Like much of the Ponente Ligure, Arenzano's cuisine is green, fragrant, and almost vegetarian in character, with olive oil at its heart. Pesto is the star — basil sauce pounded with pine nuts and Parmesan, served over trofie (small hand-rolled pasta twists) or trenette. Ravioli and pansoti (stuffed with herbs and greens) are other local staples.
The focaccia di Recco — a thin, crispy bread filled with soft stracchino cheese — is a speciality of this stretch of coast and worth seeking out. Seafood leans toward the humble: sardines, anchovies, and salt cod prepared in dozens of ways. The Ligurian kitchen borrows freely from the Middle East, Spain, and North Africa, the legacy of centuries of coastal trade.