What to Eat and Drink in Gorizia

The culinary tradition of this province blends Friulian, Slovenian, and Austrian traditions, starting with Grado’s signature dish, “boreto alla graisana”—a fish stew—and Gradisca’s traditional dish, “jota,” a soup made with beans, potatoes, pork rinds, smoked pork ribs, and sauerkraut. Notable first courses include bread gnocchi with speck, liver or semolina gnocchetti in broth, and “vrzota” or Sant’Andrea savoy cabbage, the base for many traditional dishes, such as savoy cabbage soup with cornmeal. Main courses include kaiserfleish—smoked pork loin served with sauerkraut—and goulash. As for desserts, there’s Gorizia-style gubana, made with sweet leavened dough filled with walnuts, raisins, pine nuts, sugar, grappa, and lemon zest; pinza, the traditional focaccia; and palatschinken, omelets filled with apricot jam or chocolate. The DOC wines are excellent, including Cabernet, Merlot, Refosco, and, among the whites, Pinot.