A journey through the authentic flavors of ligurian tradition.
The restaurant A Spurcacciun-a in Savona, one of the most renowned dining venues along the Riviera di Ponente, is rooted in a family tradition that dates back nearly 120 years. It all began in the early 1900s in the Fornaci neighborhood, where Grandmother Paola ran a beloved bakery well-known for its delectable farinata (a chickpea pancake), which later evolved into a trattoria. In the early 1960s, her daughter Giuliana had the idea to relocate the restaurant to its current location, strategically positioned near the highway exit — a visionary choice that quickly enhanced the restaurant’s reputation for its excellent, always-fresh seafood. This success led to the construction of the Mare Hotel.
In the mid-1980s, management passed to siblings Claudio and Pervinca Tiranini, with Claudio taking charge of the kitchen and Pervinca overseeing the administration. With youthful enthusiasm and audacity, the siblings revitalized both the hotel and the restaurant. After renovating the hotel complex to include a stunning infinity pool and a spacious terrace overlooking the sea, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 1997. Although it lost the star in 2003, it was regained in 2009, but unfortunately, it was retained only for the following year. In 2018, a new chapter began for A Spurcacciun-a with a complete overhaul of the kitchen, now an open-view space showcasing Chef Simone Perata. This year also saw the opening of the independent Marea Savona bistro, which offers a distinct dining experience from the gourmet restaurant, as well as Sushi Beach, featuring Japanese chefs.
Chef Simone Perata
Born in 1988 in Celle Ligure, a town near Savona, Simone Perata began his career at Il Cambio in Turin. He later met Claudio Tiranini at A Spurcacciun-a (then a Michelin-starred restaurant), where he honed his skills in traditional Ligurian cuisine and learned the importance of using quality ingredients. Motivated by a desire to learn and grow, Perata continued his training in Milan at Gualtiero Marchesi’s Marchesino, where he spent two years. The esteemed Chef Marchesi later guided him to the renowned three-Michelin-starred Taillevent in Paris, one of France’s oldest restaurants, known for its exceptional wine cellar. Under the mentorship of Alain Solivérès, Perata mastered traditional French cuisine and learned the importance of values such as hierarchy, rigor, cleanliness and discipline.
Eager to explore a more modern and creative approach, he moved to Barcelona to work at Martin Berasategui’s Lasarte with Paolo Casagrande, a former student of Solivérès at Taillevent. Perata remained there for nearly four years as part of the team that earned its third Michelin star in 2016. Ready to embrace the role of Chef and eager to return to Italy, Perata joined the Tiranini family’s new project for A Spurcacciun-a in January 2018. an important open kitchen where he could express his culinary vision through dishes inspired by tradition and interpreted with surprising combinations and cultural influences from his international experiences.
The Cuisine of A Spurcacciun-a
Local ingredients, freshness, and seasonality are at the heart of the gastronomic offerings at A Spurcacciun-a and the Tiranini family’s philosophy. The new, spacious kitchen, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is daily visited by local fishermen, farmers, and small producers bringing their freshest produce.
Since his arrival in May 2018, Simone Perata has embraced the challenge of renewing a traditional restaurant by preserving its history and, at the same time, infusing it with a more contemporary gastronomic approach. His vision transcends regional boundaries while celebrating Ligurian ingredients. The dishes range from fish of the day, purchased at the Savona market or loaded directly from fishing boats in Sanremo, to lamb from the Brigasca sheep provided by the shepherd who also supplies the tomes (a Slow Food Presidium from Albenga), as well as Albenga’s famous artichokes and asparagus, lemons from Varigotti, Taggiasco olive oil, and aromatic herbs and sprouts grown in the garden surrounding the terrace.
Determined, with distinct and well-defined flavors, and personal: this is how Simone Perata describes his cuisine, which he creates freely while always keeping the main ingredient in the spotlight. Each dish provides an experience, a journey through the region, enriched by the diverse influences of his culinary career. Experiments that are not ends in themselves, but rather express the chef’s personality and his vision of cuisine, which is grounded not only in technique but also in delight and satisfaction of taste. Among his signature dishes are the Millefoglie of foie gras with bluefin tuna, nori seaweed, marinated daikon, and sumiso, a personal re-interpretation of a famous icon dish by Martin Berasategui; My Cappon Magro, a traditional Ligurian dish reimagined with modern flair; and Spaghettone with murici (sea snails), focaccia, parsley oil and finger lime.
In addition to the à la carte menu, there are two exceptional tasting menus: Alta Marea and Bassa Marea, consisting of eleven and eight courses, respectively. Through these menus, the Chef blends past and present, combining local culinary traditions with innovations drawn from his research and personal experiences in France and Spain.
The dining room
The dining room features sixteen tables in a modern, elegant atmosphere, complemented by a spacious terrace open to guests during the summer, overlooking the infinity pool and surrounded by an exotic garden — creating an immersive experience just steps from the sea. For over thirty years, maître Giuseppe D’Angelo has warmly welcomed guests with expertise and hospitality. The extensive wine list offers over seven hundred labels from Italy and around the world, with approximately sixteen thousand bottles stored in the Cantina Teatro (located in the basement beneath the restaurant), where temperature, humidity and light are carefully controlled, all within the design setting of Sushi Beach. The main dining room accommodates about forty guests, with an additional fifty seats available on the terrace.
A Spurcacciun-a offers a culinary journey that invites you to discover the authentic flavors of Liguria, through dishes that tell stories of passion and dedication.
