Genoa is a city that tends to hide things. It does so through its narrow alleys and buildings that hold centuries of history behind seemingly unremarkable facades. The Embriaco is nestled right here, between one of the tallest medieval towers still “standing” and one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
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Only once you’re seated at a table at Embriaco—between a cabinet that (literally) leads to another world suspended between Roman arches and wells, a world made up of secret private rooms and lounge bars—and finally reach the restaurant itself, with its paintings by international artists and open kitchen, can you truly grasp Sebastiano Stati’s vision and what he sought to create within his surroundings. His cuisine speaks a personal language, capable of navigating between contemporary technique, regional heritage, and a constant curiosity about what lies beyond Liguria’s borders. A language that draws on various mediums—such as art, cinema, and pure entertainment—as is particularly evident in the tasting menu presented through “pills” in the style of The Matrix: Blue Pill and Red Pill, partly to tell a story, partly to show you “just how deep the White Rabbit’s hole goes.”
A tower, a city, and a history spanning nine hundred years
Even before the menu, it’s the setting that makes an impression. L’Embriaco is located above the ancient Marina Walls, overlooking the Torre degli Embriaci, the only medieval Genoese tower to have survived the demolitions ordered by the Republic in the 12th century as a token of gratitude to Guglielmo Embriaco, a key figure in the conquest of Jerusalem during the First Crusade. The stone walls, the irregular heights, and the architectural layers tell the story of a city that for centuries has built its identity on the sea, trade, and the meeting of different cultures. Piazza Embriaci tells a story populated by crusaders, merchants, noble families, apothecaries, and centuries of transformation. Then, almost suddenly, within this medieval setting, a cuisine emerges that speaks the language of the present.
And right here, the restaurant’s very name plays on all of this, drawing on the figure of Guglielmo Embriaco, a legendary figure in the city’s history, transforming a historical memory into a contemporary identity. On one hand, there is the oldest part of Genoa, home to the Torre degli Embriaci, which has dominated the neighborhood since 1099 without ever having been cut down like the city’s other towers; on the other, there is the vision of Sebastiano Stasi, a thirty-year-old chef who has chosen to bring back to his city what he has gathered during years of training and travel. The sensation is that of stepping into a page of medieval chronicles written with a modern vocabulary. Not because they have remained unchanged, but because they continue to accumulate layers of history without ever ceasing to live.
A journey that begins with a provocation
Many restaurants talk about their region. L’Embriaco takes a different approach. Rather than presenting Liguria in a didactic way, it uses its history as an invisible framework. Trade routes, cultural exchanges, the relationship between the sea and the hinterland, the presence of spices, and the city’s international character become narrative elements that run through the entire experience. Sebastiano Stasi’s cuisine thus manages to be deeply Genoese without merely reproducing tradition. It walks a fine line between memory and exploration, between local roots and travel, between technical precision and emotion.
A balance that is found right here, in the shadow of the Torre degli Embriaci, where for nearly a thousand years Genoa has continued to watch the world pass by its walls. The first thing you do when you enter the Embriaco is choose a red pill or a blue one. Once you get past that initial moment of confusion, you understand Stasi’s “game”: to challenge perceptions, taste, the senses, and concepts of (Genoese) reality through his dishes. A bit like *The Matrix* did with cinema. There’s also a third pill—the green one—which offers three options and a combination of the two paths, albeit in a scaled-down version.
Take, for example, the “Red Pill” I tried: a transparent cellulose capsule containing fermented beetroot. A quick, symbolic taste that immediately introduces some of the themes that will recur throughout the rest of the tasting: fermentation, vegetal depth, and the balance between acidity and natural sweetness. Elements one wouldn’t expect to find in Genoa (until now).
Five courses to lose yourself in vegetable gardens, woods, and Ligurian memories
The welcome appetizer continues in the same “Matrix-style” vein. The tomato terrine, accompanied by black garlic and roasted tomato, explores different expressions of the same ingredient. Textures and aromatic intensities vary, but the tomato remains consistently recognizable, avoiding those over-elaborate elements that often turn technique into a stylistic exercise. A good taste of “reality.” Among the dishes that best define the character of the menu, however, is Bosco Liquido. A savory cappuccino made with prescinsêua is served alongside hazelnuts and a cannolo filled with Cabannina tartare and Taggiasca olives.
The choice of ingredients already says a lot about Stasi’s cuisine. Prescinsêua, a fresh Ligurian cheese, pairs with one of the region’s most iconic breeds of cattle. Taggiasca olives introduce an instantly recognizable flavor of the region. Rather than an interpretation of tradition, the dish appears to be a deconstruction of it. Each element retains its own identity while contributing to a shared narrative. Next up is 7/5 of zucchini: the zucchini is presented in seven different preparations—fermented, raw, braised, infused, roasted, and puréed. Accompanying it is mint, presented in five different textures. A dish with pronounced savory notes, it has yet to find its perfect flavor balance, though it’s already clear that it’s not meant to be reduced to a mere display of technical skill.
The centerpiece of the tasting consists of two courses that illustrate Liguria’s historical relationship with neighboring regions. “Confine” features a plin stuffed with quail, accompanied by candied black cherries and its own jus. This dish evokes the ongoing exchanges between the Ligurian hinterland and Piedmont, using a seemingly classic structure to strike a balance between gamey elements and fruity notes.
“Orto e Pecora”, on the other hand, centers around a tortello filled with sheep’s milk ricotta, served with onion in three different textures and warm gazpacho. Just a few easily recognizable elements, yet arranged according to a contemporary logic that avoids any gastronomic nostalgia. The final part of the meal leads to more intense flavors. Cengiâ, which means “wild boar” in Ligurian: the loin is served with its own sauce, pea purée, red currant chutney, and Anna potatoes.
Meat remains the central element of the dish, while the currants add a tart and fruity note that lightens the dish’s overall texture. The potatoes provide a crispier texture and round out a course that seems to perfectly encapsulate the theme of the menu: the ongoing relationship between nature, the local region, and culinary heritage.
A cuisine that continues to evolve
La Pillola Rossa reaffirms Sebastiano Stasi’s direction. The local terroir remains present, but is never treated as a limitation. Contemporary techniques coexist with traditional ingredients, and the narrative element never overshadows the flavor. Rather than simply telling the story of Liguria, Embriaco seems to use Liguria as a starting point. The cuisine is deeply Genoese without being confined to a mere reproduction of tradition. It walks a fine line between memory and exploration, between local roots and travel, between technical precision and emotion. A line that finds its balance right here, in the shadow of the Torre degli Embriaci, where for nearly a thousand years Genoa has continued to watch the world pass before its walls. A world that changes, evolves, and even asks to be awakened with a few pills.
Contact Information
L'Embriaco
Piazza Embriaci, 1, 16123 Genoa, GE
Phone: 010 471 6666
