Trattoria delle Grazie in Genoa, review: all the reasons to say thank you

Even if we want to avoid stale assonances, there are, in fact, many reasons to say thank you to the Trattoria delle Grazie in Genoa.

First of all, because it always gets us out of trouble when our foreign friend, who lands on our shores as punctual as a swallow at the first sign of warmth, asks where to find a traditional yet beautiful trattoria, with excellent cuisine but reasonable prices, in the historic center, as long as it's not too far from parking.

Implacable, he also asks for an outdoor seating area to immerse himself in the charming alleyways of the city and – (come on, let's exaggerate) – a welcome that is, if not affectionate, at least free of Ligurian-scares.

Location and service

Although it's located in a 14th-century building (!), the trattoria has only been open for eight years (previously, it housed a butcher's shop). Not a long time, but enough to rightfully establish itself as one of the city's most enduring gastronomic pillars.

We also thank the Grazie because we, obsessed with aesthetics, can finally find a trattoria that is authentic, but also beautiful, free from those more or less marked touches of squalor often inherent in this type of establishment (but no, sir*: if one swallow doesn't make a summer, a neon sign doesn't make a trattoria).

Thus, clever lighting enhances the imposing brick vaults and ancient stone walls, while in the center of the room, a large convivial table topped by a large copper hood invites you to try your hand at an activity almost unknown to the locals: socializing.

We also thank the Grazie for the very young, cheerful and smiling waiting staff who are willingly forgiven for a certain confusing and unpreparedness (for difficult questions, however, the host himself comes to answer them).

Menu and cuisine

But, above all, we are grateful to the Grazie for a masterful cuisine that, between ancient recipes and evergreen classics, offers an edible synthesis of the best of Liguria.

Thus, stuffed lettuce – a mostly home-made dish, rather rare on restaurant menus and here served stewed rather than in broth – is a masterpiece that alone would be worth the dinner.

Anchovies all'aggiadda, the Genoese version of sardines in saor, are every bit as good as their Venetian cousins—quite the opposite. Garlic (aggiadda = garlic) and sweet onions nicely tone down the marinade's overpowering acidity, and black peppercorns add a spicy kick.

Pesto is obviously a must, although, here, counter-currently, I snub the mortar. You never miss it, however, thanks to the meticulous selection of ingredients, no matter the cost (and opting only for baby Prà basil leaves is costly, especially in terms of time and waste, so much so that keeping the dish under ten euros is an admirable feat of management).

What about Capponmagro, a cornerstone of Ligurian gastronomic opulence, now open to the most imaginative—and sometimes questionable—interpretations? Le Grazie's Capponmagro remains anchored to the recipe's dogma, yet achieves a stunning balance of flavors: if your fork manages to embrace every element (vegetables, fish, shellfish, and salsa verde), the palate reconstructs a flavorful mosaic so rare and distinctive that if we only had fourteen euros left in our lives, we'd have no hesitation in (re)investing them here.

A little incredulous, and as always very picky (we wouldn't tolerate you thinking we were too generous), we almost wanted to find a dish that wasn't right, a flavor that wasn't right, but the mission failed even with the stockfish with potatoes: it was perfect too.

At this point, whether for gluttony or science, we long to continue with the entire arsenal of Genoese cuisine – minestrone, ravioli with meat sauce, Ligurian-style rabbit, and so on – but we must surrender to the capacity of our stomachs, which we would like to triple more than ever today.

Cellar and account

Indulging in the culinary delights, we almost forgot about the wine, which isn't the restaurant's core business. The wine cellar is rather basic, but—as befits a true trattoria—there's no shortage of unbottled options at affordable prices, with a quarter of Gavi or Barbera for three euros.

Finally, we thank Trattoria delle Grazie for the bill, which, excluding wine, did not exceed thirty euros, establishing it as the best place in the city center for quality-price ratio.

The (well-deserved) fame, however, also brings with it some disadvantages, which here are expressed in the difficulty in finding a table – also due to a telephone that often rings unanswered – and in a rigid double shift that dictates eating too early (at 7.30pm) or too late (at 9.30pm).

But perfection, as we know, is not of this world and the Graces are worth some sacrifice.

Opinion

A beautiful, centrally located trattoria where you can enjoy Genoese cuisine at its finest. Excellent prices for the quality, very young and friendly service (though a bit chaotic and unprepared), and a pleasant outdoor seating area.