Drink wine in famous Osterie in Verona
Today we talk about two historic places where to drink an aperitivo and have a nosh in our beautiful Verona.
In Veneto, from the dawn of time, people traditionally go to drink “a gòto” (a glass of wine) as we say in Verona, accompanying it with a small snack. In Venice this tradition has developed in the Bacari, typical osterie where, in addition to a very wide selection of wines by the glass, you can find various snacks, but also in the city of Verona there are several very characteristic and well-stocked places where you can taste small treats and drink excellent wine. We decided to report two of them, extremely well known and very traditional, but that in both cases have been able to maintain their authenticity despite the high attendance. When we go to a tavern for a night out, Marco and I love to sit by the bar counter. It’s the best way to see how the place works, not to mention that your orders will always come first!
Now, let’s get to the point!
Osteria Montebaldo
This place was born in the Nineteenth century as a dairy and then, between the two wars, became an osteria with a space dedicated to gambling dens upstairs. In the 1960s it became a cafeteria and finally, in the hands of the skilled host Gianni Vesentini, it became again an Osteria with a capital “O”.
Today at Montebaldo, in a very traditional and well-kept environment, surrounded by barrels and bottles, you can choose from a wide range of wines and delicious, mouth-watering fresh canapés. It is impossible to mention them all or recommend some, they are all very good and there are enough options for all tastes. If you’re starting to feel hungry after a couple of glasses, you can go upstairs and sit at the restaurant, where you eat very well, drink just as well and the bill is cheap—today the main subject is the aperitivo, so I won’t dwell on this topic!—.
The innkeeper recommended us to drink a glass of classic Valpolicella and we took the tasting plate with 10 canapés, one tastier than the other. The staff is fast, friendly, professional and always smiling. Their courtesy and kindness should definitely be emphasized.
Osteria Sottoriva
This historical venue is located in one of the most picturesque streets of Verona, Via Sottoriva, whose name comes from the fact that, in ancient times, the road was at the level of the river Adige. It was separated from it only by a bank, a precarious defense against water and support for those who worked on the mills. At each flood of the river, Via Sottoriva found itself submerged.
Walking through this area of Verona makes you deeply feel the medieval character of the city. After a nice walk it’s worth to have a rest at the Osteria Sottoriva for a good glass of wine and some meatballs. This combination is another evergreen tradition of our osterie! Purchasable one by one, at the Osteria Sottoriva the meatballs are available in three variants: beef, horse and vegan (the latter are less in line with tradition but aligned with the most modern trends). Together with the meatballs you can also find the “ovi duri”, hard-boiled eggs, another typical quick snack.
The environment always follows the tradition, with wooden tables, barrels and bottles, enlivened here and there by nice messages (Guida poco che te ghè da bear, that is, “don’t drive too much, you have to drink”) and very original works of art. The only problem in this nice place is to stop eating and drinking!
