A journey through time beginning in 1250

In the beating heart of Udine’s historic center, at Piazzetta Antonini 5, stands one of the oldest dining establishments in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Trattoria ai Frati occupies a building whose roots date back to 1250, when this strategic site, overlooking the canals that supplied the waterways of the early urban settlement, housed the medieval butcher shops. In the 13th century, Patriarch of Aquileia Raimondo della Torre himself referred to the building as a beccheria, testifying to its commercial and social importance.

The history of this palace intertwines with that of Udine’s great families: the noble Della Rovere family, who placed their coat of arms on the building in 1740 — still visible today on the keystone of the entrance portal — made it one of the symbols of the city. Facing Palazzo Antonini, the masterpiece designed by Andrea Palladio in 1540 and listed first among the nine city palaces in the second book of The Four Books of Architecture, the trattoria has witnessed over seven centuries of local history, preserving intact its spirit of hospitality and conviviality.

The 2023 restoration: a return to the essence

Following its acquisition in 2023, the new management led by entrepreneur Francesco Longo and Executive Chef Giuseppe Beccarello undertook an important restoration project involving both the exterior spaces and the interior rooms. The intervention was carried out with a rigorously conservative approach: a philological restoration that freed the interiors from the layers and additions accumulated over the last century, restoring the minimalist aesthetic coherence typical of historic Friulian architecture.

Today, the trattoria shines in its authenticity: imperfect walls that tell centuries of stories, floors worn by time, and a lyrical atmosphere of material simplicity blended with a contemporary aesthetic language. The result is a space that preserves the romance of the past through a modern lens, where the warmth of wood meets transparency and light in perfect harmony with the surrounding Palladian context.

Chef Giuseppe Beccarello: guardian of tradition, architect of innovation

Leading the kitchen, Executive Chef and founding partner Giuseppe Beccarello brings to the table a culinary philosophy shaped by years of training and experience in some of the region’s most important restaurants. Originally from Pontebba, a border town where cultures intertwine, Beccarello has developed a gastronomic language that combines Friulian tradition with an international perspective, without ever abandoning the authentic flavors of the territory.

His cuisine is what he defines as “conscious”: every dish stems from a meticulous selection of the finest ingredients, driven by study, knowledge, and absolute respect for the product. Leading a team of five chefs in a fully open kitchen, Beccarello orchestrates a menu that evolves with the seasons.

The Calvisius partnership: where two excellences meet

The partnership with Calvisius Caviar seals the deep affinity between two realities that share the same core values: meticulous ingredient selection, respect for seasonality and natural timing, sustainability as an ethical responsibility, and craftsmanship as a way of life. Just as Calvisius waits up to twenty years to obtain the perfect caviar, Trattoria ai Frati devotes the same obsessive care to every ingredient, every preparation, and every moment of hospitality.

In this place, where time seems to slow down to make room for taste, beauty, and historical memory, Calvisius caviar finds its natural home: a union between the excellence born from the pure waters of Calvisano and the centuries-old tradition of a restaurant that has preserved the authentic flavors of Friuli for over two hundred years.

Discover Trattoria Ai Frati and all Calvisius Ambassadors