Hosteria Giusti

About Hosteria Giusti

Four tables. Lunch is the main service, and the booking list runs months deep. You reach Hosteria Giusti through the back of the Giusti delicatessen on Via Farini, a shop the family has run since 1605, past hanging culatello and shelves of aceto balsamico tradizionale. The dining room seats barely a dozen guests, and the kitchen has cooked the same short Emilian repertoire for decades. It is the most quietly serious lunch in Modena, and almost nobody walks in without a reservation.

The Kitchen

Laura Galli Morandi has run the stoves here for more than thirty years, with her son Matteo Morandi in the dining room and her daughter Cecilia in support. The signature is tortellini in capon broth, hand-folded each morning and served in a clear, deep stock that tastes of a long Sunday. Alongside it come the gnocco fritto with the salumeria's own culatello and tagliolini with parmigiano and walnuts. Expect to spend around €110 per person before wine.

The address is Via Farini 75, behind the 1605 delicatessen in central Modena, and the restaurant holds a place in the MICHELIN Guide for its faithful Emilian cooking. Read how it sits among the best Italian restaurants worldwide, see the full Modena dining guide, or measure it against our seven signs of a great restaurant.

The Room

The room is small and warm, a retro parlour of dark wood, old prints and a few tables set close together. Sound stays conversational because there are so few covers. Lighting is soft, the service is family-run and unhurried, and there is no dress code beyond smart-casual. Book one of the four tables and you have the place almost to yourselves for the afternoon. Seating runs to roughly twelve covers at lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hosteria Giusti worth it?

Yes, if you care about traditional Emilian cooking at its source. The menu is short and the prices are not low for the portions, but the tortellini in capon broth and the family service are the real thing, served in a room that seats barely a dozen. Come for the cooking and the history, not for novelty or a sprawling wine list.

How hard is it to book Hosteria Giusti?

Very hard. With only four tables and lunch as the main service, reservations can be needed weeks or even months ahead, especially around Modena's spring food and motor calendar. Book directly through the restaurant as early as you can. Evenings are reserved for pre-arranged groups, so a weekday lunch is the realistic slot for a couple.

What is the dress code at Hosteria Giusti?

There is no formal dress code. Smart-casual fits the room, which is intimate and old-fashioned rather than grand. Modenese diners tend to dress neatly for lunch, so a collared shirt or a simple dress will feel right. You do not need a jacket, and the atmosphere relaxes quickly once you are seated among the four tables.

What should I order at Hosteria Giusti?

Start with the gnocco fritto and a plate of the salumeria's culatello, then the tortellini in capon broth, the dish the kitchen is known for. The tagliolini with parmigiano and walnuts is a strong second plate. Finish with a balsamico-laced dessert and a glass of Lambrusco from the family list to round out the lunch.