In Piazza Giotti, just across the street from the Jewish Synagogue is a wonderful little deli or Salumeria run by the Fontanot family. The walls and doors outside are covered with signs describing their inventory. But right away you sense there is something different. Perhaps the meticulous and measured calligraphy evoking some medieval manuscript  or the inscriptions, which, upon closer observation reveal some real unexpected delicacies among the more traditional fare:

Yes, there is the cotto, cooked ham cut by hand and the ubiquitous Montasio cheese, but if you are in the market for something special, then here is where you’ll find Venison prosciutto, smoked Duck prosciutto, carpaccio and speck made from Buffalo meat, Cinghiale or Wild Boar speck.  Fontanot also carries several Spanish charcuterie items like Cecina de Leon a speck from NW Spain that is highly prized, deep red in color as well as Jamon de Cebo and Jamon de Bellota. 

At Fontanot you can also find a vast assortment of local cheeses from Zidaric in the Carso and 60-mos aged parmesan made from red cows. There are mountains of fresh cheeses like bufala mozzarella and also feta, ricotta, beautiful creamy taleggio and assorted blues…

Fontanot has everything you need to stock your pantry, from specialty oils, spices, dry pasta and everything necessary to trick out your charcuterie boards, including fresh bread, crackers and some select seasonal produce. And if that weren’t enough, they also have a vast assortment of wines and bollicine to complement your selection.

You can also find a few unusual fresh pastas like casunziei and passatelli, as well as a few fish dishes like mantecato di baccala’ and smoked salmon. They also carry several pre-cooked takeway dishes like fried zucchini, eggplant, lasagna (also called pasticcio), eggplant parmesan, meatballs and meatless meatballs for your vegetarian friends, chicken cutlets and the Triestine favorite, Sardoni impanati (fried anchovy filets).

It seems impossible that so much can fit into such a small shop, but you have to see it to believe it. You can call your orders in ahead of time so that you have it ready for pick up, but half the fun is going in to browse what’s fresh and have them give you their expert suggestions.

Open Mon-Fri 7:30AM–2PM, 5–8PM
Saturday 8AM–1:30PM, 5–7:30PM
Sunday Closed

SALUMERIA FONTANOT
Piazza Giotti 8 Trieste
Tel. +39/04061800