Best Food in Ancona – What to Eat in the City

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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.

Best food in Ancona: traditional fish dishes

Stoccafisso all’Anconetana

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.

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Brodetto all’ Anconetana

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.

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Seafood with character: Sea Snails 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.

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Smoked Maccheroncini

(Maccheroncini al Fumè)

Confort Food

Today, those who want to try this nostalgic local classic can also find Maccheroncini al Fumè at Alambicco Bistrò (Gin & Food), a charming place hidden between Corso Garibaldi and Corso Mazzini, in the heart of Ancona’s old streets.

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. 

Now you can also taste Maccheroncini al Fumè at Alambicco Bistrò (Gin & Food), a characteristic venue tucked between Corso Garibaldi and Corso Mazzini, in the narrow streets of the old city center.

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 but you can find Smoked Maccheroncini at Alamabicco Gin & Food

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.

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