What and where to eat in the Gulf of Tigullio

From first courses based on pesto to anchovies in a thousand different ways: the Gulf of Tigullio offers a culinary experience that satisfies every palate, both in restaurants and at home.

If you love pasta, you must try pansoti, ravioli filled with wild herbs served with a delicious walnut sauce, and corzetti, disks of egg pasta which take their name from the molds in which the nobles used to bring their heraldic coats of arms in the Middle Ages.
Trofie with pesto, often accompanied by green beans and potatoes, represent a true symbol of Ligurian cuisine. For a more unusual alternative, we recommend testaroli, a sort of crepe also based on pesto.

For a snack, enjoy farinata, a thin savory cake made with chickpea flour that is crunchy outside and soft inside. 
Then, don't forget to try the Genoese focaccia, soft and fragrant, and the one with Recco cheese, filled with stracchino. 
For those with a sweet tooth, there is the legendary Pasqualina cake, filled with chard, ricotta and eggs, and the vegetable cakes.

Craving for seafood? Delight yourself with the famous red prawn of Santa Margherita Ligure or with the muscles, the Ligurian mussels which you can find cooked marinara style, stuffed or grilled.
However, the most popular ingredient in recipes from the Gulf of Tigullio are anchovies. At the restaurant you can taste them marinated with parsley and garlic; fried and then hot flavored with onion, oil and vinegar (in the so-called scapece); in bagnun, a soup with tomato and onion served with bread biscuits; or in the savory pie with eggs and pecorino.
If you prefer a more valuable fish, consider the amberjack, which can reach up to 2 meters in length and is still caught with tonnarella. Among the other marine specialties on the local menus you will find sea bream, sea bass and cod prepared in garlic sauce.
Another gem not to be missed is cappon magro, an ancient Ligurian recipe based on fish and vegetables, to be enjoyed with Vermentino, a fresh and aromatic white wine that pairs perfectly with the flavor of the fish.

From "Cima" Genoese, a pocket of veal stuffed with minced meat, eggs, vegetables, pine nuts and herbs, cooked slowly in broth, to the Ligurian rabbit, prepared with Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary and white wine, in the Gulf of Tigullio there are several options that will also delight the palate of meat lovers.

To fully enjoy the culinary experience of the Gulf of Tigullio without worries, you can go to one of the many quality restaurants scattered in this area.
The La Loggia restaurant in Camogli is famous for its land cuisine, making it the ideal place to taste the Cima alla Genovese and the pansoti, expertly prepared according to local tradition.
Da O Vittorio, in Recco, is an institution for those who love Recco focaccia and Cappon Magro. 
If instead you are looking for fish cuisine in a sophisticated environment, we recommend Dai Gemelli in Portofino, which offers quality fish, and Langosteria in Paraggi, famous for its raw seafood.

If you want to prepare typical dishes from the Gulf of Tigullio in your kitchen, take the time to choose grocery stores that offer quality products.
The Pastificio la Casana in Rapallo is the ideal destination for those looking for fresh pansoti and trofie, but not only that: here you will also find pesto and walnut sauces to best season your pasta.
For local wines you can rely on Parla Come Mangi, a shop that offers a vast selection of typical ingredients in Rapallo.
Finally, if you are a fish enthusiast, don't miss the Santa Margherita Ligure fish market: here you can buy very fresh fish directly from local fishermen.