Stoccafisso Festival of San Ciriaco

A widespread festival dedicated to 'stoccafisso all'anconitana'

The Stoccafisso Festival of San Ciriaco is the food and wine event with which Ancona, the capital of the Marche region, celebrates its most representative dish: 'stoccafisso all'anconitana', cooked stewed with potatoes, tomato, oil, and herbs. It is not a local fair concentrated in a single square, but a widespread event that involves participating restaurants in the municipality of Ancona and numerous towns in the province for about eleven days.

A unique menu at an agreed price

The heart of the festival is the unique menu, the same for all restaurateurs and agreed upon at a controlled price of 30 euros. The offer includes an appetizer, a generous portion of 'stoccafisso' (about 300-350 grams) served with potatoes, bread, a glass of wine, and coffee. Reservations are recommended, and often required, to allow venues to organize evenings without excessive crowding.

Ancona, the city of 'stoccafisso'

'Stoccafisso', dried cod imported from Norway, has been a pillar of Ancona's gastronomic identity for centuries. The link between Ancona and Nordic fish is so deep that Norway has dedicated a specific quality of cod to the city. The festival was created precisely to enhance this culinary heritage, coinciding with the feast of San Ciriaco, the patron saint of Ancona, celebrated on May 4th: hence the popular name 'de San Ceriago'.

Restaurants across the city, coast, and hinterland

The initiative involves restaurants in the center of Ancona and throughout the province, from coastal towns like Falconara Marittima, Portonovo, and Numana to inland villages like Staffolo, Camerano, Morro d'Alba, and Jesi. This network allows you to enjoy the same traditional dish in different settings, from city restaurants to country trattorias overlooking the Marche hills.

Food culture and conferences

Alongside tastings in restaurants, the Academy of Stoccafisso all'Anconitana enriches the festival with cultural moments, such as conferences and meetings dedicated to the history, preparation, and pairings of 'stoccafisso' with local wines, particularly Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. It is a way to tell not just a dish, but an entire chapter of Ancona's maritime and popular culture.