Trieste Restaurants

Trieste offers an excellent selection of dining establishments and visitors will find much of the local cuisine authentic, as nothing is modified to suit visitor's tastes. Local food and wine is a symbol of identity for the people of Trieste and locals are very proud of their cuisine and take a long time cooking to make sure that each dish is ‘just right’.

Local cuisine

Trieste local cuisine incorporates influences from Austria and Slovenia, but largely from Italy. Favoured starters include gnocchi (small balls made from potato, egg and flour), bean soup and sauerkraut soup (fermented cabbage).

Fish and seafood is relied upon heavily in local cooking, although fresh herbs such as dill; fresh fruit such as apples; and sauces such as horseradish are also used in dishes. These items are almost never used in any other form of Italian cooking. Pork is the preferred choice of meat and many locals can transform every part of a pig into something edible. Staple vegetables include potatoes, cabbage and beans.

Where to eat

The largest seaside square in Europe, Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia, is home to many excellent cafés and restaurants, some of which have even had a mention in the New York Times. There are dozens of seafood restaurants to be found along the coast of Trieste, all of which are of an incredibly high standard, so you will be completely spoilt for choice. If you want to eat out in the city centre, you will find many excellent local restaurants and bakeries serving all sorts of delights.

The people of Trieste are not particularly hospitable and tend to go to great lengths to avoid having to make conversation with tourists in bars and restaurants. This is either through laziness or simply force of habit. If you can break down the barriers, you will find that the people are very friendly and extremely proud of their culinary delights.