Mimì e Cocotte is the favorite place of many Triestini who come here every day for lunch or dinner, to take cooking classes or have breakfast to spend time at Giovanna’s “home”.

It may therefore seem strange that Giovanna is not from here, but from the region Emilia Romagna, considering that the place she created has now become one of the centers of social life in the city. Her love for Trieste, in fact, blossomed after she came to see a Pearl Jam concert, struck by the potential of a territory that, compared to other areas of Italy, still had many unexpressed potentials.

Mimì e Cocotte is a lot of passion and commitment: towards our guests, who we want to make feel good serving good and sustainable food, and in contributing to respecting the nature of which we are part.

(Giovanna Abbondanza)

So, some time later, fate wanted her to find the ideal location to open her restaurant in an old disused shop near Museo Revoltella and so in 2015 Mimì e Cocotte was born, from the nickname with which the family called her and her sister when they were children (it was also the title of a comic book from the 40s).

Giovanna’s right-hand man is Davide Lippolis who, in addition to look after the guests, takes care of the wine list, with a preference for natural and local wines.

The cuisine starts from the Tuscan-Emilian tradition to range throughout Italy up to Japan, with lots of vegetables, fresh pasta prepared by hand with a rolling pin, and second courses such as pork bombette or Fassona tartare. Vegetarian and vegan options are also always on the menu.

Giovanna is guided above all by her great love for the raw material and the bond she has with her suppliers, all artisan and organic companies, because, as she says, creating good food is a political act of love for everyone’s future.

From Slow Food presidia to suppliers of meat from ethical farms such as La Granda Piemontese, from eggs from Fattoria Sant’Eliseo to flours from Molino Tuzzi, Giovanna works only with what she has fresh that day and, so, the menu is written in pen and on a blackboard every morning.

The breakfast ritual is fantastic, with pancakes, avocado toasts, homemade cakes, various types of eggs and even the Irish Breakfast available. A special mention goes to the excellent bread served at the table that comes from the nearby Spaccio Pani, an artisan bakery of which Giovanna is a member.

In the shop you can also find many other Made in FVG products for sale created by entrepreneurs who share the same philosophy, such as soaps and creams by The Officinal or coffee blends by BiancaTosta.

Mimì e Cocotte has become a point of reference for the entire community of local creatives, both for the many exhibitions and activities organized and, in particular, for its fresh pasta cooking classes (of various skill levels) that might end with a nice lunch enlivened by natural wines and tiramisu.

A treat for the palate and above all for the spirit.

The Secret

In the interior design project, we find a lot of Giovanna’s roots: everything was designed together with her father, giving new life to her grandparents’ furniture, like the large convivial table at the entrance of the restaurant. The result is truly welcoming: with lots of wood, colorful chairs that bring joy and, all around, “creative” objects: books, trinkets, rolling pins, plants, memorabilia.

Useful Info

Mimì e Cocotte
Via Luigi Cadorna 19
34123 Trieste
Tel. +39 040 3408511

Starters: from 6 euro
First courses: from 11 euro
Second courses: from 14 euro
Cooking classes: from 45 euro