The best Trieste restaurants in one place!
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Since I’ve already shared a travel guide to Trieste, it was time for a restaurant guide to round out your time in the city.
If you want to try a bunch of different regional types of food in one place, Trieste is the perfect Italian city for you!
The best local Trieste restaurants fall into one of three categories:
Obvious choice is seafood! There are such great fish and seafood restaurants here at all kinds of price points. I love a grilled catch of the day plate, and there are tons of amazing seafood pasta dishes.
The next is historic: there’s good Austrian food influences here. Since Trieste was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, there’s plenty of good strong meat-and-potato dishes that reflect it.
Finally, Trieste is the capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the northeastern corner of Italy, with it’s own signature dishes. Local favorites like frico and goulash reflect Slovenian influences for this area!
The Best Trieste Restaurants
Buffet da Pepi
If you want to really taste the Austro-Hungarian influence in Trieste food, your first stop should be Buffet da Pepi! The menu is exclusively meat. Their signature dish is a mixed meat platter with about six different forms of mostly pork(where the “buffet” in the name comes from, not literally a buffet). you can also order dishes of cold antipasto platters – again, meat – or get something in sandwich form. Whatever you order, don’t skip the mustard: it’s so good!
Hostaria Malcanton
As a port city, Trieste is packed with great fish and seafood options! After multiple visits, Hostaria Malcanton remains my favorite spot for fresh seafood!
They offer a bunch of classic seafood pasta dishes, as well as a mixed grilled fish plate. While some might find those intimidating, this one felt very familiar (nothing too weird) and everything was incredible. If fish isn’t your favorite, their menu did have meat and vegetarian dishes as well.
Chimera di Bacco
If you want a date night, head to Chimera di Bacco. The restaurant’s tables spill out into their small square, creating an intimate vibe in the middle of the city. It’s the kind of place that sends over an amuse-bouche to start things off. The food is elegant and mostly (but not entirely) seafood, and I loved every bite!
Al Barattolo
If you’re looking for pizza, Al Barattolo is your spot. It’s consistently a favorite pizzeria for locals. They also have plenty of seafood and pasta dishes, so everyone will find something to love! It’s also right off the Grand Canal so it’s a great stop after exploring!
Trattoria Mara
Trattoria Mara is where to go for homestyle dishes. It’s such a local favorite that you won’t get in without a reservation in summer! It offers a menu of local Friulian classics, like frico and gnocchi with goulash. It’s a good choice if you want to try the region’s traditional food.
Pier
The Pier rooftop bar offers the perfect spot to enjoy a sunset apertivo on the water! As the name says, it sits right on the marina. The main floor is a restaurant, but I recommend starting on the roof for a drink! There’s nothing quite so lovely as enjoying a spritz as you watch the sailboats come in for the evening as the sun sets over the water.
The Best Gelato in Trieste
There are two truly great gelaterie in Trieste. I’ve eaten at both multiple times and can’t get enough of either. Which is better? Try them both and let me know what you think!
Gelateria Zampoli
Gelateria Zampoli looks like a step back in time, giving that old-school ice cream parlor vibe. They also have a TON of flavors! They always have the classics, as well as several versions of chocolate. The salted caramel was especially fantastic, but you can’t go wrong in your choice.
Gelato Marco
Gelato Marco is one of those spots that always has a line of locals out the door. They’re known for amazing flavors in general, especially their tiramisu-flavored gelato. Marco himself is almost always there and super friendly!
Ifyou want more of the best Trieste restaurants, check out my interactive, map-friendly version with even more suggestions on Thatch!
Thank you for your blog post. I will be traveling with my mom from the states and will be boarding a cruise ship in the afternoon after flying into Venice. We will only have a few hours, unfortunately. Do you recommend any of these restaurants for lunch? We both love italian food and seafood. Appreciate your recommendations
That sounds like a fabulous trip! If you’re in the mood for seafood, Hostaria Malcanton is a fantastic lunch choice! Probably my favorite for a great lunch. Enjoy!