Best Bakeries & Panetterie in Liguria: Where to Find the Best Focaccia, Farinata and More

There’s a moment that happens every morning across Liguria. Sometime around 7 AM, the first tray of focaccia slides out of a wood-fired oven, and the scent of hot olive oil and sea salt drifts through the caruggi. By 7:15, there’s already a line at the door.

Ligurian bakeries — panetterie and forni — aren’t just places to buy bread. They’re the heartbeat of every neighborhood, the keeper of recipes passed down through generations, and the reason Ligurians will happily cross town for the right focaccia col formaggio (the legendary cheese-stuffed focaccia from Recco).

This guide takes you through Liguria’s bakery culture: what to order, where to go in every major town, and the difference between a good focaccia and a life-changing one.

The Essential Ligurian Bakery Items

Before we get to the addresses, let’s talk about what you’re actually ordering. A Ligurian panetteria is a very specific kind of bakery — it’s not French, it’s not Sicilian, and it’s definitely not a place for croissants (though some make excellent brioche).

Focaccia Genovese

The undisputed queen of Ligurian baking. Proper focaccia genovese is about 2 cm thick, dimpled with fingertip indentations that trap pools of olive oil and coarse sea salt, with a golden, slightly crisp top and a pillowy interior. It’s eaten at any hour — breakfast dipped in cappuccino, lunch stuffed with mortadella, aperitivo on its own. I’ve written a full deep-dive on focaccia genovese — its history, recipe, and the bakeries that do it best in Genoa.

Focaccia di Recco (Focaccia col Formaggio)

This is a completely different beast from focaccia genovese — and arguably even more addictive. Two paper-thin sheets of dough sandwich a layer of soft stracchino cheese (officially IGP-protected formaggio di Recco), baked at extreme heat until the cheese bubbles and the dough crackles. The result is somewhere between a quesadilla and a miracle. It must be eaten immediately — the window between perfect and soggy is about four minutes. Recco (the town) is its spiritual home, but you’ll find excellent versions in Genoa, Camogli, and along the eastern Riviera.

Farinata

Not technically a bakery item (it’s made by farinotte, specialized farinata shops), but every self-respecting bakery in western Liguria makes it. Farinata is a thin, crispy-edged chickpea flour pancake cooked in a copper pan in a wood oven. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, and deeply satisfying — nutty from the chickpea flour, crisp from the hot oil, and seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper. Savona and Imperia are farinata heartland.

Pane di Triora

From the medieval mountain village of Triora (famous for its witch trials — but that’s another story) comes Liguria’s most distinctive bread. Made with a mix of wheat and bran flour, it has a dark, rustic crust and a dense, slightly sour crumb. It stays fresh for up to two weeks — a mountain bread designed for self-sufficiency. You’ll find it in bakeries across Imperia province and in specialty shops in Genoa.

Sweet Pastries

Ligurian bakeries also excel at sweets. Baci di Alassio are chocolate-hazelnut sandwich cookies from the town of Alassio. Amaretti di Sassello are crisp, almond-based macaroons from the inland town of Sassello. Canestrelli are buttery, flower-shaped shortbread cookies dusted with powdered sugar. And every bakery has its own version of torta di riso (rice tart) and torta pasqualina (Easter savory pie with greens, eggs, and cheese).

Best Bakeries by Town

Genoa

Genoa is focaccia capital — the density of excellent bakeries here is staggering.

• Panificio Mario (Via San Vincenzo 59) — A Genoa institution since 1930. Their focaccia is the benchmark: perfectly dimpled, generously oiled, with that ideal balance of crisp and pillowy. Go before 11 AM or it’s gone.
• Antico Forno della Casana (Vico Casana 17) — Hidden in a caruggi alley near Piazza De Ferrari. Famous for focaccia di Recco and an extraordinary torta di verdura (savory vegetable tart).
• Forno Alimentare Bruzzo (Via di Sottoripa 82) — In the porticoes of the old port, this no-frills bakery does exceptional farinata, focaccia, and farinata di zucca (pumpkin farinata in autumn).
• Pasticceria Profumo (Via del Portello 2) — More pastry-focused, but their savory selection includes mini focaccette and exquisite canestrelli. The torta di riso here is the best in Genoa.

For a broader look at Genoa’s food scene, see our Genoa travel guide and food and drink section.

Recco and Camogli

If you care about focaccia di Recco — and you should — this stretch of the Riviera is hallowed ground.

• Manuelina (Via Roma 278, Recco) — The most famous focaccia di Recco in Liguria. The dough is so thin you can read a newspaper through it, and the stracchino inside is molten and slightly tangy. Manuelina is also a full restaurant, but you can grab focaccia to go from the bakery counter.
• Da Ö Vittorio (Via Roma 160, Recco) — Manuelina’s traditional rival. Locals are split on which is better — try both and pick a side. Da Ö Vittorio’s version is slightly thicker and crispier.
• Panificio Maccarini (Via della Repubblica 87, Camogli) — In Camogli, this family-run bakery has been going since 1945. Their focaccia genovese is excellent, but the real star is the focaccia di Recco made with locally sourced formaggio. Grab some and eat it on the Camogli seafront — read our Camogli travel guide for more on this gorgeous town.

Cinque Terre and La Spezia

The Cinque Terre villages have fewer traditional bakeries (tourism has pushed out many old shops), but La Spezia more than compensates.

• Panificio Pasticceria Il Forno (Via Felice Cavallotti 22, La Spezia) — This is where Spezzini go for focaccia. Their focaccia con le cipolle (onion focaccia) is legendary — sweet, caramelized onions embedded in olive oil-rich dough.
• Panificio La Pia (Via Genova 28, La Spezia) — Excellent focaccia genovese and a fantastic selection of Ligurian sweet pastries including baci di Alassio.

Planning to explore the area? Our Cinque Terre travel guide and La Spezia guide have you covered.

Savona and the Western Riviera

Western Liguria is farinata territory. The bakeries here reflect the area’s closer ties to Piedmontese and Provencal baking traditions.

• Panificio Maccioni (Via Piave 39, Savona) — The gold standard for focaccia in Savona and famous for their farinata, which comes out blistered and crisp-edged.
• Forno Bianco (Via San Lorenzo 24, Alassio) — In the elegant resort town of Alassio, this bakery makes superb focaccia and the town’s signature baci di Alassio cookies. See our Alassio travel guide for more.
• Panificio D’Andrea (Via Roma 15, Ventimiglia) — Near the French border, this bakery’s sourdough bread shows Provençal influence alongside classic Ligurian focaccia. Read our Ventimiglia guide.

Sanremo and Imperia

The Riviera dei Fiori (Flower Riviera) has a proud baking tradition, influenced by the area’s history as a crossroads between Italy and France.

• Panificio Asplanato (Corso Matteotti 64, Sanremo) — The best focaccia in Sanremo, plus an outstanding torta di verdura with wild greens. Our Sanremo travel guide has more local tips.
• Panificio Pasticceria Torrefazione Alberti (Via della Repubblica 15, Imperia) — A one-stop shop: focaccia, farinata, fresh pasta, and excellent coffee. Everything a Ligurian bakery should be. See our Imperia travel guide.

How to Order Like a Local

Walking into a Ligurian bakery for the first time can be intimidating — the counter is a blur of golden dough and rapid-fire Italian. Here’s how to navigate it:

• “Un pezzo di focaccia, per favore” — A piece of focaccia. The baker will ask “Quanto?” (how much?) — hold up your fingers or say “così” (like this) and they’ll cut to size. It’s priced by weight.
• “Focaccia calda?” — Is it hot? The magic hour is when focaccia is still warm from the oven. If they say “sì, appena sfornata” (yes, just out of the oven), you’ve hit the jackpot.
• “Senza sale” or “con sale” — Without or with salt. Some bakeries make both versions (unsalted is traditional for certain dishes).
• Morning timing: Bakeries typically open at 7–7:30 AM. The best focaccia is gone by 10–11 AM. Many bakeries close from 1–4 PM and reopen in the late afternoon for a second batch. Sunday mornings are sacred — expect lines.
• Focaccia di Recco timing: This one is made to order at specialty places. Don’t expect to find it at every bakery — and when you do, eat it immediately.

Beyond the Bakery: Ligurian Food Culture

A great focaccia is just the beginning. Ligurian cuisine is one of Italy’s most distinctive — shaped by the sea, the mountains, and centuries of trade with the wider Mediterranean. From trofie al pesto to cappon magro, the region’s culinary landscape rewards curiosity. Our Liguria food guide covers the 20 essential dishes, while our best pesto in Genoa guide tracks down the definitive versions of Liguria’s most famous export. For the sweet side, don’t miss our best gelato in Liguria guide.

Related Guides

• Focaccia Genovese Guide — history, recipe, and where to find the best
• Liguria Food Guide — 20 dishes you must try on the Italian Riviera
• Best Pesto in Genoa — 8 essential addresses
• Best Gelato in Liguria — 15 must-try gelaterias
• Ligurian Wine Guide — Vermentino, Pigato, and more
• All Food & Drink Guides — complete culinary coverage
• Farinata & Ligurian Street Food — farinata, panissa and all the savoury Ligurian classics
• Where to Eat in Savona and the Riviera delle Palme — The best trattorias, focaccerie, and seafood on the western Riviera