Restaurant in Genoa, Italy
Old-city Genoa trattoria, caruggi setting.
La Buca di San Matteo occupies a characterful medieval lane in Genoa's old city, making it a practical first stop for anyone trying to understand traditional Ligurian cooking. Booking is easy, the setting is genuine rather than performed, and the seasonal menu rhythm rewards visiting at the right time of year. Cross-reference with our Genoa restaurant guide before finalising your itinerary.
La Buca di San Matteo sits on Via David Chiossone in the historic heart of Genoa's caruggi — the tightly woven medieval alleyways of the old city. For a first-timer trying to understand what Ligurian cooking actually tastes like outside of tourist-facing trattorie, this address is worth knowing. Booking is direct, the neighbourhood rewards slow exploration, and the setting does the work before a single dish arrives.
The visual experience begins well before you sit down. Via David Chiossone is one of the more characterful lanes in Genoa's UNESCO-listed old town — stone-flagged, narrow, lined with the kind of faded painted facades that take decades to earn. The interior follows suit: this is not a room designed to perform authenticity, it simply has it. First-timers should arrive with enough time to walk the surrounding streets before the meal; the context sharpens the experience.
Genoa's cuisine has a tight seasonal rhythm that rewards attention. Autumn and winter push toward chestnut-inflected dishes, stockfish preparations, and the kind of slow-cooked legume soups (minestrone alla genovese, mesciüa) that make cold-weather visits particularly well-suited to the city's traditional kitchens. Spring brings fresh herbs , Ligurian basil at its most fragrant , and the pesto preparations that the region is known for internationally. If you are visiting now, lean into whatever is listed as a daily special; venues in this part of Genoa that take seasonal sourcing seriously will shift the menu accordingly.
For broader context on where La Buca di San Matteo sits in Genoa's dining options, see our full Genoa restaurants guide. If you are building a longer itinerary, our Genoa hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the city. For standout Italian restaurants elsewhere in the country, Dal Pescatore in Runate, Uliassi in Senigallia, and Piazza Duomo in Alba represent the upper tier of the national conversation. If your travels extend further, Le Bernardin in New York City and Lazy Bear in San Francisco are points of international comparison worth knowing.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Buca di San Matteo | — | ||
| Il Marin | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
| San Giorgio | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
| La Pineta | €€ | — | |
| Rosmarino | €€ | — | |
| The Cook | Michelin 1 Star | €€€€ | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
No confirmed menu or dietary information is available for this venue. The practical step is to check the venue's official channels before booking if dietary restrictions matter to your group. Ligurian kitchens often feature fish, pesto, and egg-based pastas as staples, so it is worth flagging requirements in advance.
The address is the first thing to sort: Via David Chiossone sits inside Genoa's caruggi, the UNESCO-listed medieval alley network, so expect narrow lanes and no parking nearby. Arrive on foot from the old city centre and give yourself a few extra minutes to find it. The setting is the draw here — this is a neighbourhood spot embedded in one of Italy's most characterful historic districts, not a tourist-facing restaurant on a main square.
Nothing in the available data specifies a dress code, and the Via David Chiossone address in the working caruggi suggests an informal neighbourhood atmosphere rather than a formal dining room. Clean, casual clothing fits the context — overly formal dress would likely be out of place.
No booking policy is publicly confirmed, but small trattorie in Genoa's caruggi typically have limited covers and fill up fast at lunch and on weekend evenings. check the venue's official channels to check availability before you plan around it. Walk-in chances are better on weekday lunchtimes.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
