Top Genoa Food & Drink

Capital of Italy’s beautiful Liguria region, the coastal city of Genoa takes great pride in its local cuisine—with fresh flavors and traditional recipes handed down through the generations. On this walking tour, explore Genoa’s culture and lifestyle through its food and learn why Italian cuisine is the envy of the world. Sample pasta dishes with fresh pesto, local cheeses and seafood, and savory pastries, and taste the flavors the locals love.

Explore the historic streets of Genoa Old Town on a 4-hour food tour, and discover the eateries loved by the locals. After visiting a historic candy shop, bakery, spice shop, and more, you’ll search for fresh basil at a food market. Learn the secrets behind a good Genoese pesto, then sample a dish of trofie pasta and pesto with wine. The tour is run with a private guide, just for your sole group.

Immerse yourself in Italian culture with a hands-on home cooking class. Learn to prepare an authentic four-course Genoese lunch with local wine and coffee. Work with your host to discover the secrets to traditional Genoese pesto, trofiette pasta, panzanella, and dessert. Sit down and enjoy your meal on a terrace overlooking the ocean and bring your new cooking skills and printed recipes home with you

Get an introduction to the local culinary styles of Genoa in this introductory cooking class. Under the instruction of a professional chef, learn to prepare four traditional dishes from the region. In addition to the courses, enjoy warm focaccia bread, a welcome apéritif, and wine with the meal. After dinner, go out for gelato in the Boccadasse neighborhood.

The Italian city of Genoa, where pesto got its start, is home to antique shops; stunning 15th-, 16th-, and 17th-century palaces; and scores of outstanding restaurants and bars. This tour leads you through the top sites, secluded squares, and hidden spots. You’ll try local Prosecco, coffee, pesto, and focaccia, all with the expertise of a local guide.

Do not miss the opportunity to marvel at the highlights of the historical centre of Genoa, while savouring the delicacies of the Ligurian cuisine and while listening to the stories that your local guide will tell you of the city. The Street Food tour of Genoa is a unique experience that will let you try the main dishes of Genoa on the go! You will meet your local guide at the Old Port of Genoa, and from here you will start you multi-sensorial experience. Enjoy some freshly fried seafood, typical of cities by the sea. Then follow the scent of basil to your next stop, where you will see how pesto is made a try some freshly made! Walk across the main squares of Genoa, Piazza San Lorenzo and Piazza De Ferrari and enjoy some typical flat bread, flavoured with oil, onions or olives. If you have a sweet tooth, this is your moment! Enjoy some Italian Gelato and a traditional Ligurian cookie called Canestrelli, in English “little baskets”. This experience will involve all five your senses!

Your day in Genoa is just winding down, the sun's about to set... It's time for an Aperitivo. This glamorous Italian tradition is loved all over the world, and this is your chance to learn how to prepare it for yourself, the perfect souvenir.  Preparing the perfect aperitivo is an art; you will learn how to prepare a selection of  five elegant nibbles to pair with with a refreshing glass of fizz, ideal for sharing with friends in the early evening. Your aperitivo will be a bite-size representation of its local culture, using typical regional ingredients and local wines, such as a sparkling prosecco or a light red. This experience is held by Cesarine: Italy’s oldest network of 1000+ home cooks all over the country in more than 500 cities. They are passionate and welcoming hosts that open the doors of their own homes to curious travellers for immersive culinary experiences.

Have you ever been to a local market and traditional food shop in Italy, full of ingredients you'd love to experiment with? This is your chance to  visit a market with a local expert, choose your most inspiring ingredients, and create and name your very own two recipes.  Go food shopping with your Cesarina and choose 3-5 staple ingredients that capture your imagination before immersing yourself in a private cooking class at their home. With their expert guidance, you will learn how to prepare your chosen ingredients and make your own two Italian creations. Cultivate your creativity and confidence in the kitchen by adding an Italian flair to your dishes.  Then, taste everything you have prepared accompanied by a selection of red and white local wines. Le Cesarine is Italy’s oldest network of home cooks all over the country in more than 120 cities. They are passionate and welcoming hosts that open the doors of their own homes to curious travellers for immersive culinary experiences.

Learn to make authentic Italian pasta fresca with a local chef in Genoa. Discover Italian culinary traditions and learn typical grandma recipes. Taste the fruits of your labor in a convivial atmosphere.

Learn about local culture through the lens of food: - visit the basil greenhouses where the original Genoese basil has been grown for centuries - discover why the best basil grows just in this special area - have a sustainable experience by supporting small local producers - learn the secrets of the best pesto with our pesto expert - have fun with mortar and pestle - enter a private aristocratic palace dating back to Renaissance time - have a pesto and focaccia tasting accompanied by local wine

Dive into Genoa like a local foodie. Explore your Cesarina's most trusted artisanal food shops, tasting as you go. Visit a selection of small local shops, learn about the typical products of the city while tasting them. A delicious way to discover Genoa and its gastronomy! • Street food tasting tour • Explore your Cesarina's most trusted artisanal food shops • Sample some of Genoa typical street food staples • Do some sightseeing in Genoa as you walk from tasting to tasting • Small-group tour with a maximum of 12 people for an authentic food experience Le Cesarine is Italy’s oldest network of home cooks all over the country in more than 120 cities. They are passionate and welcoming hosts that open the doors of their own homes to curious travellers for immersive culinary experiences.

Street food is ready-to-eat food made with local traditional dishes and sold in the streets to take with you on the go. Genoa is the perfect place to enjoy street food, for its delicious dishes that easily made to take with you while visiting the city centre. Meeting your local guide in the port area of Genoa, start your culinary journey in the historical centre. Get lost in the maze of alleys, called Caruggi, while savouring 3 different flavours of delicious Focaccia, typical flat bread flavoured with oil, onion or olives. Enjoy how the typical Basil Pesto is made and try some of it freshly made in front of you! Next, walk by the main squares of Genoa, Piazza San Lorenzo and Piazza De Ferrari while eating some freshly fried seafood, an authentic delicacy you can find in cities by the sea. End your culinary journey with two sweet treats Gelato and typical Canestrelli, literally “little baskets”, sweet cookies that originated in the Ligurian area. Are you hungry yet?

Savona is a seaport and a municipality in the Liguria Region. It is a cruise embarkation point and provides access to the beautiful coastal territory. Walking through the narrow streets of the historical center of Savona, we will find out together the oldest eateries, with their delicious and traditional dishes, enriched by delicately-flavored extra-virgin olive oil (typical from this side of Liguria). The tourist is guided by a "Foodie", a local "buddy" able to explain every detail of the selected restaurants, their preparations, and the relevant history/curiosities. Do Eat Better Experience tours are a mix of high-quality gastronomy as a way of showing Italian culture and lifestyle and a walking experience together with a local friend. This is the reason why we accept small groups only: we want to focus on a genuine exchange and give to each tourist the highest attention possible. Please, note that the tour is always run in English and Italian; other languages upon request.

Learn how to make fresh pasta from scratch during a private half-day class at the home of an expert local cook. During the class, expect to make three authentic regional pasta dishes while working at a workstation equipped with all the necessary ingredients and utensils. Afterward, enjoy the meal that you helped to prepare accompanied by a selection of red and white wines from the Genoa region.

Learn to make delicious Ligurian dishes from a local during this private cooking class in Genoa. Get your hands dirty as you learn the tricks of the trade to make a few of the region’s best dishes. Then, enjoy the food that you’ve made paired with wines from the region and leave with an apron and reusable shopping bag as a keepsake.