Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Genoa

This is a very popular shop often lauded in publications that usually only mention top-class restaurants. It is very small with a window that displays a wide variety of cured meats, cheeses and everything else to put into your roll and into your stomach! A paradise for food lovers willing to queue up for more than 100 different choices of things to put in sandwiches - dozens of types of salami, (pork, wild boar etc.), prosciutti (raw, boiled, smoked), cheeses and various sauces. They offer wine by the glass, beer and all types of drinks.

Confetteria Romanengo Pietro fu Stefano is synonymous with high-quality sweets. They have been made carefully using methods handed down from father to son. The composer Guiseppe Verdi would never miss the chance to buy sweets and candied fruit from "Romanengo" when he stayed in Genoa. The shop is in the old city, down a narrow lane off the Piazza Soziglia. This is the main shopping area of Genoa. Since 1780, the patisserie has made delicious sweets, chocolates, fondants, syrups, rosolio (a kind of syrup) and jams. These delicacies have been enjoyed far outside too.

The location is definitely favorable: a 17th-century building, along one of the alleys which border the walking area of the historic port. Antica Osteria Vico Palla (Historic Tavern of Vico Palla) is not called that by chance, but rather because nothing else has taken its spot for centuries, even through renovations; even the cuisine hasn’t changed too much: stockfish, boiled or accomodato, is the main plate and a staple part of a typical Genoa fish plate. Not to miss is the cundiggiun, a mixed salad with anchovies to be accompanied with toasted bread. The wine cellar is well-furnished and all the labels are displayed on the shelves near the tables; together with the exposed brick walls and the wooden beams, it’s a perfect frame.

Le Mani in Pasta is a lovely restaurant, minutes away from the port of Genoa. It serves typical food from the Liguria region and specializes in a variety of pasta dishes. Here, you can find anything from fish to meat served with homemade pasta. The menu offers a chef's suggestion of wine by the glass. The restaurant is cozy but fairly small, so reservations are preferred. It is a great place to eat before going out in Genoa, since it is close to Genoa's nightlife scene as well as the historic part of the city. -Maria Kochetkova

One of the finest places in town for desserts and breakfast, Fratelli Klainguti was established in 1826 by four Swiss brothers. Elegant with an exquisite chandelier, this dessert restaurant is a stop not to be missed if you have a sweet tooth. From strudels to pastries, everything is decadent. You will feel like you are dessert heaven.

Leave your car in the Corso Italia, near the church and go down a steep slope to get to the old, fishing district of Boccadasse. Once you have recovered from the enchanting view of the bay, a true oasis away from urban Genoa, continue the evening at the Santa Chiara where Luigi and Luisa Lombardelli will welcome you with great food from the sea as well as other kinds of dishes. The range of hors d'oeuvres includes fish salad, canapes and soup. The main dishes menu features seafood risotto, mixed fish grill, mixed grill and pepper steak.