The cuisine of western Liguria is simple but rich in the local products cultivated in the many vegetable gardens or terraces that the farmers during the course of centuries have known how to build, stone upon stone, exploiting the inclines of a terrain that is not always undemanding and often miserly. 

First among all, the olive plant, with its low acidity extra virgin olive oil (produced with the legendary "taggiasca" olives) is the king of the basic food elements. From the entire olive oil production process, the people of Liguria learned not to throw anything away, not even waste products, which could be used to make elements useful in a poor economy, such as fuel and soap. The many vegetables, aromatic herbs (rosemary, borage, thyme, sage, marjoram, mint, bay), fresh and salt water fish, meat and bread (the one from Triora is very famous) are also protagonists of this cuisine. The garlic from Vessalico is valuable and envied all over Italy. There are many typical products that can be bought in jars, such as olive paste or dried tomatoes in olive oil. 

The famous Mediterranean cuisine, which many experts believe to be the healthiest, in this part of Liguria offers some of its tastiest dishes. 

The ancient land and sea flavors and traditions intertwine: ravioli filled with vegetables or meat in a wild boar or mushroom sauce or with simple butter and sage (and not forgetting the barbagiuai from Camporosso, fried ravioli filled with pumpkin and “brussu” cheese); the gran pistau from Pigna, dish made with wheat and leeks; stuffed zucchini flowers; the many savory vegetable flans and pies (with string beans, artichokes, Swiss chard, pumpkin); the sardeinaria, a white pizza with tomatoes, sardines, taggiasche olives; stockfish (try it in brandacujun or alla badalucchese, taste it at the food fair or restaurants of  Badalucco); goat meat and beans (the beans from Pigna are among the best); Western Liguria style rabbit with olives and pine nuts; lamb with artichokes. Taste the delicious savory canestrelli in Taggia or the panissa, a poor dish made with chickpea flour. 

There are simple sweets made with chestnut flour or honey and hazelnuts (the "cubaite" of Isolabona), the michette of Dolceacqua and the "pansarole" of Apricale (fried in oil and soaked in orange blossom water) or the stroscia of Pietrabruna, a sweet having extra virgin olive oil as the main ingredient. 

Last but certainly not least, vineyards are not lacking in this part of Liguria, and they produce excellent refined white and red  DOC wines, such as the Rossese di Dolceacqua, the Ormeasco di Pornassio, the Vermentino (cultivated already in the 14th century) and the Pigato wines.