Alex is the author of the travel books A Long Weekend in Ulaanbaatar and Running the Milk. Between writing, he currently splits his time between the UK & U.S. expanding his knowledge of city escapes, small town USA and regional differences whilst researching his next books.
When it comes to visiting the majority of well known Italian cities for the first time, most of us can probably say we have a fairly good idea of what to expect. Milan beckons fashionistas, Rome casts a spell over history buffs and Venice does romance like nowhere on earth. Trieste, on the other hand, has mastered the art of lurking in the shadows.
That’s not to say Trieste hasn’t had its fair share of limelight over the years. An important freight, and once passenger, port, for many years every piece of mail destined for British India passed through the city. In 1946, Winston Churchill’s iconic “iron curtain” speech made Trieste a household name. It was this which put Trieste on my bucket list, but I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I arrived.
Trieste sits on a tiny strip of Italy between the Adriatic and the Slovenian border (Credit: Alex Johnson)
With that in mind, I parted with my usual approach of turning up and seeing where I ended up and spent quite some time trawling through guidebooks and blog entries. One thing which stood out was Trieste’s apparent lack of nightlife.
I read many accounts of a quiet city which wasn’t for partying. More than once I was told that what little nightlife Trieste provided was centred around a handful of seedy establishments of the sort all good port cities offer weary sailors. I’m sure such places do exist, but I can also tell you that Trieste’s nightlife is worth getting excited about. These are the best bars in Trieste which proved my guidebooks wrong.
When it comes to nightlife, Trieste is very Italian. This, I appreciate, may seem a given seeing as Trieste is in Italy. But thanks to its unique geographic location and a history peppered with invasions, Trieste has strong cultural ties with the Balkan and former Habsburg states which give it a wholly different feel.
Trieste may have its own Grand Canal, but it couldn’t be more different to Venice (Credit: Alex Johnson)
When you’re working your way through the best bars in Trieste, you’ll find no largescale faux-Irish pubs pulling Guinness or Hop House, nor any open-all-hours techno clubs. What you will find, though, is relaxed cafes with tables spilling out onto the street, the chatter of locals young and old carrying late into the night.
Trieste is the sort of place where you can pull up a seat, order a glass of wine and watch the world go by. Before you know it, a glass will have turned into a bottle, midnight will have come and gone, but Trieste will still be going strong.
You’ll know you’ve reached Piazza della Borso when you come across the former Stock Exchange, built to resemble a Greek temple (Credit: Alex Johnson)
The best thing about a night out here, is that all the best bars in Trieste are concentrated on or around the same street. Via San Sebastiano, Via Torino and Via di Cavana may sound like three streets, but together, they’re one long straight road. It runs through the heart of the city, from the harbour in the south to Piazza della Borsa in the north. By day, its café and boutique central, by night, it’s the perfect place for bar hopping.
1. Bar Sissi
Of all the best bars in Trieste, I think Bar Sissi is my personal favorite. In typical Italian fashion, Bar Sissi is a hole-in-the-wall sort of place. You could easily mistake it for one of the bars on either side. Inside, it’s tiny. But you don’t go to Bar Sissi to stare at four walls, you go to Bar Sissi to soak up the afternoon sun, or warm your hands under their patio heaters whilst watching the world go by.
Bar Sissi is a people watcher’s paradise (Source: Bar Sissi)
Like many of the best bars in Trieste, the only time you need go inside is to pay. Bar Sissi offers table service, along with a full bar menu; their house white won’t let you down. Naturally, expect a few complimentary nibbles to tide you over.
2. Mal del Lupo
Right next door to Bar Sissi, Mal del Lupo is a cross between an artisan café and a late night bar. Open from early morning to early morning, by day they serve up freshly baked croissants, sandwiches and freshly ground coffee. Come back in the evening, and you’ll find a whole different scene.
If you fancy something more than the free crisps, Mal del Lupo have a cabinet filled with panino and cakes (Credit: Alex Johnson)
Quieter and more refined than many of the best bars in Trieste, choose between drinking alfresco or warming up in their cosy café. When it comes to choosing a drink, you’ll be spoiled for choice. There are wines and draft beer, of course, but it’s Mal del Lupo’s extensive spirit and aperitif selection which sets them apart.
3. Footlights
A little more lively than the first contenders on our rundown of the best bars in Trieste, Footlights attracts a young, trendy crowd. If you’re music taste is alternative or heavy rock, Footlights is definitely the place to go.
Footlights is ideal if you’re visiting Trieste with friends (Source: Footlights)
The service is a little stand off-ish if you’re not from these parts; there’s no denying this feels very much like a local bar for local people, but after a couple of drinks, you’ll blend into the crowd. If a quiet drink is more your thing, and I’ll be honest, anything other than that leaves me with a three day hangover these days, head to Footlights earlier in the evening. The later it gets, the louder it gets.
4. La Caveja
A little further north along Via di Cavana, you’ll find possibly the most quintessentially Italian of all the best bars in Trieste. It’s often said that the line between cafés and bars in Italy is blurred; La Caveja is the living embodiment of that blurred line.
Forget chalk and cheese, spritz and piadine are the go-to combo in Trieste (Credit: Alex Johnson)
Late into the night, La Caveja dishes up classic comfort food. Whether you fancy a traditional piadine or panini, or a slightly less Italian burger and fries, you’ll find it here. Alternatively, just drop by for an Aperol Spritz or a beer.
Unlike most of the other spots on our list of the best bars in Trieste, you order at the counter. It’s almost worth paying by cash for the experience of using their quirky automatic payment machine.
Travel Tip: Wine is one of the many reasons so many travellers flock to Italy every year. If you’ve got a hankering for a little more after you’ve made it round all the best bars in Trieste, it’s well worth taking a tour to learn about the history of prosecco. Tastings, of course, are included.
Many of the best bars in Trieste double as coffee shops (Credit: Alex Johnson)
5. Bar Cavana
I was in two minds as to whether to include Bar Cavana as one of the best bars in Trieste. It gets fairly mixed online reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. A bit of a touristy spot by day, when night falls Bar Cavana has a change of personality.
Cocktails are the order of the day (Source: Bar Cavana)
When the cruise ship passengers and day trippers have disappeared into the darkness, Bar Cavana moves inside. For the best experience, draw up a seat at the almost unnecessarily long bar and make some new friends over a glass or two of something divine. If you do find yourself here earlier in the day, their cakes pair well with a cocktail. But then again, what doesn’t?
6. Hops Beerstro
Something of an outlier on this list of the best bars in Trieste, Hops Beerstro is exactly what the name suggests. Half craft brew bar, half Asian fusion bistro, Hops sounds confused, but feels so right.
An ever changing beer list is Hops’ star attraction (Credit: Alex Johnson)
If craft beer is your thing, you could quite happily spend the evening here working your way through the dozen-or-so beers on tap. That’s before you even look at the bottled options. Food wise, expect an even more eclectic offering. There’s Italian-Thai and Japanese fusion, modern Italian, Greek, French and American dishes on the menu to name but a few. If you are planning on dining, it’s worth booking a table, especially at weekends.
7. Cemut
For Trieste’s most authentic Italian wine bar experience, look no further than Cemut. Tucked away down a quiet alley off Via Felice Venezian, right opposite the remains of a Roman frantoio(an olive oil press), Cemut makes for an ideal escape from the bustling bars on the main street.
Trieste has plenty of Roman relics, including this theatre (Credit: Alex Johnson)
Cemut has everything you’d expect from a Trieste wine bar. You won’t find bottles from the big name wineries you’ve seen in the supermarket. Cemut is all about traditional, local produce. Drop in to taste some of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s finest and most underrated wines.
If you’re in need of a little sustenance, Cemut won’t disappoint on the food front either. Their menu is all about unpretentious finger food; think burgers made with local meat, antipasti plates packed with cured meats and Italian cheeses, panino, and plenty of sweet treats.
8. Urbanis
If a night indulging in the best bars in Trieste ever gets a little overwhelming, Urbanis is the perfect antidote. Quiet, calm and refined, this haven of solitude is sandwiched between Piazza Unita d’Italia and Piazza della Borsa.
Piazza Unita d’Italia is Trieste’s grand main square (Credit: Alex Johnson)
Undeniably the most polished and upscale of the best bars in Trieste, Urbanis may be a little pricier, but a drink here is a few euros well spent. Smartly dressed waiters and plush leather seats await those who venture inside, along with a huge range of draft beers, local wines and aperitifs.
9. Super Bar Stella
If overwhelming doesn’t appear in your dictionary, skip Urbanis and head straight for Super Bar Stella. Sometimes, a name tells all. This is one of those times. Super Bar Stella has no airs and graces; this is Trieste’s late night afterparty venue.
Super Bar Stella is open until 3am every night (Source: Super Bar Stella)
A popular haunt with locals and travelers alike, this is the kind of place anyone who’s had a night out in Trieste has stories to tell of. It’s busy, it’s loud, getting a seat is like finding a needle in a haystack, but above all, it’s the ultimate ending to a night of frivolity in the best bars in Trieste.
Traveling soon? Subscribe to The Insight below and get exclusive access to our personalized travel advice community via WhatsApp so you can ask all your burning travel questions.
Looking for the best comprehensive travel insurance? SafetyWing has you covered. And for your eSIM in every country, there is only one option we recommend: Airalo.
