Trattoria Rosmarino

Trattoria Rosmarino is on Salita del Fondaco, a steep lane in the historic centre running from the Piazza De Ferrari area towards San Lorenzo Cathedral. It is an intimate dining room, with closely set tables and a service style that takes time to explain dishes rather than turn the meal around quickly. The Michelin Guide selected it for a Bib Gourmand in its 2024 Italian guide, a distinction that recognises careful cooking at moderate prices for its level, although the final bill depends on what you order. For travellers seeking pesto, the restaurant treats it as part of Ligurian cooking rather than a generic sauce added at the end.

The menu brings together regional produce and seasonal recipes. The trattoria highlights trofie with pesto, a short pasta shape that holds the sauce well, alongside dishes such as salt cod and potato brandacujun, fish and meat options; the menu changes, so check the current version. Recent diner comments repeatedly praise the presentation, ingredient quality, attentive welcome and pesto. Other reviews find the experience expensive or note that its popularity makes advance booking important. It suits a sit-down meal with time to ask about ingredients and available choices more than an improvised stop between sights.

The official website lists lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday and lunch only on Sunday; bookings can be made by telephone or WhatsApp. San Lorenzo is a short walk away, although the slope on Salita del Fondaco may be difficult with luggage or limited mobility. The restaurant does not present itself as a pesto-only destination: its appeal lies in tasting that Genoese staple alongside other local flavours on a broader menu. Visitors looking for a dining room in a historic setting directly opposite the cathedral can compare it with nearby Osteria Le Colonne.