Le Cicale in Città

Le Cicale in Città is an Italian restaurant located in the heart of Genoa, originally founded in 1999 on the hills of Santa Margherita Ligure. Chef Matteo Costa, with over 25 years of experience, leads the kitchen with a commitment to simplicity, quality ingredients, and precise technique, crafting dishes that convey a meaningful message. The restaurant’s cuisine highlights fresh local seafood, artisanal pastas, and traditional Ligurian flavors updated with contemporary touches. The venue offers an inviting atmosphere evoking a warm home lounge, featuring distinctive spaces such as a painted room resembling a winter garden with climbing roses beneath a painted sky and a ‘Portofino’ room overlooking the city. Antique teaware and personal artistic décor sourced from the chef’s family history enrich the setting with a unique, comfortable charm. Le Cicale houses a bistrot and enoteca with more than 500 wine labels, focusing on natural wines from small producers, alongside an adjoining trattoria serving seasonal traditional Ligurian dishes made from scratch. Signature preparations include the fresh crudo del giorno, prawn cocktail with passito mayonnaise, homemade Piemontese chicken ravioli, monkfish with artichokes and mullet bottarga, and a classic warm chocolate tortino dessert. The evolving menu and carefully curated wine and cocktail list provide a harmonious and refined dining experience.