What to eat in Savona: traditional Ligurian dishes to try
If you're visiting Savona and want to discover the city through its cuisine, be prepared to find much more than just classic pesto.
Savona's cuisine is born from the intersection of the sea, the hinterland, and Ligurian tradition. Anchovies, Taggiasca olives, pesto, fresh pasta, starchy foods, vegetables, fish, and simple yet flavorful recipes reflect a cuisine rooted in the region and its history.
But what to eat in Savona?
This guide features some of the specialties and flavors to try during a visit to the city, along with some tips for turning a stroll through the historic center, port, and Darsena into a true gastronomic journey.
What to eat in Savona: a cuisine blending seafood and tradition.
Savona is a seaside city, but its cuisine doesn't just rely on fish.
Like many Ligurian regions, Savona's cuisine is the result of the convergence of the coast and the hinterland. On one side, we find anchovies, cod, shellfish, fresh fish, and simple dishes that showcase the catch.
On the other hand, there are pesto, fresh pasta, Taggiasca olives, vegetables, flours, and recipes that come from peasant tradition.
The result is a Mediterranean cuisine, often simple in its ingredients but highly recognizable in its flavors.
And it's precisely this variety that makes eating in Savona so interesting: you can start with a Ligurian appetizer, continue with pasta with pesto or a fish dish, and finish with a traditional specialty.
1. Pesto alla Genovese
Let's start with one of the undisputed symbols of Ligurian cuisine.
Pesto is traditionally made with basil, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and Pecorino cheese. In Liguria, it's especially popular with pasta dishes like trofie, trenette, and other types of pasta.
Although pesto is known throughout the world, tasting it in Liguria has a different meaning: it is one of those flavors that allow you to immediately immerse yourself in the region's gastronomic culture.
In Savona you can definitely add it to your list of things to try.
2. Taggiasca olives
Small, dark, and with a particularly delicate flavor, Taggiasca olives are one of the most characteristic ingredients of Ligurian cuisine.
They are the protagonists of numerous regional recipes and are used both to accompany fish dishes and to season pasta, focaccia, salads and other preparations.
Their flavor is perfect for a cuisine that focuses on balance: they don't overwhelm the other ingredients, but add a savory and aromatic note.
And when paired with fresh fish, the result is even more representative of the flavors of the Ligurian coast.
3. Anchovies: one of the flavors of the Ligurian sea
If you really want to understand what to eat in Savona, anchovies deserve a special place.
They are one of the most common ingredients in Ligurian cuisine and can be prepared in many ways: fried, marinated, stuffed, or used to flavor first courses and sauces.
Ligurian cuisine clearly demonstrates how a simple ingredient can become a star when treated with care.
An interesting example is the combination of anchovies with seemingly very different ingredients, such as pine nuts, raisins, cherry tomatoes, and olives.
It is precisely this balance between saltiness, sweetness, and acidity that makes Ligurian cuisine recognizable.
4. Pesto and fresh Ligurian pasta
Liguria is also the land of fresh pasta.
Among the best-known preparations are trofie, trenette, pansotti, and testaroli, each with different characteristics and traditions.
Pansotti, in particular, are a typical Ligurian stuffed pasta, generally filled with herbs and ricotta and often served with a walnut sauce.
Pesto also finds one of its most natural pairings in fresh pasta.
If you love pasta dishes, during a trip to Savona it's worth looking for a restaurant that offers Ligurian recipes, not just the usual tourist classics.
5. Testaroli with pesto
Among the specialties of the Ligurian hinterland are testaroli, an ancient preparation made from a very simple dough of water and flour.
Their consistency and the way they are served make them particularly suitable for collecting the dressing.
At the Savona Nautical Club, for example, the menu features testaroli with homemade pesto: a dish that allows you to rediscover one of the great flavors of Ligurian cuisine in a setting overlooking the Darsena.
6. The pansotti
Another dish to look for if you want to taste Ligurian cuisine is pansotti.
This is a stuffed pasta that belongs to the regional tradition and that represents the relationship between home cooking, simple ingredients and artisanal production.
At the Nautical Club, they offer spinach and ricotta pansotti with pistachio pesto. This version maintains its connection to Ligurian stuffed pasta, adding a more contemporary touch.
7. Fish: from tradition to coastal cuisine
Being in Savona also means taking advantage of its seaside location.
Fish is naturally one of the main ingredients of local cuisine and can be served in a variety of ways: grilled, fried, stewed, or used as a pasta sauce.
When choosing where to eat fish in Savona, it's advisable to look beyond the simple name of the dish.
What matters is the quality of the raw materials, the seasonality, the cooking method, and above all, the kitchen's ability to enhance the fish without overpowering its flavor.
8. Cod in Ligurian cuisine
Cod is another ingredient deeply present in the Ligurian gastronomic tradition.
Its versatility allows it to be used in appetizers, first and second courses.
At the Club Nautico, for example, it's used in trenette pasta with arugula pesto and toasted almonds. It's an interesting dish because it combines several very different elements: the saltiness of the cod, the aromatic flavor of the pesto, and the crunchiness of the almonds.
It's a good example of how a recipe can start with traditional ingredients and interpret them in a more contemporary way.
9. Fried calamari
Among the things to eat in Savona you can't miss a good fried fish.
Fried calamari is one of those seemingly simple dishes that, however, immediately make a difference when the raw ingredients are good and cooked well.
It should be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and above all not heavy.
At the Club Nautico, fried calamari is featured on the menu, along with the Club's Fried Fish with crispy vegetables, a richer offering designed for those who want to savor more seafood flavors.
10. Grilled fish
If you prefer simpler flavors and want to experience the flavor of the fish more, grilling is one of the most interesting preparations.
A good barbecue doesn't need too many ingredients: the quality of the fish and proper cooking do most of the work.
This is also one of the options available at the Club Nautico, where grilled fish is part of the section dedicated to seafood specialties.
11. The “Old Savona”: a first course that tells the story of the city
Among the most interesting dishes to try if you want to taste something closely linked to the region is the "Vecchia Savona" offered by the Nautical Club.
This is spaghetti with fresh anchovies, raisins, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, and Taggiasca olives.
It's an interesting dish precisely because it concentrates in a single recipe several ingredients that belong to the Ligurian gastronomic imagery: blue fish, olives, dried fruit and a sweet component provided by raisins.
The result is a Mediterranean first course, tasty and with a decidedly Ligurian character.
12. Not just fish: Ligurian cuisine has many souls
When you think of Savona and Liguria, it's easy to focus exclusively on fish.
But regional cuisine is much broader.
Fresh pasta, pesto, focaccia, starchy foods, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, and inland recipes are all part of the same gastronomic heritage.
For this reason, if you're traveling to Liguria with friends, choosing a restaurant with a varied menu can be a good option.
At the Club Nautico, for example, alongside seafood dishes there are meat options such as Irish Angus steak and sirloin, as well as a mixed grill.
Where to eat in Savona to sample Ligurian cuisine
After exploring the historic center, strolling along the waterfront, or visiting the Darsena, comes the simplest moment: sitting down at the table.
If you're looking for a restaurant in Savona serving seafood, recipes inspired by Ligurian tradition, and a harborside location, Club Nautico might be a good option.
Club Nautico Savona is located in Piazza D'Alaggio, in Savona's Darsena, and offers a cuisine that combines seafood, Ligurian specialties, meat dishes, and pizza. The current menu includes, among other things, "Vecchia Savona," pansotti, testaroli with pesto, trenette pasta with cod, octopus with saffron potato cream, fried calamari, and grilled fish.
The location also allows you to experience the meal directly in the context of the Darsena, transforming a simple gastronomic break into an integral part of the city visit experience.
What to eat in Savona: our advice
If it's your first time in Savona, don't necessarily look for the most famous dish.
Look for the one that best tells you about the area.
A plate of pasta with pesto, a few Taggiasca olives, anchovies, a fresh fish dish, a stuffed pasta dish, or a focaccia can tell you as much about Liguria as a travel guide.
And above all, leave yourself some space to discover.
Because a city is also known like this: by walking slowly, gazing at the sea and stopping when it's time to eat.
Want to taste Liguria in Savona?
After discovering the city, stop at the Darsena and try the cuisine of the Club Nautico.
Fish, Ligurian recipes, Mediterranean dishes, and pizza await you against the backdrop of the port of Savona.
Book your table at the Club Nautico and enjoy a gastronomic break overlooking the sea.
Savona Nautical Club Piazza D'Alaggio, 3 – Savona
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