In an exceptional location that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, the vaults of the wonderful Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza, Bar Borsa, managed by its passionate host Damiano Salmeri, is a place with different souls that follow one another from breakfast until late night: bistro, cocktail bar, restaurant and jazz club, a theater for refined live music events.

Born as the city’s Palazzo della Ragione in the Middle Ages, the Basilica Palladiana owes its current majesty to the famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio who redesigned it between 1549 and 1614, adding the distinctive white marble and Serlian loggias to the pre-existing construction.

It is impossible to describe the impression that Palladio’s Basilica makes.

(Goethe, Viaggio in Italia)

With two entrances that lead to different rooms, overlooking the portico with an outdoor terrace, the flavor of the jazz club can be felt as soon as you enter the Bar Borsa: piano, double bass, trumpet and drums and many photos on the walls recall the jazz festivals that have animated the place since 2012.

The cuisine begins with breakfast, continues with brunch and lunch, and then ends with aperitifs and dinner (kitchen open until 10:30 pm) with traditional Venetian and international dishes orchestrated by chef Carlo Cappellazzo, always looking for the best local products.

From tagliatelle with rabbit ragù to roast lamb with yogurt and spring vegetables, to the many cicchetti (tapas), focaccias stuffed on the spot, selections of raw fish and platters of cheeses and cured meats, such as patanegra, jamon iberico or artisanal pastrami produced in-house.

The wine list is very carefully curated, a selection of wineries, often small Italian businesses, whose philosophy is to work with the criterion of quality while respecting the land and the territory, as well as the spirits one that give life to cocktails artfully created by the team of bartenders.

Check out the venue’s social media to stay up to date on all the events organized, such as the 4 jazz festivals, one for each season, where the best Italian and international artists perform.

Bar Borsa has always been one of the most beloved “social salons” in Vicenza.

The Secret

Near the Bar Borsa, in 1333, in the Basilica Palladiana, the first goldsmiths’ guild in Vicenza was established; a tradition of excellence in the goldsmith’s art for the city that has continued to this day, so much so that, walking around the building, overlooking Piazza dei Signori, you can visit the beautiful Jewellery Museum.

Useful Info

Bar Borsa
Basilica Palladiana
Piazza dei Signori 26
36100 Vicenza
Tel. +39 0444 544583

Main courses: from 14 euro
Burgers and club sandwiches: from 15 euro
Cold cuts platters: from 12 euro
Cocktails: from 7 euro