Trattoria da Pezzi

Trattoria da Pezzi is a long-established, bustling fixture on Via Cavour in Santa Margherita Ligure, popular with locals for honest regional cooking at fair prices in a Tigullio resort town better known for steep tabs. The format is part trattoria, part self-service: a counter and daily-changing display of savoury vegetable tortes, farinata, stuffed vegetables and pasta al pesto let diners point at what they want and eat quickly and cheaply. The cooking is genuine Ligurian home fare rather than restaurant cuisine, and the rotating selection rewards arriving when the trays are full. It is one of the best-value meals in an otherwise pricey stretch of the Riviera di Levante, with most plates only a few euros and a satisfying lunch easily assembled for around EUR 12-20 per person. The atmosphere is casual, busy and no-frills, with shared and communal seating and a brisk, local crowd at peak times; there is no dress code and the mood is unpretentious. House wine and a few simple bottles accompany the food. Because the kitchen relies on freshly made trays of tortes and farinata, the experience is best at lunch and early in the service before the most popular items sell out; the trattoria typically closes on Sundays. No reservations are taken, so arriving a touch ahead of the midday rush is the way to beat the queue and get the widest choice. Santa Margherita Ligure is an elegant resort on the Tigullio gulf, well connected by train and a short hop from Portofino and Camogli, which makes da Pezzi a handy, wallet-friendly stop on a day exploring the coast. For travellers wanting authentic Ligurian tortes, farinata and pesto without the resort markup, Trattoria da Pezzi is an excellent value pick.