The sweet symbol of Friuli Venezia Giulia becomes an icon of style thanks to the innovations introduced by the "gubaniere" Joelle and Jessica, from the first Gubana Boutique in the world to the workshops in the bakery, faithful in taste to the unsurpassable secret recipe of grandmother Antonia.
The story of Dorbolò Gubane begins in the post-war period with grandmother Antonia who loved to produce her Gubane in her home oven, highly requested by all her friends in the village.
Gubana has very ancient roots: it seems to date back to 1400, as a legacy of a mix of Slavic, Nordic and local traditions, so called from the “Hu-banza”, the name of the wooden cupboard where it was once kept.
The richness of the ingredients of Gubana has always signed happy convivial moments: good to celebrate every anniversary, to welcome the seasons, and loved ones. It is this tradition that we dream of making known throughout the world.
(Mercedes, Joelle and Jessica)
In 1955, Grandma Antonia’s recipe won the award for the “best Gubana” and, having taken courage, she decided to make a job of her passion, building in 1963, with the help of her 3 sons Franco, Eliseo and Alberto, the factory in San Pietro al Natisone where the Gubificio with an adjoining bar and pastry shop is still located today.
In 1969 they sold so many Gubanas that they decided to buy an 18-meter tunnel oven, still unique in Friuli Venezia Giulia and the gem of Dorbolò Gubane, slowly becoming a point of reference in the region for high-end pastry making and the valorization of the tradition of this dessert.
Over the years, Franco and his wife Mercedes took over the management and in 2011 the third generation, Joelle and Jessica, brought international allure to the family Gubane, dressing the packages with bon ton and giving life in 2021 to the beautiful La Gubana Boutique, the first in the world, near the central square of Cividale del Friuli.
Entering the Gubanificio laboratory in San Pietro al Natisone (about 5 minutes by car from the Boutique) is a bit like entering Willy Wonka’s factory, except that, in addition to chocolate, there are many other delicious ingredients to make us dream.
In fact, Gubane Dorbolò are still handmade today according to grandmother Antonia’s secret recipe and with the highest quality raw materials available on the market. Gubana is a soft and sweet pastry that contains a very rich filling (with 30% dried fruit) that is prepared by roughly chopping walnuts and hazelnuts, to which sugar, cocoa, melted butter and fried pine nuts, raisins and rum are added. The mixture is then poured onto the dough worked into the typical snail shape and then baked.
At the historic Gubanificio in San Pietro al Natisone you can also book a guided tour with a workshop during which the history of Gubane is told and you can try to prepare one with a final tasting.
Or you can do a tasting of various products at La Gubana Boutique, where you can also buy many other typical sweets, such as strucchi, focaccias, biscuits, Gubane in the shape of a Colomba and Panettone, but also bread and regional specialties, from wines to grappas, or simply have breakfast with an excellent cappuccino and brioche or a savory snack.
How to taste Gubana? In the summer with fiordilatte ice cream that goes well with dried fruit, while the wise elders of the village accompany it all year round with sweet Friulian wines, from Picolit to Ramandolo.
The Secret
Dorbolò Gubane does not keep a “warehouse”, so that its Gubane can always be tasted fresh thanks to the ability to modulate production which reaches the point of churning out, on the occasion of the holidays, 1000 kg of Gubana pasta per day.
Useful Info
Dorbolò Gubane
Gubanificio (Bar, Patisserie, and Bakery)
Via Alpe Adria 81
33049 San Pietro al Natisone, Udine
Tel. +39 0432 727052
Dorbolò La Gubana Boutique (Bar & Patisserie)
Largo Boiani 10
33043 Cividale del Friuli, Udine
Tel. +39 0432 727052
Slice of Gubana: from xx euro
Packaged Gubana: from 14 euro
Gubaneria Experiences: from 30 euro
Tastings in La Gubana Boutique: from 15 euro
