Cacciucco at Ristorante Il Sottomarino
Cacciucco alla livornese is not a simple fish soup — it is a slow-cooked, wine-dark broth of at least five species of fish and shellfish, ladled over thick slabs of toasted garlic bread, and it is the dish that defines this city's soul. Ristorante Il Sottomarino on Via del Terrazzini has been serving one of the most respected versions in Livorno for decades.
What Makes It Livornese
The authentic recipe demands a minimum of five types of seafood — the five 'c's of the Livornese dialect: cicale (mantis shrimp), calamari, cozze (mussels), capone (gurnard) and crostacei (mixed shellfish) — cooked in a base of soffritto, red wine, tomato and dried chilli. The result is intensely savoury, slightly spicy and deeply red.
At Il Sottomarino the portion is enormous and arrives in a terracotta pot, with the bread served separately so you can drag it through the broth at your own pace. Order a half-litre carafe of house Vermentino and block out two hours.
Other Livornese Dishes to Try
If you want to explore further, ask for triglie alla livornese — red mullet braised in tomato and parsley — or baccalà in zimino, salt cod cooked with Swiss chard and tomato, another Livornese classic that reflects the city's historic trade in salted fish.
The restaurant's antipasto of polpo con patate (octopus and potato salad dressed with local olive oil and parsley) is a light, bright counterpoint to the rich main course and should not be skipped.
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