If you are wondering what the best food in Ancona is, start from the traditional dishes that locals love. Ancona is a port city on the Adriatic Sea, so fish, seafood and simple comfort food play a big role in everyday life. This page gives you a quick guide to the best food in Ancona and links to detailed recipes you can explore.
Best food in Ancona: traditional fish dishes
When people talk about the best food in Ancona, two fish dishes always come first: brodetto and stoccafisso. These recipes are part of the city’s identity and are a must-try for any food lover visiting Ancona.
is a slow-cooked stockfish dish with potatoes, tomato, olives and herbs. It is officially recognised as a traditional product of the Marche region and even has a local Academy that protects the recipe.
Discover the full story and recipe here: Stoccafisso all’Anconetana Recipe – Traditional Fish from Ancona.
is a rich fish soup made with many different types of Adriatic fish, tomato, vinegar and toasted bread. It was born as a fishermen’s dish on board and today is one of the symbols of Ancona’s cuisine.
You can read more and see the recipe here: Brodetto all’Anconetana – Traditional Fish Soup from Ancona.
Seafood with character: Sea Snails in Porchetta
sea snails cooked “in porchetta”
Another part of the best food in Ancona is made of “poor” but very tasty seafood. Among these, sea snails cooked “in porchetta” are one of the most characteristic dishes.
In the Ancona area, different types of sea snails are known as bombetti, crocette, raguse or “baci di mare”. They are slowly cooked with garlic, tomato, white wine, chilli and wild fennel, following a traditional method called “in porchetta”. The result is a spicy, aromatic sauce that locals love to eat with plenty of bread.
You can learn more and try the recipe here: Bombetti in Porchetta – Traditional Sea Snails from Ancona.
Smoked Maccheroncini (Maccheroncini al Fumè) Confort Food
The best food in Ancona is not only about fish. There is also a famous pasta dish that many locals connect with nights out and the old port.
Smoked Maccheroncini (maccheroncini al fumè)
is a creamy pasta made with smoked pancetta, tomato, cream and a secret mix of cheeses. It became legendary at the historic restaurant “La Terrazza” on the Santa Maria pier, where people from Ancona used to go after discos and dance halls closed at midnight. Today this smoked maccheroncini recipe is one of the most nostalgic comfort foods in the region.
You can read the full story and recipe here: Smoked Maccheroncini Recipe – Legendary Late-Night Pasta from Ancona.
Where to taste the best food in Ancona
To taste the best food in Ancona, look for seafood restaurants and traditional trattorias near the port and along the Conero Riviera.
Many places offer brodetto, stoccafisso, sea snails in porchetta and Smoked Maccheroncini on their menus, especially at weekends and during local food festivals.
If you want to eat like a local, combine these dishes with regional wines from Marche, such as Verdicchio or Rosso Conero, and take your time to enjoy the relaxed rhythm of this Adriatic city.