Al Cantuccio is a shining light among the bars and restaurants of Gorizia. The restaurant/bar/café has an extensive selection of the absolute cream of the local Collio/Goriška Brda wines – around 40 by the glass, including white, red and macerated ‘orange’ wines – as well as locally and internationally-sourced cheeses, meats, fish and Union and Laško beers from neighbouring Slovenia.
For wine lovers, here is a (not by any means complete) list of what is on offer:
Terpin (don’t miss this one), Picech, Čotar, Nando, Klinec, Zidarich, Dario Prinčič, Damijan Podversic, Fiegel, Masut Da Rive, Gigante, Renčel, Tavčar, Antico Broilo, Stegovec, Montemaggio, Due Terre, Toros, Fon, Castello di Rubbia, and countless other small producers from the region. If you have never tried macerated ‘orange’ wines, including the Terpin I mentioned above, this would be a good chance. Most of the wines are natural or biological, and all are brought in straight from the producers just a few kilometers away. The wine of the region is supposed to go well with the local Pršut (prosciutto) ham, and indeed it does. A glass of house white or red starts at one Euro fifty, going up to five or six Euros for the finest of the selection. I think that the quality to price ratio here is excellent, and I have not found wines of this standard on offer at these prices anywhere else in Italy or Slovenia.
As regards the food, the cheeses are from Latteria di Fagagna and elsewhere in Italy, France, and England, while the ham is imported direct from Slovenia and from Toscana in Italy. There is also wild sockeye salmon, which is truly delicious as served with a little pepper and salt, Spanish anchovies, oysters, and all sorts of other delicacies to pair with the large range of wine. Lots of groups seem to order a big platter of cheese and meat at all hours of the evening, and I can testify that they are fantastic.
I cannot speak highly enough of this restaurant/bar/café, and would recommend it as an absolute must for every visitor to Gorizia. Five stars all round!
