The Mediterranean Insider

Genoa, Italy

Genoa’s 5 best restaurants (and must-try dishes)

The Mediterranean • Eat & drink • Genoa’s 5 best restaurants (and must-try dishes)

The guide to Genoa’s best restaurants

Genoa’s food scene deserves more hype. Located between the Ligurian Sea and the Apennine hills in northwest Italy, this gritty, gorgeous port city has long been overshadowed by its flashier neighbours. And yet, it’s here – in Liguria’s laid-back capital – that some of the country’s most soulful food quietly thrives. Genoa’s culinary scene is rooted in tradition, fiercely local and all about simplicity done right. Think ribbons of fresh pasta, herbs plucked from backyard gardens and seafood caught just hours before hitting your plate. This isn’t the Italy of postcards – it’s the Italy of weathered trattorias, handwritten menus and recipes passed down through generations. Ready to discover Genoa’s best restaurants? Let’s dig in.

Top photography courtesy of 20Tre

Etra

Etra is no ordinary restaurant – you’re stepping into a modern art gallery located inside Palazzo Doria De Fornari, one of Genoa’s storied Rolli palazzi (a group of grand palaces in Genoa) and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Interiors contrast the baroque grandeur of frescoed ceilings with sleek contemporary art installations and a hidden cabinet of curiosities theme that plays into Genoa’s secretive charm. The restaurant’s name – an anagram of arte – signals chef Davide Cannavino’s ambition to blend visual and culinary creativity. Etra offers two tasting menus – Elixir and Evergreen – inspired by Liguria’s heritage, featuring dishes that focus on local fish, meat and seasonal produce. You can expect dishes like lobster served with wild cauliflower and nasturtium and smoked chocolate ice cream with mango for dessert.

Etra
P.zza Raffaele de Ferrari 4
Genova
Italy

Photography courtesy of Etra

Ippogrifo

Since 1982, Ippogrifo has stood in Genoa’s Foce district as a bastion of classic Ligurian seafood, founded by two of the Vaccaro brothers hailing from the Amalfi Coast. Today, head chefs Matteo Palmieri and Alice Tambi – backed by owners Giulio and Giovanni Vaccaro – preserve that legacy with dishes like amberjack and tuna carpaccio, warm mixed-seafood salad and fish cooked with Taggiasche olives and potatoes. We recommend trying the roasted anglerfish with eggplant caponata and ending off with the Sicilian cassata (Italian cake). The interior is refined with muted tones, a tiled accent wall, polished walnut tables and vintage Ligurian ceramics.

Ippogrifo
Via Raffaele Gestro 9
Genova
Italy

Photography courtesy of Ippogrifo

Capo Santa Chiara

Set on the rocky flanks of Boccadasse beach, Capo Santa Chiara transforms an idyllic seaside shack into a modern gastronomic laboratory. Chef Marco Carlucci – the former sous-chef of San Giorgio Genova – leads a kitchen where dishes take on a playful edge – imagine spring-pea velouté (savoury sauce that is made from a roux and a light stock) crowned with fresh sea urchin or spaghetti all’acciuga (spaghetti with anchovies) sprinkled with marmalade-style bottarga. The dining room, renovated with minimalist white walls, glass-panelled views of the crashing waves and brushed-oak tables, feels both intimate and expansive. In warmer months, the terrace, fringed by local bougainvillaea, offers al fresco dining against the backdrop of the Ligurian Sea.

Capo Santa Chiara
V. al Capo di Santa Chiara 69
Genova
Italy

Photography courtesy of Capo Santa Chiara

20Tre

In the heart of Genoa’s mediaeval lanes, 20Tre breathes new life into time-honoured Ligurian recipes with ingredients sourced from across Italy and the Mediterranean, a vision brought to life by founder-chef Barbara Palazzo and her two partners. 20Tre rotates their menu to mirror the harvest – crudi (raw seafood) gives way to heartier creations like slow-braised rabbit with local olives. A standout dish is the amberjack and ponzu bonbon, which pops with briny citrus sweetness against a silky fish mousse. Inside, exposed brick walls and Edison-bulb lighting create a relaxed, urban-farmhouse feel, while bursts of greenery nod to the farm-to-table ethos.

20Tre
Via David Chiossone 20
Genova
Italy

Photography courtesy of 20Tre

Il Marin

Inside Eataly Genova’s Porto Antico wing, Il Marin is Marco Visciola’s one-Michelin-star tribute to Ligurian seafood. The dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the harbour, minimalist décor in driftwood hues and subtle maritime accents that reinforce the sea-to-table narrative. Il Marin offers multi-course tasting experiences. The Onda Lunga is a seven-course voyage through foraged greens, artisanal cheeses and daily-caught seafood. The DNA Ligure menu focuses on pure regional flavours and the Caruggio menu is a five-course experience. Visciola’s ethos of sustainability is evident on the menu, highlighting foraged sea fennel, locally sourced shellfish and seasonal shellfish ragù (Italian meat sauce).