Bastian Contrario
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Bastian Contrario is a pub in an 18th-century cellar at Strada Inzani 34/A, in the Oltretorrente across the river from the center. It opened on March 13, 2015, with 11 taps and 2 hand pumps, and is open every night of the week. In 2020 the owners started brewing: the brewery and taproom are on Via Rapallo, with a 1,000-liter brewhouse.
According to Italia a Tavola, founder Marco Grzincich opened the pub, and Alessandro Gorbi and Fabiana Tanzi joined in 2020 to build the brewery, which made 400 hectoliters in 2024. The pub pours its own beers alongside guests from Italy and abroad.
At a glance
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday and Sunday 6 p.m.–1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday 6 p.m.–2 a.m.
- Beer
- 11 taps and 2 hand pumps, rotating between its own beers and other Italian and foreign craft beers.
- Prices
- Not published online. Ask for the tap list with prices at the bar.
- Food
- Salumi and cheese boards, bruschette, slow-cooked ribs, duck leg and beef.
- Address
- Strada Giovanni Inzani 34/A, beside Via D'Azeglio in the Oltretorrente. Phone +39 0521 1813545 from 5:30 p.m.
In this guide
The house beers
- Agosto 1922, a golden ale with rye, hopped with Ekuanot and Simcoe, dry and citrusy. It commemorates the Barricate di Parma, when the Oltretorrente held off Fascist squads in August 1922.
- Birkermaier, a Franconian-style lager with Perle, Saaz and Mandarina Bavaria hops, the top seller.
- Miss Matilda, a soft blanche with coriander and bitter orange.
- Volo Via, a session IPA; Primal Bliss, an American IPA; Lapse of Mind, a double IPA.
- Dusky Treat, a dry stout recognized in Slow Food's 2025 beer guide, and Decana, an amber lager.
Why order Agosto 1922
It is the beer with the most Parma in it. The pub stands in the district that built the 1922 barricades, and the brewery releases the beer each year to mark the anniversary; it is also the only one of its beers sold in cans. The Oltretorrente walk passes the streets where the barricades went up.
Food and prices
Food is pub food with a Parma accent: a board of prosciutto, spalla cotta, coppa and salame di Felino with cheeses, bruschette, and slow-cooked ribs, duck leg and beef brisket with dialect names. Neither beer nor food prices are published online, so check the board before you order a second round of the stronger beers.
Getting there
Strada Inzani runs through the Oltretorrente beside Via D'Azeglio. From the center, cross the Ponte di Mezzo and keep walking west. It pairs well with dinner in the district, or with a walk back to Tabarro if you want to finish on wine.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I drink craft beer in Parma?
Bastian Contrario on Strada Inzani pours its own Parma-brewed beers on 11 taps and 2 hand pumps, every night from 6 p.m.
Does Bastian Contrario brew its own beer?
Yes. Its brewery on Via Rapallo, running since 2020, produced 400 hectoliters in 2024.
What time does Bastian Contrario close?
1 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
What is Agosto 1922?
A golden rye ale from Bastian Contrario named for the August 1922 barricades of Parma, when the Oltretorrente resisted Fascist squads.
Further reading
Official sources
- Bastian Contrario - official website – Address, opening date March 13, 2015, 11 taps and 2 pumps, 1,000-liter brewhouse, hours, phone; checked September 29, 2026
- Bastian Contrario - beer and food menu – Beer styles and hops, Agosto 1922 and the Barricate, food items; no prices listed
- Italia a Tavola - BastianContrario, the brewery that tells Parma's story – Founders, 2020 brewery, 400 hl in 2024, Birkermaier top seller, Agosto 1922 only beer in cans, Dusky Treat in Slow Food 2025 guide (August 2, 2025)
