As a carnivorous American with a penchant for good, flavorful meat, I had a hard time finding both a good butcher in Trieste and quality meat. In fact, when I first got here, many locals suggested I go to Slovenia to buy meat. There, I was told in a hushed whisper, the meat was better and also cheaper.

While I have discovered that Trieste does, in fact, have plenty of good butcher shops (IGOR in Cavana, TUTTO CARNI in Via Cesare Battisti, BATTIG in Via Lazzareto Vecchio and believe it or not, my favorite, EUROSPIN in Via Economo (Andrea the butcher is a SWEETHEART!!!!!) the secret is finding a good butcher and learning the Italian names of the great cuts and convincing them to sell you cuts not normally offered to the public (flank, skirt, brisket etc).

But because the belief that Slovenian meat is both better and less costly, a Slovenian butcher shop has had a lot of success opening right here in Trieste. PRUNK CARNI in Barriera Vecchia, is considered among the top 10 butchers in town. For years, Italians slipped across the border to buy meat and were often stopped coming back in with their “contraband”.  As a matter of convenience it was a no brainer that a Slovenian would open a store in Trieste.  Slovenian meat is under the same regulations as the rest of Europe so ignore rumors that the meat is somehow  “unsafe”.  Inaugurated in March of 2011– PRUNK sells prime meat, cheeses and pantry items, saving many Triestini the hassle of going 30 mins  “out-of-town” to Lokev, Slovenia– where the original Prunk is located.

The shop in Barriera Vecchia is a showroom of typical Slovenian gourmet products.  Among the variety of meats they carry are: beef, veal, pork, equine, wild boar, venison, goose, duck, chicken and turkey. There are many varieties of sausages, cevapcic for which PRUNK is famous, as well as plenty of charcuterie items. In addition they sell natural products such as honeys and royal jelly as well as jams, cakes and sweets, bread and dairy products (great sour cream at a fraction of the cost that you find at COOP), cheeses and wines. They also carry  the locally made Barone pasta (which every one tells me is THE BEST–I will try it and report back!)

You’ll find the staff  at PRUNK is numerous and very friendly and helpful and I highly recommend a visit to this shop!

MONDAY – SATURDAY: 7:40 – 13:30 and 16:30 – 19:30
SUNDAY: CLOSED

PRUNK CARNI
LARGO DELLA BARRIERA VECCHIA N.1

tel. 0039/040 3721547