The Monthly Regional Specialty Food Market in Genoa
Genoa is one of the great food cities of Italy.
It not only has dozens of hole-in-the-wall specialty food shops selling everything from excellent, natural olive oil and sweet pandolce dessert cake, to fresh octopus or world-class, artisanal coffee.
Genoa also boasts one of the country’s liveliest and best-stocked covered markets, the Mercato Orientale, about which I will be writing in a future article.
Most recently, Genoa has begun hosting a monthly artisanal specialty food market featuring local Ligurian products and those of the many regions of Italy. You’ll find everything from Ligurian basil to taralli savory biscuits from Puglia, plus cheese and mortadella from Emilia, and porchetta (spit-roasted pork) from central Italy.
The regional food market is held in the wide square facing the Renaissance façade of Palazzo Ducale. This imposing palace (built starting in the Middle Ages) was for centuries the seat of power of the Genoese Dogate and the Republic of Genoa.
Nowadays, Palazzo Ducale is a venue for temporary art exhibitions of the highest order, and is also a favorite meeting place of the Genoese. It houses cafes, restaurants, and bookstores under its colonnades and along its wide, sunny inner courtyards.
Though not entirely organic, Genoa’s regional food market always includes a number of organic producers of fruit, vegetables, wines, basil and Genoese pesto. It lasts 2 days – a weekend, usually in the middle of the month. I was there today and made this short video.
Read more about Camogli, the history, culture, food, wine, hikes, treks, restaurants, food shops, best coffee, best focaccia, best Portofino-area discoveries and more in our books, Food Wine Italian Riviera & Genoa and Enchanted Liguria.
Read More About Genoa
Genoa Monthly Regional Food MarketGenoa Chiaroscuro and the Soul of a Port City
Genoa Favorites: A Fabulous Food Shop and Café
