The best bars and cafés Genoa

Timetable

Cafés are generally open from 7am to 9pm, while those in seaside resorts close later, especially in summer, when they can stay open until midnight or later. As for ice-cream parlors, in season they stay open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight. Indeed, in Italy, any time of day is a good time to indulge in a bar or café. Like many Italians, Genoese like to have breakfast at the counter between 7 and 9 a.m., but also to stop mid-morning for an espresso. The same applies after lunch, and throughout the afternoon, both in town and on the beach. In the evening, the aperitivi ballet starts at around 6.30pm and goes on until 9pm.

Budget & Tips

A coffee at the counter costs between €1.10 and €1.50, a cappuccino between €1.30 and €2. Prices rise quickly if you decide to sit down. Count between €4 and €7 for a squeezed orange, and €1 or €1.50 for a small bottle of water. An aperitivo will cost you between €7 and €15, always accompanied by plenty of appetizers. Some places offer real buffets for the price of a cocktail, and many make it their dinner. For a good two-flavored ice cream, expect to pay between €2.50 and €4.50.

Age restrictions

Italy is one of the few countries where regulations do not prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors. Only one law prohibits the administration of alcoholic beverages to under-16s. To each his own conscience, drink in moderation!

What's very local

Genoa may be in dispute with Turin and Milan as the birthplace ofaperitivo, but it's certainly in Genoa that this social ritual has more of a vacation feel than anywhere else. At the end of the day, many seaside establishments turn into waterfront bars, offering an idyllic setting for sipping a cocktail facing the sea. You can order the ever-popular spritz and mojito, but locals also like to sip chilled glasses of pigato or vermentino, the local white wine.

As soon as the fine weather arrives, the ice-cream parlors are in full swing, whether for afternoon tea or after dinner. You can choose between a cono (cone) or a coppetta (cup) with two flavors (the price is based not on the number of flavors but on the size of the ice-cream).

Kids

All the cafés offer brioches and pizzettes that the little ones love to munch on for breakfast or a snack. And among the many ice-cream parlors in town and by the sea, children will have fun finding their favorite flavor.

Smokers

Bars and cafés are non-smoking in Italy, but smoking on the terrace is permitted.

Tourist traps

As with restaurants, beware of exorbitantly-priced tourist cafés, whose drinks can be very disappointing. There are plenty of them around Portofino and the Riviera delle Palme.