Albenga sits in one of Italy's most distinctive culinary zones. The piana — a flat coastal plain sheltered by the Ligurian Alps — produces artichokes that are famous across Italy, along with olive oil, legumes, and sweet onions, all cultivated since before the discovery of the Americas. Local fishermen still use nets rather than farming, so the catch varies with the season: the fish soup called zuppa di pesce, made with rockfish and mussels, is at its best in winter and spring.
The area's signature wines are Pigato (a white with mineral depth) and Rossese (a light red). Typical dishes to look for include torta pasqualina (a beet-green and egg pie), cima genovese (stuffed veal), pansoti with walnut sauce, and farinata (a chickpea-flour pancake cooked in a wood oven). Pesto — made with Ligurian basil, whose flavour the salty coastal air is said to intensify — appears on pasta throughout the region.
Le Anfore, near the cathedral, is a reliable family-run trattoria. Rapalline (Regione Rapalline 49), just outside the centre, serves Ligurian and Tuscan specialities. For fish, Franco's offers good value. Minisport, near the railway station, is the top-end option for fish and wine.