In Genoa, pesto is not an interchangeable green sauce: Ligurian basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, salt and olive oil come together in a recipe that the city’s tourism office links to the region and to the mortar. It is traditionally served with trofie, trenette or gnocchi, and crushing the leaves by hand helps preserve their aroma. From San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Old Town’s lanes lead to two ways of exploring that cooking: an intimate room on an uphill street and tables in a palazzo beside the medieval façade.
Trattoria Rosmarino, at Salita del Fondaco 30, takes a contemporary approach to Genoese cooking and a seasonal menu. Trofie with pesto appear alongside brandacujun, fish and other Ligurian recipes; diners praise the welcome and presentation, although some find the bill high or advise booking. Osteria Le Colonne, at Piazza Invrea 3R, serves mandilli with pesto in Palazzo Squarciafico, a few metres from San Lorenzo. Its location makes outdoor dining possible and leaves the route open towards Piazza De Ferrari or the Old Port; reviews often mention creative dishes and attentive service, with waits possible at busy times.
The difference is practical as well as culinary. Rosmarino is on a sloping street and serves lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, with lunch only on Sunday; Le Colonne opens daily in two sittings and makes it easy to continue through the monumental centre on foot. Before choosing, check which pasta shape and pesto version are on that day’s menu. The sauce can change with the season and each kitchen has its own balance of herbs, cheese and oil, so asking what is available is more useful than relying on an old photograph.
A visit to San Lorenzo adds context to the walk: the cathedral became Genoa’s episcopal seat in the Middle Ages, and its Romanesque and Gothic layers sit within a city built between harbour and hills. From there, Le Colonne is the most immediate stop; Rosmarino takes a few minutes uphill but offers an intimate dining room and a broader seasonal menu. Either restaurant can be a food destination in its own right, not merely a meal between monuments, if you book and leave time to eat at an unhurried pace.
For a first taste of pesto opposite the cathedral, Le Colonne combines local pasta with the direct setting; Rosmarino suits visitors seeking an intimate table and a chance to compare pesto with other Ligurian recipes. The walk between them captures Genoa’s centre: open squares, narrow passages and slopes linking churches with the old harbour. Check the day’s schedule and book, particularly for dinner.
Le Colonne is beside San Lorenzo; Rosmarino offers an intimate room and seasonal menu. Book and ask which pesto pasta is available.
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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 quick
Trofie with pesto, seasonal Ligurian cooking and reinterpreted Genoese recipes
On Piazza Invrea, steps from San Lorenzo Cathedral, Osteria Le Colonne occupies Palazzo Squarciafico, a sixteenth-century building whose name recalls the stone columns that structure the dining room. The restaurant places a meal directly within a walking route: the cathedral is about 80 metres away
Mandilli with pesto, seafood and traditional Ligurian dishes
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Trattoria Rosmarino ↗
Primary source
Trattoria Rosmarino · Accessed October 11, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Trattoria Rosmarino ↗
Primary source
Michelin Guide · Accessed October 11, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Osteria Le Colonne ↗
Primary source
Osteria Le Colonne · Accessed October 11, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Visit Genoa · Accessed October 11, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Visit Genoa · Accessed October 11, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Google rating and visitor comments for Trattoria Rosmarino ↗
Secondary source
Restaurant Guru · Accessed October 11, 2026
La ficha de Salita del Fondaco 30 reproduce Google: 4.4/5 con 2,985 opiniones; comentarios recientes elogian comida, presentación y servicio. Consultada el 11/10/2026.
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Google rating and comments for Osteria Le Colonne, Piazza Invrea ↗
Secondary source
Wanderlog · Accessed October 11, 2026
La sede de Piazza Invrea reproduce datos de Google: 4.6/5 y 1,472 reseñas; comentarios sobre cocina creativa, presentación, ubicación y servicio. Consultado el 11/10/2026.