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Best Jota (food) in London
“Beans and sauerkraut with bacon and spare ribs, anchored in garlic and olive oil—a dish that belongs to the whole northern Adriatic.”
What the real thing tastes like
The jota or Istrian stew (Italian: Jota; Croatian: Istarska jota; Slovene: Jota) is a soup made with beans and sauerkraut or sour turnip, potatoes, bacon, and spare ribs, known in the northern Adriatic regions. Under the name jota, it is typical and especially popular in Trieste and its province (where it is considered to be the prime example of Triestine food), in the Istrian peninsula, in the province of Gorizia, in the whole Slovenian Littoral, in the Rijeka area, and in Friuli, especially in some of its peripheral areas (the highland region of Carnia, the Torre and Natisone river valleys or Slavia Veneta). The stew, based on etymology, most likely originated in Friuli before spreading east and south. Jota seems to derive from a Celtic root and has parallels in ancient Friulian language. The dish shows the influence of both Central European and Mediterranean cuisine. In most of the recipes, olive oil is used, and the main seasoning is garlic. In Slovenian Istria, it is often eaten
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Jota is a sturdy Adriatic stew where beans and sauerkraut simmer with potatoes, bacon, and spare ribs—a dish that belongs equally to Trieste, Istria, and Slovenia, though Friuli likely gave it birth. It's a study in culinary crossroads: garlic and olive oil nod to the Mediterranean, while the hearty bean-and-sour-vegetable foundation speaks to Central European roots. The soup moves across a region where borders matter less than what fills the bowl.
Order it here when it has
- signature dish of Trieste
- long regional heritage across multiple cultures
- foundational balance of sour, salt, and fat
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