About Hosteria Giusti (Salumeria)
The Giusti family's presence on Via Farini dates to 1598, when Giovanni Francesco Justi registered with the Guild of Lard and Sausage Makers. By 1605, the family had opened the salumeria that still occupies the ground floor of this address today — making it one of the oldest continuously operating food businesses in Italy. The salumeria is famous in its own right: aged prosciutto di Modena, Parmigiano-Reggiano at 24 and 36 months, proprietary balsamic vinegar with the Giusti label, and a range of Emilian cured meats that attract serious shoppers from across Europe.
The osteria — the four-table restaurant hidden behind the salumeria, accessible only through the shop — came later. In 1989, Adriano "Nano" Morandi, a loyal apprentice, opened Hosteria Giusti by transforming the old butcher's workshop into an intimate dining room of remarkable character: stone walls, wooden beams, and the specific atmosphere of a space that has been tended for generations. Today it is Michelin-selected and recognised as one of the genuine temples of Emilian cuisine — not because of innovation, but because of absolute fidelity to tradition executed without compromise.
The menu is brief, seasonal, and entirely Emilian: tortellini in brodo made with genuine depth, tagliatelle al ragù of the kind that clarifies why Emilia-Romagna's claim on this dish is non-negotiable, tigelle with Giusti's own cured meats as an aperitivo. The balsamic vinegar, used throughout the kitchen, is the family's own — aged in a series of barrels in the attic of the building. Lunch only, Monday through Friday. Four tables. Reservations are essential and should be made well in advance.
There is no better single expression of why Modena matters in the global conversation about food than a lunch at Hosteria Giusti. The salumeria before and the afternoon after form the ideal frame.
Best For: Impressing Clients & Landmark Dining
The combination of genuine historical significance, absolute culinary quality, and intimate scale makes Hosteria Giusti the most specific recommendation possible for a client lunch that needs to communicate knowledge and taste without the formality of a tasting menu. Bringing someone here demonstrates that you know Modena beyond its most famous restaurant — and that distinction matters in rooms where these things are noticed.
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