Ligurian Seafood Guide: The Complete Guide to Fish, Shellfish and Coastal Cuisine (2026)

Liguria has 340 kilometers of coastline and one of Italy’s richest maritime traditions — yet somehow, the region’s seafood doesn’t get the attention it deserves. While visitors obsess over pesto and focaccia (deservedly), the real soul of Ligurian cooking swims in the Ligurian Sea. From acciughe (anchovies) cured under salt in Monterosso to cappon magro — the baroque seafood-and-vegetable tower that’s Liguria’s most elaborate dish — this is a cuisine shaped by fishermen, not chefs.

I’ve eaten my way through Liguria’s seafood over many visits — from €5 cones of fried anchovies on the Monterosso waterfront to multi-course tasting menus in Genoa’s historic carruggi. This guide covers the essential species, the must-try dishes, how to order like a local, and where to find the best seafood in every corner of the region.

The Fish: What’s in Ligurian Waters

The Ligurian Sea is part of the Pelagos Sanctuary, a protected marine area spanning 87,500 square kilometers between Italy, France, and Monaco. The deep waters and rocky seabed support an extraordinary diversity of species. Here’s what you’ll encounter on Ligurian menus:

• Acciughe (anchovies) — The undisputed king of Ligurian seafood. Monterosso anchovies, caught using traditional lampara lamps at night, are sweeter and more delicate than any you’ve tasted. They’re eaten fresh (fried, marinated), salt-cured, or packed in olive oil. The acciughe sotto sale (salt-packed anchovies) from Monterosso have protected status.
• Stoccafisso (stockfish) — Air-dried cod, not native but deeply Ligurian. Introduced by Genoese traders from Norway centuries ago, it’s now central to dishes like stoccafisso accomodato (slow-braised with tomatoes, olives, and pine nuts). Badalucco, in the Imperia hinterland, holds an annual stockfish festival.
• Muscoli (mussels) — La Spezia’s mussels are famous throughout Italy. Grown on suspended lines in the Gulf of La Spezia, they’re plumper and more flavorful than most. The classic preparation is muscoli ripieni — stuffed with breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, and Parmesan.
• Totani e calamari (squid) — Essential for fritto misto and often stuffed with vegetables or served in zimino (a chickpea stew with Swiss chard).
• Polpo (octopus) — Simmered until tender and served with potatoes, olives, and celery — a staple of Ligurian antipasti. Also excellent grilled over wood coals.
• Cappone (scorpionfish) — An ugly fish with spectacularly flavorful flesh. Key ingredient in cappon magro and the base for proper Ligurian fish soup.
• Bianchetti (whitebait) — Tiny translucent juvenile fish, available only in late winter/early spring. Simply floured and fried, served with lemon — one of Liguria’s seasonal treasures.

The Iconic Dishes You Must Try

Cappon Magro

If Ligurian cuisine has a crown jewel, this is it. Cappon magro is a sculptural dish: layers of seafood (lobster, scorpionfish, shrimp, mussels, octopus) and blanched vegetables arranged on a base of hardtack (gallette) soaked in vinegar and seawater, all dressed with salsa verde (parsley, garlic, anchovy, capers, pine nuts, olive oil). It’s traditionally a Christmas Eve dish, but you’ll find it year-round at serious Ligurian restaurants. It’s a cold dish, meant to be eaten slowly — an architectural marvel on a plate.

Ciuppin (Ligurian Fish Soup)

Don’t confuse this with Tuscany’s cacciucco. Ciuppin is a simpler, more rustic fish soup — traditionally made from the catch that couldn’t be sold (small fish, heads, bones) simmered with tomatoes, onion, garlic, and white wine, then strained and served over toasted bread with a drizzle of raw olive oil. The Sanremo version is arguably the best, and you’ll find it at almost any traditional restaurant along the western Riviera.

Acciughe Ripiene (Stuffed Anchovies)

Fresh anchovies, butterflied and stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, and egg, then baked or pan-fried. This is a quintessential antipasto — simple ingredients, perfect execution. The best versions are in the Cinque Terre, where the anchovies come straight from the boats in Monterosso.

Muscoli Ripieni (Stuffed Mussels)

La Spezia’s signature dish. Large mussels on the half shell are topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, mortadella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, and parsley, then baked until golden. They’re served as an antipasto, and the combination of briny mussel and savory stuffing is addictively good. La Pia in La Spezia’s old town is the most famous address; see our guide to the best restaurants in Cinque Terre for more recommendations in the area.

Fritto Misto di Mare

No visit to the Ligurian coast is complete without a paper cone of fritto misto — mixed fried seafood. The classic mix includes calamari rings, whole anchovies, shrimp, and sometimes small paranza fish, all dusted in semolina flour and fried in olive oil until crisp. Best eaten immediately, standing at a counter with a squeeze of lemon. The fritto misto shops along the Monterosso waterfront and in Genoa’s Sottoripa arcades are institutions.

Brandacujun

A rustic dish from the western Riviera with a name that doesn’t translate politely. It’s salt cod whipped with potatoes, olive oil, garlic, and parsley into a creamy spread, served on crostini or as a contorno. The name comes from the vigorous shaking motion (brandare) required to emulsify the mixture. You’ll find it in trattorias around Imperia, Sanremo, and Ventimiglia. It’s proof that Ligurian cooking at its best is profoundly simple.

Where to Eat Seafood by Area

Genoa & the Central Riviera

Genoa is Liguria’s seafood capital by sheer volume and variety. The Sottoripa arcades near the Porto Antico are lined with historic friggitorie (fry shops) where you can eat standing at a counter for under €10. For a proper sit-down meal, Antica Osteria di Vico Palla in the old port does textbook cappon magro and stoccafisso accomodato. In Camogli, Rosa serves impeccable seafood with a view of the Gulf of Paradise.

Cinque Terre & La Spezia

Monterosso is the anchovy capital, and Ristorante Miky has been the reference point for Ligurian seafood since 1980. In Riomaggiore, Rio Bistrot offers a modern take with exceptional raw fish plates. La Spezia’s La Pia is the pilgrimage site for muscoli ripieni. See our full Cinque Terre restaurant guide for detailed recommendations.

Western Riviera (Imperia to Ventimiglia)

The western Riviera is strong on traditional trattorias where seafood is handled with reverence. In Sanremo, Ristorante Mare Blu serves exceptional ciuppin and grilled catch of the day. In Ventimiglia, the Friday market attracts fishmongers from across the region — arrive early for the morning auction atmosphere. The smaller coastal towns like Santo Stefano al Mare and San Lorenzo al Mare have no-name beachfront trattorias where the fish was swimming that morning; these are often the best meals you’ll have.

How to Order Seafood Like a Local

• Ask what’s fresh: Say “Cos’ha di fresco oggi?” (What’s fresh today?). Ligurian restaurants pride themselves on daily catch, and the server will enthusiastically list what came in.
• Trust the antipasti di mare: The mixed seafood antipasto is often the best thing on the table — a parade of small plates: marinated anchovies, octopus salad, stuffed mussels, brandacujun, and more. Ordering one each is standard.
• Don’t order fish on Monday: Fishing boats don’t go out on Sunday, so Monday’s seafood is at least a day old. This rule is less strict than it used to be (some boats work Sundays now), but it’s still good practice.
• Accept the whole fish: If the server presents a whole fish tableside before filleting it, that’s a sign of a serious restaurant. Don’t flinch — it’s theater and quality assurance in one gesture.
• Don’t ask for Parmesan on seafood pasta: This is the cardinal sin of Italian dining. Ligurian seafood pasta is finished with olive oil, not cheese. The one exception: pansoti in salsa di noci, which isn’t seafood (it’s a cheese-and-herb ravioli in walnut sauce).

Seafood and Wine: Perfect Pairings

Liguria’s white wines are natural partners for seafood. Pigato — the western Riviera’s flagship white — has a saline minerality that mirrors the sea. It’s exceptional with fried anchovies and stuffed mussels. Vermentino, grown across the region, is fuller-bodied with notes of white peach and Mediterranean herbs — ideal with grilled fish and octopus. For raw fish plates, a Lumassina (from the Savona hills) offers racy acidity that cuts through richness. See our Ligurian wine guide for a deeper dive into the region’s bottles.

Seasonal Seafood Calendar

Ligurian seafood is intensely seasonal. Here’s what to look for throughout the year:

• Winter (Dec-Feb): Bianchetti (whitebait) — the most fleeting and prized seasonal treat. Also squid, excellent for stuffing.
• Spring (Mar-May): Anchovies begin their season. Mussels are at their plumpest. Sea bass and bream are abundant.
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Tuna (tonno rosso) enters the Ligurian Sea. Swordfish appears. Octopus is excellent grilled. Full-on beachside fritto misto season.
• Autumn (Sep-Nov): Scorpionfish, ideal for ciuppin. Mushrooms appear in the hills, creating surf-and-turf traditions. The olive harvest begins — fresh oil to dress every seafood dish.

Beyond the Restaurant: Markets and Street Food

Some of Liguria’s best seafood experiences happen outside restaurants. Genoa’s Mercato Orientale is a cathedral of food — the fish section alone is worth an hour of browsing. In La Spezia, the covered Mercato Centrale on Piazza Cavour has superb fishmongers and a few stands that’ll fry what you pick. In Imperia, the Mercato di Oneglia is the go-to for fresh anchovies and local fish.

For street food, the aforementioned friggitorie in Genoa’s Sottoripa are essential. But also look for focaccia di Recco col formaggio — not seafood, but the ultimate savory counterpoint to a morning spent browsing fish markets. Camogli’s waterfront has excellent cono di fritto misto stands in summer.

Sustainability and the Pelagos Sanctuary

The Ligurian Sea is protected by the Pelagos Sanctuary, a trilateral agreement between Italy, France, and Monaco to protect marine mammals — including the fin whales and sperm whales that feed in the deep waters off the Ligurian coast. (See our whale watching guide to experience this firsthand.) While the sanctuary focuses on cetaceans rather than fisheries, it has raised awareness about marine conservation across the region.

When choosing seafood, look for restaurants that specify pescato locale (locally caught) rather than imported fish. The anchovy fishery in Monterosso is a model of small-scale, traditional fishing that’s been sustainable for centuries. Avoid tuna in summer unless it’s explicitly line-caught tonno rosso from the Ligurian Sea — most tuna served is imported and industrially caught.

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