When sommelier Nicola Taricco met wordsmith Jacopo Panizza, it led to the creation of Piola Libri, a wine bookstore of sorts that opened in 2007 in the European District. That’s where you can grab the latest Carolina Cavalli novel along with a Sicilian Nero-d’Avola produced by Funaro (glasses €6 and €7, corkage fee a third of the bottle price), even better when surrounded by an international crowd enjoying small osteria-style dishes: tagliolini with octopus and squid ink; porchetta from Ariccia with chanterelles and toasted almonds; chocolate panna cotta… and at night, there’s an aperitivo option with tigelle bread topped with delicious charcuterie or, for the vegetarian version, eggplant polenta. It’s also worth noting that in addition to the exhibits, literary events and concerts, Piola Libri also boasts a more peaceful sister shop in Saint-Gilles, specialized in second-hand goods and coffee… // Monica Nolli

The bullet-proof bottle: Vino Vivo, an unfiltered skin-contact Friuli wine produced by Isola Augusta (€32).