Your culinary guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia

One of the delights of visiting any region in Italy is discovering new dishes, and FVG, with its mountains, fertile plains, orchards (notably cherry) and coastline, delivers the goods in spades. A blend of Slavic, Central European and Venetian culinary traditions, Friuli Venezia Giulia’s cuisine differs from many other Italian regions.

From prosciutto to polenta, this culinary guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia is here to help you plan the perfect food-focused holiday in Italy.

Eating Italy: your culinary guide to Friuli Venezia Giulia

Prosciutto di San Daniele

Unlike many cured hams, you can tell one from San Daniele just by looking at it: the trotter is intact and the ham has a distinct flat guitar shape that goes back to ancient times (a perfect San Daniele ham was found etched on the Roman tombstone of a pork butcher in Portogruaro).

Preserved in sea salt and massaged with black pepper, the hams are left to air dry on racks for several months in the breezes wafting down the Tagliamento valley and up from the Adriatic, then aged for 15–18 months. The result melts in your mouth and can be found served in restaurants throughout the region.

Interested in exploring more of Italy’s food scene? Check out our articles on the best places to eat in Bologna and the dishes you have to try in Emilia-Romagna.

Gubana

The Natisone valleys claim bragging rights when it comes to gubana, the rich cake filled with a rich swirl of ground walnuts, raisins, pine nuts, lemon zest and vanilla, first mentioned in 1409, when Pope Gregorio XII was treated to one during his visit to Cividale.

Friulian wine

If you’ve first encountered ‘Friuli’ on a wine label, you won’t be the only one; its white wines are among the world’s finest. Friuli Venezia Giulia is divided into ten DOC and four DOCG regions, with vines covering 20,000ha in some 30 varietals, often in small quantities. Many small holdings are still worked and run by individual families; 77% of the wine they produce is white.

The Collio is home to winemaking families who aren’t shy about innovating and borrowing ideas from Slovenia, Istria and Austria, but also Bordeaux and Burgundy. They have an extraordinary palette of white varietals that make up 85% of the Collio production: Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Traminer, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio, indigenous Ribolla Gialla and Verduzzo, and Friuli’s flagship Friulano (aka Tocai Friulano until Hungary won the naming war).

If you have time, it’s worth visiting one of the wineries in the region yourself. We recommend Fossa Mala or Vigneti Micossi for a selection of excellent wines and beautiful views to boot. Note that timing can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying your winery excursion. For up-to-date information about when to visit Friuli Venezia Giulia, and what to know before you do, see the GOV.UK Italy travel advice.

Montasio Cheese

In the early 13th century, the monks of Moggio Udinese helped the Jôf di Montasio dairy farmers refine their cheese-making – to supply just the right heat to the copper cauldrons to make a drier, more solid cheese. The same recipe is used today, although the name ‘Montasio’ didn’t appear until 1773. 

It gets darker and stronger with time and is sold with various degrees of ageing: from fresco (fresh; 60–120 days) to stravecchio (more than 18 months). You’ll find it fresh on platters in osterias with prosciutto, but mostly as frico, the test of any Friulian cook, either as croccante (fried as crispy thin wafers) or morbido, a dish made with potatoes and onions, and often pancetta and herbs.

Had your fill of cheese? Udine is also one of the most spectacular art cities in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Frico

Frico, also known as frica just across the border in Slovenia, is a cherished dish in Friuli Venezia Giuli. This flat cake is traditionally made from Montasio cheese, sometimes combined with potatoes and onions. Its origins are deeply intertwined with the culinary traditions of the Alps, and it’s often compared to the Swiss rösti, though the texture of frico is distinctly different.

There are two main variations of frico. Frico friabile (crunchy frico) is made by frying Montasio cheese in oil, resulting in crispy, wafer-like discs. In contrast, frico morbido (soft frico) incorporates potatoes and onions, creating a heartier, more comforting dish. 

• Recommended reading: Friuli Venezia Giulia away from the crowds

Formadi Frant

Formadi Frant is another unique gem in Friuli Venezia Giulia’s rich cheese tradition, originating from the lush pastures of Carnia in the province of Udine. This distinctive cheese, born out of a practice of repurposing leftover curds, is kneaded with black pepper, salt, and sometimes herbs, resulting in a robust and flavourful creation.

Its crumbly texture and bold taste make it a perfect addition to cheese boards or regional dishes, showcasing the resourcefulness and creativity of local cheesemakers.

Interested in discovering more about Udine’s gastronomical scene? Ein Prosit is an annual festival dedicated to just that. It features guided tastings and cooking demonstrations in Tarvisio, Udine, and Malborghetto in mid-October.

Cjarsons

Every cook in Carnia makes cjarsons, the region’s classic stuffed pasta, which may be sweet or savoury, or a combination of the two. Both versions are flavoured with cloves, saffron, nutmeg or other spices brought back to the region by local pedlars who travelled in central Europe.

Sweet cjarsons may contain apples, chocolate, dried fruit, crushed biscuits, nuts and herbs or jam; savoury ones are filled with onions, potatoes, spinach, cheese and raisins. Both versions come topped with melted butter, smoked ricotta, and optional sugar and cinnamon. 

Brovada

A unique and lesser-known dish from Friuli Venezia Giulia, Brovada is made from turnips fermented in grape marc. This ancient method of preservation creates a tangy, flavorful accompaniment that pairs beautifully with pork dishes, especially in the colder months.

Jota

Jota is a hearty bean and sauerkraut soup that hails from the coastal city of Trieste. With roots in Slavic and Austro-Hungarian cuisine, Jota is a warming, savoury dish made with beans, potatoes, pork, and sometimes barley. 

Polenta

Polenta is a cornerstone of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s cuisine, deeply rooted in the region’s Central European influences. This simple dish of cornmeal was introduced to the area through centuries of cultural exchange.

In the mountains, polenta is thick and hearty, often paired with stews, game meats, or frico. In the coastal areas, it’s lighter, served with seafood like baccalà or mussels. A popular variation is polenta concia, enriched with butter and cheese. It’s much more important than rice, which rarely makes an appearance in traditional dishes from the region, as well as pasta, which was traditionally seen as a more luxurious carbohydrate.

Presnitz

This spiral-shaped dessert is made from a delicate, flaky pastry filled with a mixture of dried fruits, nuts, and spices and has Germanic origins. First appearing in Italian cookbooks in the 19th century, Presnitz was traditionally prepared for special occasions and holidays.

Ajvar

Ajvar, a vibrant roasted red pepper and eggplant spread, showcases Friuli Venezia Giulia’s ties to its Balkan neighbours. This flavorful condiment has become a beloved addition to the region’s culinary repertoire. Often served as a side to grilled meats, sausages, or simply spread on bread, ajvar’s smoky, sweet, and slightly tangy notes provide a perfect contrast to the hearty dishes typical of FVG. 

Tiramisu

While Tiramisu is often associated with Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia also lays claim to this world-famous dessert. The town of Tolmezzo in FVG is one of the contenders for the birthplace of this beloved treat. Made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, cocoa, and a hint of liqueur, Tiramisu in FVG sometimes features unique regional twists, such as the addition of local spirits.

Discover more about this classic Italian dessert with our short history of the tiramisu.

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