Ligurian cuisine is light, fragrant, and almost vegetarian in character, with olive oil and fresh herbs at its heart. Spotorno shares in the coastal cooking traditions of the Ponente, where the flavors of the land and sea have been mixing for centuries.
The region is famous for pesto, the basil sauce that tops trenette and trofie pasta. Ravioli, pansoti stuffed with herbs and greens, and gnocchi are all common first courses. Main dishes lean toward white meats like rabbit and chicken, though wild boar and snails appear on menus too. From the sea, expect sardines, anchovies, and sea bass, along with salt cod and stockfish prepared in dozens of ways.
The oven-baked focaccia di Recco, thin bread layered with soft stracchino cheese, is worth a detour in itself. Pine nuts, walnuts, olives, and mushrooms appear everywhere, and the local extra virgin olive oil ties it all together.