Sanremo: not just Festival! In addition to singers, the city on the Riviera di Ponente is the cradle of excellent local food. You want to know what to eat in Sanremo, what are the native specialties not to be missed? If you are in the area, whether during the Festival or at other times of the year, we have developed a guide to Sanremo specialities absolutely worth trying.

What to eat in Sanremo?

Walking

Let’s start from a great Ligurian classic, in a local version: la Sardenaira. It is a Ligurian focaccia typical of the city of Sanremo, seasoned with tomatoes, anchovies, capers and olives. A real treat for focaccia lovers! Always in the wake of “walking” food, there is the classic Green cake, prepared with a filling of rice and rotating seasonal vegetables.

Appetizers

You can’t miss the typical fish dish such as lo Stockfish brandacujun. Here the stockfish is creamed and accompanied by potatoes, Taggiasca olives and extra virgin olive oil and offered as a spread to eat at the start of the meal.

First dishes

Let’s then move on to a first classic of the Ligurian tradition, the inevitable ones Trenette with pesto. We are talking about one of the classic sauces that have always conquered Italians, but not only. Ligurian basil pesto is in fact used widely throughout Italy. Also in the first course section, the Pansoti stuffed with borage. Typical of all Liguria, from East to West. It is a fresh pasta filled with borage, which can be seasoned with just butter and sage, with pesto or with walnut sauce. In the soup section, however, we have buridda, a tasty fish soup typical of Sanremo cuisine and Liguria in general. There are many versions: from the one with dogfish and mullet, to the one with cuttlefish.

Second courses

Secondly, a great local classic comes into play: the Rabbit Sanremo style (or rabbit with olives). It is made with Taggiasca olives (typical of the area) and accompanied by walnuts, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary and washed down with Vermentino.

The sweets

Don’t miss the desserts either. As a little gem, the very famous Sanremo kisses. These are two hazelnut paste biscuits held together by a delicious chocolate mousse. Impossible to resist. Continuing, you should also try the Ciavai cake. Behind this mysterious name lies a particularly rich dessert flavored with curaçao and based on eggnog and whipped cream. Pure enjoyment.

Curiosity

A gem is the fishing of a very delicious crustacean: the Sanremo red prawn. This shrimp is known for its intense flavor and its delicacy in the mouth. Excellent to eat raw, or cooked with salt or just seared. The Sanremo red prawn is in fact a jewel of Ligurian fishing, a delicious crustacean fished exclusively in the waters of the City of Flowers, with a bright red colour.

The most loved Ligurian recipes

In Liguria, immediately after trofie, come trenette: a long, flat pasta shape, similar to linguine. How are they seasoned? With pesto, of course!

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Chickpea farinata is a traditional Ligurian and Tuscan preparation which has many names (fainè, cecina, chickpea cake) and recipes in other regions

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Stuffed vegetables, the classic Ligurian ones

In Liguria, where people often eat “lean”, the art of cooking vegetables reaches imaginative peaks of gluttony. Stuffed vegetables are widespread throughout the region, with different variations: this one, typical of the Ponente area, is among the simplest, as if not wanting to interfere too much with the flavor of the vegetables

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Focaccia with Ligurian cheese

Cheese focaccia is a typical recipe from all of Liguria. The one from Recco is the most famous today, let’s prepare it together

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Pisciarada, the Ligurian potato focaccia

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Trofie with pesto the Ligurian recipe

Flour, water, salt and many small gestures. A mortar, garlic, oil, basil, parmesan, pecorino, pine nuts. We fly to Liguria with a plate of trofie with pesto

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Easter cake from Liguria

In Liguria, it’s not Easter without Easter cake: legend has it that women made it with thirty-three sheets, equal to the years of Christ. Here is the recipe

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