The Scrivia Valley's food is the food of the Ligurian interior: wild mushrooms, hand-made pasta, rabbit stewed with local herbs, chestnut preparations in autumn. Sant'Olcese salami appears on almost every antipasto plate. Further up the valley, towards the Piedmontese border, the cooking starts to incorporate more butter and the wines lean towards the Cortese of Gavi.
Most restaurants in the valley are unpretentious trattorie serving local families at weekends. Booking ahead on Sundays is advisable — these are popular destinations for Genoese day trips.