1448 Antica Dimora al Merlo Bianco — Restaurant in Cividale del Friuli

Tucked away in the center of Cividale, 1448 Antica Dimora al Merlo Bianco is a little hard to find—but absolutely worth it. It’s a gem and perfect for a business lunch. There’s indoor and outdoor seating; with the August heat we chose a table inside, where the old brick walls kept the room pleasantly cool and added to the “old Italy” vibe.

Service was excellent: friendly, professional, and impressively multilingual. In a region where that’s not always a given, English was no problem, and the menu is available in Italian, English, and German.

We shared a mixed starter of prosciutto crudo, salami, mortadella, and cheeses—fresh and well-balanced. For mains, the paccheri with basil cream and shrimp bisque was spot-on, and the homemade tagliolini with San Daniele prosciutto and poppy seeds (we ordered two portions) was outstanding. The house white and water paired perfectly.

All in all, a flawless experience. Highly recommended—and I’d suggest...

Antica Dimora del Merlo Bianco was the best stay in our vacation through Friuli Venezia-Giulia, because it delivered really well on all elements that we value the most: the beds was spacious and comfortable (not always a given in Italy), the room was spacious and well lit, the bathroom was spacious and clean and with updated and functional shower and sink, and the location was fantastic, inside the historical center of Cividale, but not too far from a public parking lot. Cividale is a gorgeous little town, so we had a wonderful time exploring it. We did not have breakfast at Merlo Bianco and we did not try the restaurant, so I cannot comment on that - but I absolutely recommend the rooms upstairs and I would...

We were absolutely blown away by this hotel. The room was completely new, renovated with incredible care and attention to detail — honestly, it felt like staying in a 5-star hotel. Everything from the facilities to the design to the overall atmosphere was top-notch.

The location is also fantastic: right in the heart of a charming Friulian village, with a big free parking lot just a few minutes’ walk away, plus bakeries, cafés, and plenty of local life all around.

But the most unbelievable part was the price. It was almost ridiculously low for what we got. I have never experienced a hotel of this level of quality for such a small amount of money. Exceptional value — truly one of the best hotel deals...