EBG Rating: 7.8/10

Choice/Quality of Drinks:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
A decent, if compact selection of drinks covering a few bases.

Style/Décor:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Stone walls, wrought iron and vaulted ceilings across two floors, muted positional lighting.

Atmosphere/Character:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Fairly casual, pan-European feel to the place, there is no obligation to be a D&D fan or dress up, but it happens from time to time.

Amenities/Events:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Food, snacks, board games, dice games, events

Value For Money:
❤️❤️❤️
Reasonable overall.

Description:
Popular two-floor bar with high ceiling and striking décor. At its heart is love for card and dice games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons, as seen from the naming of some of its Panini options! The name Refuge is inspired by the idea of a starting point of a fantasy quest or mission.

It is a well-executed, nicely lit space to socialise, with stone walls, vaulted ceilings and curtains offering a kind of intimacy. Some of the space looks inherited from a previous operation, perhaps a restaurant looking at the bar area.

With board game nights, some of which are dress-up, it knows its audience but isn’t exclusive and you can casually arrive for a drink too.

As with other parts of Trieste, the drinks seem a little more expensive than you’d expect, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

Definitely worth keeping in mind as you explore central Trieste’s bar scene.

(Added October 2025)