Genoa: Food Tour with Pesto, Focaccia & Full Meal

Walking through Genoa's backstreets, stopping to eat at places tourists don't find alone

You walk through Genoa's old streets with a local food expert, stopping at four carefully chosen spots to taste pesto, focaccia di Recco, fresh seafood, and regional specialties. The guide explains the history and technique behind each dish while you eat your way through an entire meal. One drink is included, groups stay small, and you finish with either artisanal gelato or a pastry-shop dessert depending on which tour you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Genoa Cathedral45m
2. Madonna Verona Fountain45m
3. Piazza de Ferrari45m

Genoa food tasting and cultural walk

• Explore Genoa's iconic dishes
• Taste authentic basil pesto sauce
• Try focaccia with cheese from Recco
• Enjoy traditional Genoese focaccia bread
• Finish with artisanal ice cream or dessert

The experience

A hand tears off a piece of focaccia still warm from the oven, steam rising between the fingers. That's how the tour starts in Genoa, not with a speech, but with the first bite. Your local guide meets you near Piazza de Ferrari and walks you into the narrow caruggi streets where the city's real food happens. You're not visiting a museum or a landmark first. You're tasting pesto the way it was invented here, made with fresh basil, pine nuts, and the exact proportions that matter. The guide explains why this sauce belongs to Genoa and nowhere else, and you taste the difference.

The food tour in Genoa moves between at least four stops: a mix of historic restaurants, family-run takeaway spots, and places where locals actually eat lunch. At one stop you'll have the focaccia di Recco, that thin, creamy, almost impossible-to-describe cheese bread from the village just outside the city. At another, fried fish in a paper cone, the kind of street food that disappears in three bites. The guide knows the owners, knows which dishes are worth ordering, and knows the story behind each one: how long a family has been making it, what changed and what never will. You get water throughout the day, and one alcoholic drink is included (beer, wine, or a local option, depending on the stop). By the end, you've eaten what amounts to a full meal spread across the afternoon, which is the whole point.

There are three versions of this tour: the traditional route focuses on classic Genoese dishes and their history; the street food version hits the quick bites and casual spots; the gourmet option pairs traditional recipes with modern interpretations at contemporary bistros and ends with dessert from a historic pastry shop instead of gelato. All three include pesto and focaccia di Recco. Those are non-negotiable. Groups stay small, which means the guide can actually talk to you, answer questions, and adjust the pace if someone wants to linger. The tour runs in English and Italian. Other languages are available if you ask ahead. You'll need a moderate level of fitness because you're walking the city on foot, and the cobblestones don't flatten themselves.

If you have a severe food allergy, this tour isn't safe for you. The guide can't guarantee cross-contamination won't happen in a working kitchen. Otherwise, bring an appetite and comfortable shoes. The tour doesn't require booking a restaurant separately or figuring out which focaccia stand is worth the line. You show up, walk, eat, and learn why Genoa's food matters. That's the trade.

What’s included

• Your tour includes an English-speaking local guide who shares insider knowledge about Genoese food and culture, water throughout the day, one alcoholic drink at a stop of the guide's choice, and food at four stops that together make up a full meal.
• Pesto made with fresh basil and pine nuts is included in all three tour versions, as is the famous focaccia di Recco with creamy Stracchino cheese.
• You'll also taste focaccia bread, fresh seafood or street food depending on which tour you choose, and finish with either artisanal gelato or a traditional pastry-shop dessert.

Options for this experience

6 options

Food Tour of Genoa's Street FoodGuide in English or Italian · 11:30Street Food Tour: This is the ideal choice if you'd like to discover our culinary heritage and eat where locals love to. It includes at least five street food dishes, served at various restaurants.

Food Tour of Traditional GenoaGuide in English or Italian · 11:30 and 18:00This is the ideal choice if you'd like to discover our culinary heritage and dine where locals like to eat. It includes at least five traditional dishes, served at various restaurants.

Genoa Street Food Tour with Drink CardGuide in English or Italian · 11:30Special Drink Card: (18+ only) Over the course of your tour, you'll enjoy at least 3 alcoholic drinks. Wine, beer or spirits will be offered.

See 3 more options

Gourmet Food Tour of GenoaGuide in English or Italian · 11:30On our Genoa Gourmet food tour, you'll dine in lovely historic cafes as well as in modern, trendy restaurants.

Genoa Traditional Tour with Drink CardGuide in English or Italian · 11:30 and 18:00Special Drink Card (Trad.): (18+ only) Over the course of your tour, you'll enjoy at least 3 alcoholic drinks. Wine, beer or spirits will be offered.

Genoa Gourmet Tour with Drink CardGuide in English or Italian · 11:30Special Drink Card (Gourmet): (18+ only) Over the course of your tour, you'll enjoy at least 3 alcoholic drinks. Wine, beer or spirits will be offered.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:30 and 18:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Do Eat Better Experience

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat like a local in Genoa without researching restaurants, timing yourself, or navigating the language barrier: the small-group format and local guide handle all three, which is what makes four separate stops feel like one coherent meal instead of a scattered afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the price?

English-speaking local guide, water throughout the day, one alcoholic drink, and food at four stops that add up to a full meal. Pesto and focaccia di Recco are included in all versions.

Are there different tour options?

Yes. The traditional tour covers classic Genoese dishes and history. The street food tour focuses on quick bites and casual spots. The gourmet tour pairs traditional recipes with modern interpretations and includes a pastry-shop dessert instead of gelato.

Can I do this tour if I have food allergies?

No. Guests with severe or life-threatening food allergies cannot participate due to cross-contamination risks in working kitchens.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The tour involves walking through Genoa's streets and caruggi (narrow alleyways) on cobblestones.

Is there a minimum age?

Yes. The minimum drinking age is 18 because one alcoholic drink is included.