Where to eat in Italy (Liguria Edition)

View Where to Eat in Liguria in a larger map
Liguria - also called the Italian Riveria, is the area around 80 miles or so on either side of Genoa.  The actual riviera part is not all that interesting, its the hills and mountains that abut the riviera where all the fun happens, and where you'll find some quality non-touristic dining experiences.

And, as a key point, if there is one place that you should go to in Liguria, it would be  Osteria Enoteca Baccicin du Caru outside Genoa (more details below).  Oh, the rest of the places I've listed are great, but this, my friend, is destination dining.  Make a point of it, and fit it into your travel plans...

THE BOOK 

David Downie:  The Terroir Guides:  Food, Wine, The Italian Riviera & Genoa.
David is our patron saint when it comes to Italian food.  We ate our way through Liguria based on his book 'bout that area, and thanks to him, have had some of our best dining experiences ever.
You'll also note that quite a few of the places below are in his book, which isn't surprising because they tend to show up in pretty much anyone's list of 'the real, real places to eat in Liguria'.
Do note however, that - with a few exceptions - most of the places are more local than touristic, i.e., you'll be rubbing shoulders w/ people who've been eating there for the last twenty years (or quite possibly, far longer).


SOME NOTES ABOUT FOOD

- Reservations are always useful.  If in doubt, make one (if they take 'em). Depending on the time of the day, you will almost certainly not get a table if you just show up
- No cappuccino after noon!  Really!  Do Remember this!
- Espresso is called coffee.  What you drink here is called Cafe Americano there.  They'll happily serve you some, but its just espresso with hot water added.
- Lunch typically is kinda rushed.  By this, I mean "you order, it shows up moments later".  Which is because most of the places serve people with jobs, and - believe it or not - they actually need to get back to work.  That said, they will not rush you out the door.  Once they've served you, you're pretty much left alone, till you ask for coffee, at which point your coffee will show up, and a few minutes later, the cheque.
- A word about the cheque.  Most (ok, almost all) the time, you don't pay at the table. The host(ess) will be sitting up by the door, or at the counter, w/ a cash-register. You head over and pay there.  Sometimes, they might leave the bill at the table, and you take it there.  If in doubt, Dove si paga (my bad italian for "where do i pay") works.
- Ask them about the food (if you can speak Italian.  And even if you can't). They'll happily describe it for hours!

- Olive Oil is a way of life.  Every town has its own variety, and is - clearly - The Best Olive Oil Ever.  That ubiquitous bottle of olive oil that'll shows up at your table? Its probably awesome, and pretty much anything you order will only be improved by a heft pour from the bottle.  Really. Trust me on this. Just...Do...It...
- The house wine is almost always perfect for whatever you're ordering.  Ligurians take their wine seriously.  Almost as - if not more - seriously as they take their food.  So, serving plonk is Just Not An Option.  We typically get 0.5 litres (2/3rd of a bottle?) 'tween the two of us, and its just the right amount for lunch or dinner.
- Learn to actually order the daily special.  Its typically based on what the chef (who is probably also the owner, and/or the mom or grandma) picked up at the market that morning.  Either way you win - it'll be spectacular.  
- Restaurants are closed on all sorts of random days.  Always, always call ahead to make sure they're open. 
- USE A GPS.  Seriously.  Pretty much any place outside the big cities (i.e., everywhere you'll go) is impossible to find unless you live there, or have a GPS.


WHAT YOU'LL BE EATING
Pansotti  - Ravioli filled with a mix of local greens and prescinsêua (an ultra-local fresh cheese) usually w/ a walnut sauce.  The specific greens vary depending on the location, as does the sauce.
Pesto - This is the world capital of pesto, and they take pride in it.  The basil is grown out of the direct sunlight, resulting in a milder more citrusy flavor, and the pesto is invariably made in a mortar and pestle, sometimes w/ prescinsêua.
Anchovies - How they're prepared depends on the season, but you'll almost invariably find 'em. They might be stuffed, fried, salted, whatever, but they are always spectacular
Cheese - Ultra ultra-local.  You won't find most of the cheeses - especially prescinsêua - anywhere else.  Enjoy 'em while you can.
Wine - The (ridiculously mountainous) terrain makes viticulture interesting to say the least, and the "local" wines can be ludicrously good. Some (a lot?) of the grapes/wines are ultra-local, i.e., you're not going to find them pretty much anywhere other than at a restaurant or two (Ruzzeze and Groppolo, for example.
Olive Oil - Its poured on everything. By the litre.  In fact, they'll even leave a bottle of the stuff on the table for you to pour some more.  And no, this isn't the usual crap oil that you get on tables state-side, this is the real-deal.  So enjoy...
Amaro - This is the (various shades of bitter) after-dinner digestivo that you'll find everywhere, which goes down brilliantly, and really, really helps you survive the insane amount you'll be eating.  Its also part of the reason to sticking to 0.5l of wine, you'll be doing at least one swig of amaro after dinner.  Note: If you happen to spot a particular amaro called China, get it - its next to impossible to find pretty much anywhere outside Sarzana, and is seven-shades of awesome. 


RESTAURANTS BY CITY 
Savona
Casa della Panizza (vico dei Crema 4R. Also called Fette e Panissa)

 What are panisse?
They are basically the best fries that you've ever had, 'cept that they are made w/ chickpea-flour.  They're perfectly golden-brown and crispy on the outside, and kinda creamy and oh-so-hot on the inside,  awesome all around, and addictive as all out
The place is slightly hard to find, but you'll probably see a small (or large) line outside when you get there.
Eat 'em w/ oversize toothpicks out of a paper-cone, and try not to grin too madly... 

Osteria Bacco di Doberti Francesco (via Quarda Superiore 17/19R 019.833.5350)

The owner (Doberti Francesco, in case you didn't figure it out) is big, jovial, and a genuinely nice guy. The place is alarmingly stuffed w/ nautical stuff, but don't mistake the kitsch for a lack of quality - the food is about as authentically ligurian as you can get.  The menu tends to run long, but don't bother with it - just ask Doberti what to get, and have him figure it out for you.
And, of course, don't forget to ask him what local wine he might have.
(On a side note, we were quite enamored by the restaurant logo and mentioned that to the owner, who promptly presented us with a plate "To remember him by".  Awesome...) 


Near Genoa

Osteria Enoteca Baccicin du Caru (Via Fado 115, Fado. North of Mele. Use a GPS. 010.63.1804)

OK, this one is a special mention kind of place.  In my Top 5 dining experiences, and quite possibly the finest at that.
Seriously.
Its run by Gianni and Rosella Bruzzone (brother and sister.  Thats Gianni to the right, w/ Nicole holding the largest white truffle that we've ever seen), and they are the up there with the nicest people that you'll ever meet.  Its really a simple place, and you'll be hard pressed to hit 40 Euros between the two of you, but Ye Gods is it ever awesome.
What to get?
Pretty much anything, but you must, must call ahead, make a reservation, and - and this is important - tell them you'll be having the gnocchi e pesto. Rosella makes the lightest gnocchi you'll ever have, and Gianni makes pesto that is the definitive version thereof.  In a mortar and pestle of course.  And in case you're wondering, he won the Worldwide Pesto-making contest like four times in a row before they basically said "Screw this, you can't compete any more, it isn't fair, be the judge please...".  The cheese is from a farm up the road, the olive oil likewise, amazing local wine list, brilliant pan dolce made by Rosella.  I could go on, but the bottom line is, if there is one place you should get to near Genoa - or anywhere, for that matter - its here.
Note: If you don't call ahead you may not get the pesto, and that would be criminal. Oh, everything else is awesome too, but Genoa is known for Pesto, and this, this, my friend, is the definitive pesto.


Genoa
Antica Trattoria Sa Pesta (via Giustiniani 16R 010.246.8336)
Located in one of the cobble-stoney alleys in old Genoa, this is one of the quintessential lunch-spots in Genoa.  Its open for dinner too, but I have no idea what its like then.  At lunch, however, you have an awesome mix of blue/white-collar people, conversation echoing around the vaulted rooms, friendly staff, and one of the more convivial experiences you will ever have.  The farinata, is over the top good (ok, not as good as Luchin in Chiavari, but still pretty damn good), and the pansotti is quite possibly some of the best there is.

Caffe degli Specchi (salita pollaiuoli 43R, 010.246.8193)
Yes, there are mirrors all over this coffee-shop, and yes, it is located in a high-traffic area, but that happens to be the point.  The coffee is really quite good - so grab one (or a drink), have a seat downstairs, and watch the world go by.
Oh, the munchies aint bad, for what its worth...

Ombre Rosso (vico Indoratori 20-24R, 010.275.7608)
It may look trendy and stylish, but it is actually a delightful little restaurant run by the obligatory all-in-one family (dad, mom, daughter, etc.).  The food is resolutely local, honest to a fault, and based entirely on whatever was good at the market that day.  So yeah, there is a menu, but just follow dad's suggestions and have a great dinner.  Preferably with a bottle of the excellent local Ligurian wines available

Da Ugo (via Giustiniani 86R 010.246.9302)
Located in the same alley as Sa Pesta, this ultra-local joint has the weirdest hodge-podge of diners taht we've ever seen, everything from academics through labourers to white-collar types in suits.  Its owned by the Parisi family (at least two generations of which were visible when we were there), and the food is simple, straight-forward, and spectacular.  There is a menu, but don't bother with it, just discuss what you'll have with the owner, and revel in the happiness.

Antica Tripperia la Casana (vico Casana 3R, 010.247.4357)
This is definitely for the "acquired taste" crowd, but, if you do have the taste for it, well then, this is the place to go for tripe.  Huge copper vats in which the stuff is boiled,  big sheets of the stuff hanging, trays of white beans underneath the trippa (to catch the flavor, and thence to be consumed w/ a lot of olive oil), and marble counters at which you can sit and enjoy the tripe.  Classic!

Gelateria Profumo (vico Superiore del Ferro 14R, 010.251.4159)
The best gelato in Genoa, with all the ingredients impeccably sourced (and listed on the walls), and no additives, air, etc.  Be sure to get the panera (a semifreddo w/ fresh coffee and heavy cream) since this may very well be the definitive version, go out and up the stairs, check out the palazzi along via Garibaldi, and be happy... 


Chiavari

Il Portico (corso Assarotti 21 0185.310049)
One of the few upscale dining places on this list, but well worth going to.  Yes, you get the while linen table-cloths, the discreet spacing of the tables, etc., but you also get some spectacularly awesome renditions of local cuisine.  If you're feeling in a "fish" mood, this might be one of the best places to get some.  Its (quite) pricy, but it is - literally - what came in off the boat that day, and is stunningly good.
As always, go with whatever they recommend, and be sure to discuss that in gory detail with them :-)

Luchin (Via Bighetti 53. 0185.50.1063).

This is where you get the best Farinata on the Riviera, and thus, by definition, the world.
You know what Farinata is, right?  No? Well, think of it as a Chickpea-flour pancake.  Mind you, that is pretty much the same as calling foie-gras "goose liver".  It kind-a misses the point.
They're made in huge copper pans in a monster wood-fired oven, the outside is crisp, the inside is tender and creamy, and the whole is deeply, soul-satisfyingly, awesome.
They have all sorts of other stuff there too, all of which is ludicrously awesome, but Luchin's farinata stands alone...
(unless you are From La Spezia, in which case it is at at La Pia. See further down)

Defilla (corso Garibaldi 4, 0185.309828
This is a fairly weird "combo" type place - bar, coffee shop, gelateria, chocolates, the works.  Its huge, covering pretty much the entire block, but is partitioned into a set of wee rooms (especially if you make it past the bar, coffee shop, etc. to the back) all of which seem to hearken back to the days of yore.  The gelato is ridiculously good, and the the entire place is well worth just hanging out in for a while.

Gelateria Verdi (corso Dante 74, 0185.306703)
The best gelato in Chiavari. Period.
Go there, and get the pistachio flavored gelato (which, they will gladly point out, is award-winning) to discover what you have been missing all your life

Recco
Panificio-Pasticceria Moltedo (Via XX Settembre 2/4 0185.74046)

So whats a bakery doing in this list of restaurants? Because this place (also called dau Louensu locally) makes the best focaccia di Recco in Recco, and by definition, the world.
You know what focaccia di Recco is, right?  No?  Well, it also goes by focaccia di formaggio, and is basically two thin sheets of dough with a layer of crescenza cheese in between, the whole thing baked rapidly in an oven so that the cheese gets bubbly, the dough crispy, and the whole thing addictively unctuous.  Get there early.  Seriously.  And it doesn't matter how early you get there, they'll be lined up three deep waiting for the focaccia.
If you can't get there in time, then you might want to try going to

Ristorante Da Angelo (via San Rocco 86 0185.76719)
The focaccia di Recco, while not as good as dau Louensu's (then again, what is), is still so, so, so good.  The advantage here is that you can actually sit and eat, and there is stuff other than the focaccia (though you can probably happily just eat the focaccia). What to get? Pretty much anything.  Its long on regional classics, and the chef (who is the brother of Angelo, the dude out front) is very, very good at what he does. 


Capreno (near Sori)
Osteria Tabacchi Da Drin (Frazione Capreno 66, Near Sori.  Use a GPS.  0185.782210)

A tobacco shop? Well, this used to be one way back when, but now its a moderate to upscale trattoria, and a ludicrously good one at that.  We ended up here when we couldn't go to Nestin 'cos they were closed due to the Flu or something, and boy, were we happy to have found this place.  Its another one of those 'family' type of places (mom and grandma in the kitchen, son out front).  Its up in the mountain with amazing views, but the food, oh my god the food, is very, very happy making.  The specials are (oh yes. they are indeed) great, but the pansotti (ravioli w/ local greens and a walnut sauce) is the best version anywhere (better than at Sa Pesta), and the focaccette (a thin shell of fried dough with melty stracchino cheese inside. To die for. Seriously) is destination food. They also have some kind of crazy tempura-y stir-fry-y kind of thing which is basically tiny chunks of lamb with flash fried vegetables that is addictive beyond measure.  Get here in the evening, watch the sun go down, eat well, and be happy. 


Sarzana
Gemmi Pasticceria e Confetteria (via Castruccio 24 0187.621700)
The most famous caffe in town, its beautiful inside, has excellent coffee.
Yeah, I know.
Its excellent everywhere.
Its even more excellent here.
Not as excellent as Sant' Eustachio in Rome, but still way excellent).
 More importantly though, it has some of the best spungata that you'll find anywhere.
Spungata?
Oh, its like a mini pastry filled w/ a mix of nuts, raisins, dried fruit, and what not.  Unique to and made in Sarzana for, oh, forever.


La Spezia
La Pia (via Magenta 12, 0187.73.9999)
This is the best Farinata that you can get in Liguria (unless you are from Chiavari, in which case it is at Luchin).  See way above, and in particular, in case you don't know what Farinata is...
This is, however, the definitive "take-out" version of Farinata.  Show up, get a slice, douse w/ some black-pepper if you wish, walk off eating it, and then race back 'cos you realized that you actually need many more slices.
For what its worth, there is also a chestnut-flour version of the same - its slightly sweeter, and not quite to my liking, though it is a bit of a hit judging from the rapidity with which it tends to vanish