veal breast stuffed with vegetables, eggs and cheese, served cold.
• Stoccafisso: dried cod, a legacy of the port’s trade routes.

To finish, try pandolce if you visit near Christmas. Then pair the meal with a local white wine, or an aperitivo in the old town. Our guide to aperitivo in Italy explains how it works.

Where to shop: the Mercato Orientale

For ingredients, head to the covered Mercato Orientale on Via XX Settembre, the city’s historic food market. You will find basil, cheeses, fish and pasta under one roof. Most stalls trade in the morning, so go early and skip Sundays. It is also a good place to buy pine nuts and olive oil to take home.

Getting to Genoa and around

Genoa is an easy train ride from Milan. According to the Trenitalia planner (checked September 2026), Intercity trains from Milano Centrale reach Genova Piazza Principe in about 1 hour 35 minutes for €14.90. From there, the Riviera is on your doorstep. Our guide to the Italian Riviera and our Cinque Terre itinerary cover the coast, and our guide to things to do in Genoa covers the city’s sights.

Food and coast experiences near Genoa

These experience pages on our site each compare options, with prices and ratings read on Viator:

• Genoa food tour: focaccia, farinata and pesto on foot.
• Portofino boat tour: the promontory from the sea.
• Cinque Terre boat tour: the five villages by boat.
• Cinque Terre day trip from Florence: the coast with transport handled.

Planning more food stops? See our Cinque Terre tours and our guide to Parma food tours.

What to eat in Genoa: frequently asked questions

What food is Genoa famous for?

Focaccia, pesto and farinata are the big three. The city is also known for pansoti with walnut sauce, torta pasqualina and cima alla genovese.

Is there a pesto PDO?

No. Only Genoese basil is a protected designation of origin, since 2005. Pesto itself has no PDO, so look for the basil on the label.

Where can you eat real Focaccia di Recco?

Only producers in Recco, Camogli, Sori and Avegno can sell it under the protected name. Regional trains from Genova Brignole reach Recco in 22 to 37 minutes.

When do locals eat focaccia in Genoa?

Mostly in the morning, at breakfast or as a mid-morning snack, when it is fresh from the bakery.

What is farinata?

A thin chickpea-flour pancake baked in a wide pan in a wood oven. It is sold by the slice and eaten hot.