Nova Gorica's restaurant scene punches above its weight thanks to the cross-border traffic and the wine country on its doorstep. Expect Friulian-Slovene fusion: prsut (air-dried ham) and frico (crisped Montasio cheese), pasta with truffle, jota soup, and game in autumn.
Gostilna Pri Hrastu in the village of Lokovec, half an hour out of town, is a destination farm-to-table place — book ahead. In town itself, Pikol offers polished modern cooking, and the casino restaurants (especially at Perla) are surprisingly good. Across the border, the Italian Gorizia trattorias around Via Rastello are worth crossing for.
For something more relaxed, the cafes along Bevkov Trg have outdoor terraces, decent pizza, and prsut platters with a glass of Brda Rebula for the price of a beer in Trieste.