The Brignole neighbourhood, centred on the east end of the city around its main train station, is where Genoa lives its everyday life away from tourists. The market streets of Via San Vincenzo and Via Colombo carry the city's serious food culture; the cafes and bars around Piazza Brignole are for commuters and students rather than visitors.
It is a good neighbourhood to base yourself in if you want to experience the city as a resident rather than a tourist: quieter than the old city, more characterful than the 19th-century avenues near De Ferrari. The Mercato Orientale is a 10-minute walk west.