Outdoor Summer Bars & Eats
Everybody prefers outdoor bars and restaurants in these times – which of course gives us the perfect opportunity to create this little guide with some of our suggestions of the top trendy bars in Genoa that have outside seating, just perfect for those long summer evenings in Liguria, perhaps accompanied by one of those spectacular pink sunsets.
Locanda Spinola
If you like quality Italian food located in the heart of the historical city centre, this place is specialised in fish and has some very charming wines on its list. Located in front of the Palazzo Spinola National Gallery and a few minutes from central via Garibaldi with all Genoa’s best art museums, the place just oozes atmosphere. The joint is small but super stylish – don’t miss out on their handmade black squid ink pasta with octopus ragu!
This place is a hidden gem! A beach club that has a
restaurant and a bar with incredible views and an outdoor terrace directly on
the rocks. Their speciality is of course fish, authentic pizza, and don’t
forget to ask for the traditional cheese focaccia “tipo di Recco”, which drips
warm and delicious stracchino cheese on to your plate!
Prices are very reasonable, considering you are eating high
quality Italian food at an amazing beach location!
An absolutely perfect place for a sundowner, watching the
Ligurian sunset – a genuine #italianriviera moment
#yachtie #crew #pirate
This is a favourite bar with yachties, a very young and modern cocktail bar with a HUGE outdoor terrace! Located under the monument to Garibaldi’s “Expedition of the Thousand” – in fact it was from these rocks in front of Genova Quarto where you see the flag planted that in Garibaldi left in 1860 with his troops, off to unify Italy – it truly has a HUGE terrace overlooking the sea, one of Genoa’s finest, giving you the sensation of having your drink whilst seated on the bow of a vessel. They do local typical Ligurian Italian food, but they also do international food like poke bowls, and offer special cocktails like the Hendrick’s tonic and Malfy gin, as well as proposing their very own Monu beer, served with nibbles.
Blunt Beach Club
#DJ #Beachparty #VIP #nightlife
The Blunt is a local staple, a super fun place for a Saturday night beach party. They have a good wine list, with champagnes and Franciacorta bubbles and well as crisp Italian wines like local Vermentino and Ribolla Gialla and also have highly skilled cocktail barmen on hand for that magical aperitivo hour. Between the large terrace and all the tables on the beach the Blunt can host hundreds of guests, serving fresh local fish dishes and pumping up the DJ set as the night wears on and creating a real party vibe.
Located very near the city centre of Genoa, this place is located on the beach below the main boardwalk of Genoa’s “Corso italia” just before you reach Boccadasse. It is a beach club, restaurant pizza and bar, and…to make the evening more interesting, it has a five-a-side football pitch! Soccer by the beach followed by drinks anyone? They even offer discounts if you want to have a game and then dine there afterwards. Their motto – football is the most important of the unimportant things!
#tapas #view #meat #aperitivo #patanegra #fancy
This place is an absolute MUST when in Genoa! Located in Boccadasse (a place where you will feel like you’re in an old movie!) this bar has breath-taking views, offering a cocktail and tapas for 17euros! Just a couple of kms from the city centre Eastwards along the main boardwalk in beautiful fishing village-like location Boccadasse, this classy spot has extra high-quality tapas, with – as the name suggests – 36-month seasoned Torreon patanegra ham and other specialty bites, like chorizo and smoked duck breast. If you can’t drag yourself away from the view, the restaurant is specialised in meat dishes – using prime ingredients like Angus steak and Blonde Aquitaine fillet, as well as slow leavened pizza.
Taverna Zaccaria
#cozy #local #center
Located in the city centre of Genoa, this is a very local pub style of bar, cozy vibe with good food and good service, serving drinks and cold cut platters in particular. The striking thing about it is that the tables are scattered around the most extraordinary beautiful little church dedicated to saints Cosma and Damiano, dating back to 1049, with its typical Romanesque style façade. As the light fades away, the candlelit atmosphere of this bar transports you into a different dimension!
#beer #oktoberfest #burgers
Many of the yachtie visitors to Genoa underline the uniqueness of the Scurreria Beer & Bagel, a real beer heaven with top selection of craft beers from all over the world. It is a gem in Genoa, with English speaking staff and a fun atmosphere! Local Ligurian and Italian national craft beers of course, but above all the real greats from Germany, Belgium and even the US, as well as UK ales and stouts (accompanied sometimes by English Breakfast fayre or delicious crispy pork stuffed bagels). A perfect place for beer tasting, a great day to try something new!
Located right next to Genoa’s luxurious street with all the big fashion brands and just a couple of minutes’ walk from central De Ferrari fountain, this super trendy bar is perfect for a cocktail before dinner. Packed with trendsetters and with a distinctly lounge feeling to it, they have expert mixers and offer a various and rich appetizers buffet to go with your drink. Perfect for meeting up with friends before setting off for a dinner in one of the vicoli eateries below.
Bisu
#terrace #hip #cocktails
Located on Genoa’s main sea boardwalk – Corso Italia – this trendy bar serves great value creative cocktails, with an atmosphere which is romantic but at the same time perfect also for parties.
The white and turquoise seafront terrace is absolutely gorgeous, with a traditional local Ligurian slate floor which sets off the airy Mediterranean colours of the décor beautifully. Relaxed, airy Med living at its best!
A yachtie favourite bar, located bang in the middle of the Porto Antico, a short walking distance to the berths in Marina Molo Vecchio. It’s a classic Italian bar with seafood specialities, a great place to drink an Aperol Spritz or a negroni in the city centre with a view of the port. Nearby to chic eatery Eataly which has some great dining options. Banano Tsunami also do great breakfast and brunch for the morning after 😊
La Goletta Sea Side
#international #pub #modern
Genoa’s ultimate yachtie bar, located in Marina Molo Vecchio not far from the city centre!
This American-style bar offers great food and drinks and always gears up for outdoors viewing of sports events, like the international football tournaments and rugby fixtures. It offers the best view of the marina in Porto Antico and you can have a drink or a tasty lunch whilst still keeping your eye on the passarelle. The place can get crowded late at night, so if you are coming with a group of people, it’s a good idea to make a reservation.
SYS Sporting Club
#young #beachclub #party #DJ
Located just a 10-minute drive East from the city centre and port, this establishment has been a fixture on Genoa’s night circuit since before any of us were born!
SYS is short for “Sand in Your Shoes” and it’s the perfect place for a beach party: its directly on the beach location makes the restaurant transform into a party at night (in pre-COVID times) but now has the advantage of having an extensive terrace for outdoor drinks.
Mama Sun Club
ESCAPE FROM THE CITY!
If you feel like getting out of Genoa, why not adventure along the Eastern coast for an aperitivo on the Riviera?
Bogliasco
A 20 minute drive from Genoa
L'Approdo
This very pretty watercolour by Nicoletta Mignone gives you an idea what to expect when you visit charming beach bar L’Approdo – Italian for the landing point . A lovely beach bar aperitif right on the seafront – the location is great for a small party celebration or a crew outing.
Intimate enough even for a romantic date, at the same time with fun music and a good buzz, it is known for creative cocktails and carefee vibe.
Il Bistrotto
This is a specialized cocktail and wine bar doing fantastic Tapas in Bogliasco, a sleepy riviera town just outside Genoa’s city limits, famous for its waterpolo players and for the Sampdoria training ground (in fact a lot of footie stars live nearby and who can blame them!).
Founded by three young guys in 2017 with a real passion for hospitality, the Bistrotto is an innovative and cool bar with an enviable wine and drinks list. They are able to count on a very special bartender, Marela, who is extremely knowledgeable.
Recco
A 30 minute drive from Genoa
Era Ora Summer Bar
Anyone say Aperol Spritz by the beach? Located right on the sea, this casual place is a perfect place for drinks before dinner, or for a romantic sunset drink.
Era Ora (“it was about time!”) is located in the tiny bay of Mulinetti, just before Recco – another locality famous for its waterpolo team Pro Recco, holders of more national championship titles than you could shake a stick at – and has a series of tiny wooden terraces all overlooking the turquoise crystalline waters.
After the sun has gone down, check out some of the Recco restaurants and have some of their famous drippy cheese focaccia in the very place where it was invented.
Camogli
30 min drive from Genoa
Muagetti in San Rocco
A romantic occasion with a visiting special someone? Take a vacation from your life and feel like a tourist with an aperitivo here, in a magical setting. Park in the large car park just before the enchanting hamlet of San Rocco and stroll along to this location overlooking charming Camogli and the whole of the paradise Gulf, where you can see as far as Genoa.
Marco the barman is an expert, making some of the best-mixed cocktails along the coast. But do book (let me say that again – make sure you book!) as this is a local favourite, both with residents and Milan folks alike – you truly won’t get a view of the riviera like this anywhere else.