Love Puglia | Curated Guide To The Best Puglia Restaurants

In Puglia you do not need to spend a lot of money to eat well. There are fine dining options but some of the best Puglia restaurants serve “home cooked” style meals, a local trattoria or osteria. Simple, delicious and inexpensive.

Puglia is considered the 2nd top foodie destination in Italy. Our region’s fertile red soil and climate make Puglia one of Italy’s top durum wheat producers. We are the top regional producer of Italian olive oil – accounting for almost 40% of Italy’s liquid gold, producing some of Italy’s best tasting and most prized olive oil. Our region is the top producer of Italian red wines, overall Italy’s 2nd top regional wine producer after Veneto. And Puglia gave the world burrata.

Slow food, happy living

Slow-food is not a gimmick, rather a tradition. La cucina povera (literally poor cuisine) serves up simple but inventive dishes using seasonal, locally produced, fresh and flavorful ingredients. Most dishes use only a few ingredients and very little goes to waste. Humble and frugal, the end result is much more than the sum of its ingredients. 

We eat where locals eat. That’s why many of the restaurants that regularly top Tripadvisor and similar lists are not included here. In our opinion there are better (and better value) options. For example Ostuni’s Osteria del Tempo Perso is often highly recommended by tourists for its traditional cuisine. But we find their food unremarkable and poor value for money. The majority of its customers are tourists, who go and then recommend it to other tourists. It would be unusual for locals to eat there.

We pay for all our meals and review anonymously.

Eat Puglia at the best Puglia restaurants

#EatPuglia with our curated guide to some of our favourite places to eat and drink and Puglia’s best eating experiences. Where we go for the traditional regional dishes that best represent our region, and represent the best of our region.

This curated guide to the best Puglia restaurants also includes bars and eateries, places where we enjoy good food.

A note about our recommendations: some of the paces are listed because of the dishes they offer, or for the overall experience. Some of these restaurants are local favourites off season, but during summer the number of covers can triple or quadruple, which can make for a different experience!

Best Puglia restaurants | index

Best Puglia restaurants | Alberobello

Capital of the trulli (one trullo, two trulli), the UNESCO World Heritage site is the most visited destination in Puglia, with visitors arriving by the coach load. However no trip to Puglia is complete without visiting. We prefer to eat away from the crowds and the restaurants with 400 plus covers serving hot dogs and hamburgers!

Coppino | “Come Nonna Comanda”

Eatery, street food

“Orecchiette e polpette just what your grandmother ordered”. A small but cute eatery on the main drag, with outside seating offering orecchiette and polpette (meatballs, though you can also buy polpette di pane, made from bread), just what your grandma ordered! Served in disposable tubs, a cross between street food and take-away, made on the premises using local produce. Generous portions, with fresh bread cooked in the oven and very good value at under 10€ per dish.

 Largo Martellotta, 48, Alberobello 

Miseria e Nobiltà

The restaurant takes its name after an old film, a reference to the historic poverty of Alberobello and the nobility of the restaurant setting. Since opening in 2004 the restaurant has moved from its original setting to more functional premises with less character And a little off the beaten track! Great for salads and cheeses as well as the traditional selection of pasta primi. There’s a large range of wines from Puglia and beyond (though in reality we recommend staying in the region).

Vico G. Paisiello 1, 70011 Alberobello BA | +39 080 4324082

Trullo D’Oro Restaurant

Restaurant

Good traditional dishes using local produce. Finer dining than trattoria style, but not too expensive.

Via Felice Cavallotti 27, 70011 Alberobello | info@trullodoro.it | +39 080 432 1820

More | Eat Puglia with the Puglia Guys at Ristorante Trullo D’Oro, Alberobello

Best Puglia restaurants | Altamura

Dicecca World

Cheese Shop, Cheese Bar

The Dicecca family dairy is the perfect spot to enjoy Vito Dececca’s artisan cheeses. An experience immersed in nature (the scenery of the Mercadante forest, in the Murge area) where the slow pace of artisan cheesemaking echoes the simple, rural lifestyle of the Murge. 

Caseificio Dicecca Via Bari 26, 70022, Altamura (BA) Baby Dicecca Foresta Mercadante, 70020, Cassano delle Murge (BA) | Caseificio: +39 380 788 4630 Vito Dicecca: +39 333 3038 348

Best Puglia restaurants | Andria

Ristorante Antichi Sapori

Restaurant

Located about 15km from the centre of Andria and 23km from Castel del Monte is the small hamlet of Montegrosso. Here you will find the sublime Ristorante Antichi Sapori. The name means ‘ancient flavours’, a theme that recurs across Puglia. Here is cucina povera at its very finest. The signature dish is burnt gain orecchiette in a fava bean cream served with burrata cheese and charred black olives. Fava beans are a favorite in Puglia; they add a smooth, creaminess to the pasta.

Piazza Sant’Isidoro, 10, 76123 Montegrosso BT | Whatsapp +39 328 322 8078 (only for English language)

Best Puglia restaurants | Bari

Bari is our regional capital. Eat epic street food in the courtyards and alleyways of Barivecchia, or soak up the atmosphere at any one of its many restaurants, serving up a menu of traditional, authentic Barese cuisine, a celebration of surf and turf. But, above all else, no trip to Bari is complete without a plate of Puglia’s finest: spaghetti all’assassina.

Al Sorso Preferito

Restaurant

The restaurant credited with inventing Bari’s spaghetti all’assassina. No visit to Bari is complete without visiting here. Popular with locals as well as those on the spaghetti all’assassina trail. It’s only 11€ for a generous piping hot plate of assassina, wafting a glorious burnt scent. The 2,50€ cover includes bread and potato chips and the house negroamaro (house or table wines in Puglia are decent if not good and should not be judged by the price) costs 3€ a glass, though if more than one person order by the half-litre/litre carafe.

Via Vito Nicola De Nicolò 40 | +39 0805 235747

More | on the assassin’s trail with the Puglia Guys – cook spaghetti all’assassina at home with the original official assassina recipe and local variations

El Chiringuito

Street food and bar

Grab a panzerotto and Peroni (no other beer will do, and it must be ice cold) at this legendary no-frills street food hang-out. On summer evenings it draws an informal young crowd, who come to socialise and enjoy the reggae beat from the bar.

Porto Vecchio, Mola San Nicola, 70100 Bari | +39 080 524 0206

Mastrociccio

Fast food street food

It looks like a fast food restaurant. And it is, but don’t let that put you off. This is an excellent, authentic spot for more, great street food. Particularly well known for ‘U Pulp’ (polpo panino – Octopus in a bun). Slow cooked in a terracotta pignata, with fresh tomato, garlic, bay leaf and parsley and served with burrata, sun dried dried tomato, for depth of flavour and a touch of sweetness, salted corn crumble, rocket and finished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper. Magnifico! Also great for panzerotti, and much, much more. Don’t go to the McDonalds opposite – go here | Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 15.

L’Osteria del Borgo Antico

Restaurant

Unassuming restaurant on the piazza, serving up traditional home cooking in the heart of Bari’s old town. This is a destination where in summer the number of visitors means the quality of service suffers.

Piazza Mercantile, 15, 70122 Bari | +39 080 521 0124

El Pedro

Canteen restaurant and take-away

Canteen dining for those visiting Bari on a budget. Antipasti, primi and secondi at 5€. This is decent, no-frills food, serving eat-in or take out. Popular with local residents.

Via Nicolò Piccinni 152, Bari

Il Pane e le Rose

Vineria – between a wine bar and restaurant

When we want a taste of Italy outside our region, we come here. Some dishes are Puglia inspired – like their “le rape ignoranti” (an homage both to our territorio and Italian-Turkish film director Ferzan Özpetek Rome set “Le Fate Ignoranti” – the film is better than the TV series version, although the latter has a little tribute to his Lecce based Mine Vaganti when some familiar looking guests come to party), but many others are firmly rooted in other regions (tortellini in brodo di parmigiano? Yes please!).

Via Benedetto Cairoli, 124, 70122 Bari BA | +39 080 523 9176

La Locanda dell’Elfo

In the heart of Barivecchia is this local favourite. Many typical dishes are on offer, including a number of dishes that are off menu, but locals know what to order. Polpo is pretty good. The spaghetti all’assassina wasn’t on the menu when we visited. You had to know to ask for it. We did, and so did 5 other local barese diners while we were eating ours. If you know, you know. Delicious – and just as it should be: burnt, crispy and fiery. Literally, in this case.

Strada dei Gesuiti, 28/30, tel 329 325 7911 / 371 664 9485

Panificio Fiore

Bakery

They’ve been baking since 1508, so what’s another 10 minutes to wait in line for a slice of warm, fresh from the baker’s oven focaccia barese. The slices fly out at 2€ each. On the Strada Palazzo di Città, on the way to the Basilica San Nicola.

Panificio Santa Rita

Bakery

See exactly what we mean by street food. Likely the street will be filled with people waiting in line to grab a slice of focaccia barese from Panificio Santa Rita!

PerBacco

Restaurant

The menu is a tribute to regional produce and evolving cooking traditions. Terra and mare are celebrated and combined in wonderful ways: try the fricelli con pesce spada affumicato, melanzane e filetti di pomodoro secchi.

Via Francesco Saverio Abbrescia, 99, 70121 Bari | +39 080 558 8563

Porto Vecchio Fish Market, Mola San Nicola

Raw seafood street food

Along the pier from El Chiringuito are tables where you can eat fresh seafood and fish landed by the fishermen that have caught them. 5€ buys a selection served with a slice of lemon and chunk of bread. Be aware that ricci di mare – sea urchins – are subject to a conservation ban. For conservation reasons there is currently a 3-year moratorium on harvesting them anywhere along Puglia’s coast. So if these are being sold, they are not freshly caught from Puglia, or they have been harvested illegally and you should not buy them.

Porto Vecchio fish market, Molo San Nicola, Bari

More | the Puglia Guys Bari Porto Vecchio gallery

Le Sgagliozze di Donna Carmela

Street food

Bari “fast food” on the Largo Albicocca. The small piazza, a well known local haunt, is totally Barivecchia of an evening. As well as sgagliozze, Carmella serves up fave e cicoria, orecchiette con cime di rapa (when in season) and riso, patate e cozze.

There’s also a great take-away pizzeria on the piazza adjacent to Donna Carmela (Pizzeria di Cosimo). It is not unusual for people to order a pizza and while waiting, grab some sgagliozze from Carmela to eat while waiting for their pizza.

U’Kor

Korean fusion

Fantastic Korean fusion restaurant where we had some great kimchi focaccia baresi, their superb version of spaghetti all’assassina, 2 glasses of bio wine, coffee and 2 digestivi all for 25€. A must visit for those following the Puglia Guys spaghetti all’assassina trail.

Via Roberto da Bari 130, +39 080 918 8664

Urban L’Assassineria Urbana

Restaurant

Restaurant located in the hipper University quarter known for spaghetti all’assassina. On our visit there were nine different versions, with two specials changing every month. As visited by Stanley Tucci.

Via Nicolai 10, tel +39 080 645 8469

Best Puglia restaurants | Brindisi

Once upon a time when Puglia was the center of the known world, Brindisi was one of the great intersections of the Mediterranean. A major center of Roman naval power and maritime trade, Brindisi was once one of the busiest ports in the world. The Via Appia ended here, the Crusaders set off from here. During WW2 Brindisi was Italy’s capital city for 8 months before the defeat of fascism. 

Have lunch and take a walk along the lungomare – Brindisi has a really nice, simple lungomare. It has a couple of interesting museums that show off the history and antiquities.

La Locanda del Porto

Restaurant

Situated in a narrow street leading down from Piazza Duomo to the lungomare. Large interior area in addition to outside seating. Great for seafood. Friendly staff and the selection of starters offers great value.

Via Montenegro, 20 | +39 0831 56 8181

Best Puglia restaurants | Carovigno

Carovigno is a town that punches well above its weight when it comes to eating out. It may not have the same pulling power as its better known near neighbour, Ostuni, yet within 100 metres there’s a Michelin-starred restaurant, a stand-out family trattoria, our favourite braceria and pizza to cry for!

Braceria Pomodoro

Braceria grill

Excellent traditional grill specialising in bombette and sausage cooked over charcoal. A decent selection of sides will suit non-meat eaters. Order your meat at the counter, you pay by weight. Delicious and good value. A wide range of bombette and salsicce. A busy but efficient restaurant. The Puglia Guys are also fans of the Braceria Pomodoro street food truck in neighbouring San Vito dei Normanni at this location.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 103, 72012 Carovigno | +39 0831 211734

More | the Puglia Guys eat at their favourite traditional Puglia braceria meat grill restaurant – Carovigno’s Braceria Pomodoro

Dissapore Ristorante di Andrea Catalano

Restaurant

Highly recommended for thoughtful dishes and good service. Closer to fine dining than home cooking, but well worth visiting.

Via Pietro Micca 15, 72012 Carovigno
+39 347 361 3926 | info@dissapore.eu

Miramare da Michele

Fish restaurant

A popular uncomplicated family favourite fish and seafood restaurant by the sea. Popular with locals.

Via della Torre, 72012 Torre Santa Sabina | +39 338 243 0001

Picci Bar

Bar, bar food

Avant-garde suburban baby bar and popular meeting place. Great for aperitivi and stuzzichini. The interior is very stylish resulting in the bar being one of Puglia’s most instagrammed places in 2023.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 39, 72012 Carovigno | +39 338 316 4870

Pizzeria La Piccola Napoli

Great pizza, with a huge selection to choose from. They come in two sizes: small (which isn’t) and gigante (which is). Fantastic value.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 111, 72012 Carovigno | +39 389 575 9292

Sommarco

Wine Bar and Grocery 

Sustainable premium organic wine and local produce.

Corte de Milano (Wine bar) | Via Cattedrale 7 (Deli), 72012 Carovigno
+39 340 127 2773

Osteria Già Sotto L’Arco

Michelin starred restaurant

Chef Teresa Galeone Buongiorno has one Michelin star and no formal training (other than as an accountant). A fine-tuned menu matches a fine-tuned setting, where every attention to detail has been considered. Già Sotto L’Arco has one of the most sought-after tables in Puglia. This is a restaurant for a special occasion or for a special memory. For antipasto burrata in pasta kataifi su salsa al pomodoro acerbo, olio al: basilico, pomodoro secco e capocollo di Martina Franca comes in at 30€, and the orecchiette primo is one of the most costly eaten out in Puglia: orecchiette al ragù bianco di agnello e crema di ricotta at 35€. The tasting menu of 4, 6 or 8 dishes comes in at 90, 120 and 150€ respectively (October 2023 prices).

Corso Vittoria Emanuele, 71 72012 Carovigno
+39 0831 996 286

Trattoria La Cantina

Small family run trattoria, excellent home made dishes. Fantastic value, but very busy so do not be in a rush!

Corso Vittorio Emanuele 95797, 72012 Carovigno | +39 338 459 6846

Carovigno Guide: Ostuni’s Neighbour Packs An Unexpected Punch

Best Puglia restaurants | Castrignano del Capo

Retrò – Casa Museo Bar, Pasticceria

Traditional Salento cuisine

Sometimes the best finds are in the most unexpected places. Beautiful, aged interior and an enticing courtyard. Traditional Salento cuisine – but we recommend checking that they are open before turning up.

Via XI Febbraio, 2, 73040 Castrignano del capo LE | +39 0833 751029

Best Puglia restaurants | Cisternino

Al Vecchio Fornello

Braceria grill and restaurant

Traditional bombette and grilled meat dishes. Select meat by weight from the counter. Sides are ordered at the table. As always, despite being a meat specialist restaurant, the selection of vegetable antipasti and sides are plentiful.

Piazza Pellegrino Rossi 21, 72014 Cisternino | +39 338 723 3387

More | the Puglia Guys eat Puglia’s traditional bombette at Al Vecchio Forno, Cisternino

Giardini 36

Restaurant

Good local produce brought to you by the Valle d’Itria’s Dfood farm and other small producers.

Via dei Giardini 36, 72014 Cisternino | +39 080 247 1829

Trattoria Bère Vecchie

Braceria

Tucked away in the labyrinth of old town alleyways. Typical of Cisternino’s shops come restaurants. Run by young restaurateur Vito, be sure to try bombette (stuffed with cheese, herbs and red pepper) and gnumareddi (lamb wrapped in intestines).

Via Regina Elena, 8, 72014 Cisternino BR | +39 080 444 6638

Zio Pietro

Braceria grill and restaurant

More grilled meat and bombette chosen at the butcher’s counter. A popular restaurant as well as being a tourist favourite. Expect a long queue.

Via Duca D’Aosta 3, 72014 Cisternino | +39 080 444 8300

Best Puglia restaurants | Ceglie Messapica

Calce

Wine Bar

Highly recommended by friends though we haven’t yet visited is this chic wine bar with neighbouring retail and wellbeing space.

Piazza Vecchia 17, 72013 Ceglie
+39 338 946 1912

Da Gino

Restaurant

Our friends loved their visit to this family run restaurant keeping things local. Found on the outskirts of town.

Contrada Montevicoli 57b, 72013 Ceglie
+39 0831 377916

EnoCocus Acini & Carbone

Braceria and restaurant

Meat grill. A meat lover’s wet dream according to friends who have visited.

Via Pendinello 2, 72013 Ceglie
+39 388 863 1022

Osteria l’Antico Arco

Restaurant

Traditional home cooking in the heart of Ceglie’s old town. Reasonably priced, delicious.

Via Celso, 4, 72013 Ceglie Messapica
+39 339 759 1381

Osteria del Capitolo

Restaurant

Thumbs up for the home cooking from nonna, at excellent value. Traditional dishes made in time honoured fashion, local ingredients. This generous primo of spaghettoni all’arrabbiata was 9€, piping hot and full of flavour. A word about use of chillies in the #PugliaKitchen. Typically they are used to add only a mild heat. We rarely find a dish with chilli that blows our heads off! Lunch was leisurely. We visited off season when there were only 2 staff cooking, one of whom was also serving. We didn’t order antipasti, antipasti were cooked and sent out to all other tables before the kitchen began cooking primi and secondi. That’s simply an observation, not a criticism.

Via Orto del Capitolo, 10, 72013 Ceglie Messapica

L’Osteria del DivinGustare

Restaurant

Recommended by friends for their traditional dishes.

Via S. Rocco 19, 72013 Ceglie Messapica
+39 0831 198 6278

Best Puglia restaurants | Fasano

La Locanda di Martumè

Restaurant

Traditional dishes, celebrating Puglia’s slow food tradition.

Via Santa Teresa 36, 72015 Fasano
+39 080 332 4666

Pentole e Provette

Restaurant

Traditional ingredients used to deliver dishes with a contemporary and sometimes experimental twist. When you want to try something different than home cooking. Tasting menu.

Via Musco 37 72015 Fasano
+39 348 655 4811

Best Puglia restaurants | Gallipoli

Ristorante Il Bastione

Seafood restaurant

Family run restaurant whose fresh seafood comes from the fishmarket stall of their fisherman brother. Beautiful panoramic views over the sea, and a perfect view of sunset. Popular with well-heeled locals, especially on Sundays.

Riviera Nazario Sauro, 28 Gallipoli | +39 0833 263836

Trattoria La Puritate

Seafood restaurant

For lunch or dinner, head to La Puritate, a rustic trattoria known for fresh, top quality seafood dishes, all while enjoying the serene views of the sea. The restaurant is next to the Chiesa della Purità, sitting above spiaggia della Purità. Popular with locals, we suggest linguettine alla Puritate as primo (small linguine with small prawns, thin strips of courgette and cherry tomatoes) followed by the theatrical gamberoni al sale.

Via Sant’Elia, 18 Gallipoli | +39 0833 264205

Gallipoli | Two Towns Entwined in Tide and Time

Best Puglia restaurants | Gravina in Puglia

Osteria La Murgiana

Restaurant

For an incredible meal and dining experience. This is how Italians eat.

Via XXIV Maggio 25, 70024 Gravina in Puglia
+39 080 325 0342

Trattoria Mamma Mia

Restaurant

For the Friday night Brodetto Vastese (fish stew). €30 and only by booking. Amazing view over the Torrente Gravina canyon thrown in.

Via Civita 59, 70024 Gravina in Puglia
+39 080 326 4509

Best Puglia restaurants | Grottaglie

Macchiaviva Bistrot

Restaurant

Serving up traditional cuisine, using ingredients sourced locally from artisan producers. Run by sisters Anna and Loredana who are knowledgable about ingredients and wine. Dessert contributions inspired and sometimes made by their mama.

Via Cavour 13, 74023 Grottaglie | +39 099 450 4695

Trattoria la Luna nel Pozzo, Grottaglie

Restaurant

Delicious, traditional dishes in the slow food tradition, run by husband and wife team.

Via L. da Vinci, 4, 74023 Grottaglie TA | +39 373 784 2289

Best Puglia restaurants | Latiano

Luppolo & Farina, Latiano

Pizzeria

Officially one of Italy’s top 50 pizzerie. A modern setting for traditional and evolutionary pizza.

Via Francesco d’Ippolito, 98 – 72022 Latiano (BR)
+39 392 495 5782

Best Puglia restaurants | Lecce

3 Rane – Ristoro

Restaurant

Creative cuisine with tasting menu in an intimate setting.

Via Camillo Benso conte di Cavour 7, 73100 Lecce
+39 375 504 0165

400 Gradi

Pizzeria

Innovative award-winning pizza from Andrea Godi and Francesco Cassiano. Officially Puglia’s best pizza for the last 3 years.

Viale Porta d’Europa 65, 73100 Lecce
+39 391 3318359

La Cucina di Mamma Elvira

Restaurant

Regional dishes celebrating seasonality.

Via Ludovico Maremonti 33, 73100 Lecce
+39 331 579 5127

Primo

Restaurant

Fine dining and tasting menu.

Via 47 Reggimenton Fanteria 7, 73100 Lecce
+39 0832 24 3802

Vico del Cuciniere

Restaurant

Towards the finer end of dining, friendly service. Traditional ingredients used in interesting ways. We couldn’t resist the fettucciona di mortadella (pasta made using mortadella as a base ingredient).

Vicolo Mondo Nuovo, 2/4, 73100 Lecce | +39 347 495 9976

Le Zie Trattoria Casereccia

Restaurant

Not to be missed. No frills, traditional home cooking, at its best and inexpensive. Small restaurant, and popular with locals and Italian visitors. Booking essential.

Via Colonnello Archimede Costadura 19, 73100 Lecce
+39 083 224 5178

And One To Think About… Bros’

Restaurant

Salento’s first Michelin starred restaurant devoted to the avant-garde and rooted in the territory. Often cited as a must visit, they currently only offer tasting menus. It seems that we are not the only ones that aren’t fans of tasting menus…

Bros., Lecce: We Eat at The Worst Michelin Starred Restaurant, Ever

Via degli Acaya 2, 73100 Lecce | +39 351 661 5513

For an alternative take listen to our podcast with the amazing Italian food writer, critic and consultant Paolo Vizzari. He has two very interesting pieces of advice about dining at Bros.

New Podcast Episode | Eat Puglia 2022, Rebel FoodExp

Best Puglia restaurants | Monopoli

La Torretta del Pescatore a Monopoli

Restaurant

Fine dining over seafood and fresh fish platters.

Via Procaccia 191, 70043 Monopoli | +39 080 321 0390

Best Puglia restaurants | Ostuni

Al Solito Posto

Pizzeria

Ostuni’s best pizza. Highly rated by locals. But equally good starters and pasta dishes. Great desserts too. A real favourite with a small outside terrace at the front, and nice clean, modern interior. Efficient, friendly.

Via Cesare Braico, 37 | +39 0831 305850

Casa San Giacomo

Restaurant

Traditional cooking by nonna. Madonna celebrated her 63rd birthday here. Sadly the original home cook passed away a few years ago, and the restaurant is now run by her grandson, using Nonna’s recipes and cooking style.

Via Bixio Continelli 4, 72012 Ostuni | +39 328 138 8457

Trattoria Il Cortiletto

Restaurant

Good food in modest unassuming surroundings. A short drive from Ostuni en route to the main highway.

Via Lecce 91, 72015 Speziale | +39 080 481 0758

Gabó

Restaurant, cocktail bar

Although it isn’t for locals (the price is relatively on the higher side, especially the coperto (cover) at 5€ per person and drinks – 5€ for 0.75l water, 7€ for 0.40cl beer, 5€ for Coke Zero, 9€ for a glass of wine), the food is excellent, the service friendly and the setting one of the nicest for a relaxed dining experience. Choose a seat in the cool, garden shade. On one of the panoramic terraces or inside. Booking for lunch, dinner or even cocktails recommended.

Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale, 36 | +39 328 271 1189

Masseria Moroseta

Restaurant

A modern take on traditional dishes in minimal surroundings. Exceptional dining. A short drive from Ostuni en route to the main highway.

Contrada Lamacavallo snc, 72012 Ostuni | +39 338 18 99 199

Osteria Monacelle

Restaurant

Good local food in the heart of Ostuni’s old town.

Via P.Vincenti, 72012 Ostuni | +39 083 1334212

Ostuni Bistrot

Restaurant

We eat here again and again. On Ostuni’s main piazza. Fantastic family run bistrot. Dad is usually in the kitchen, Mum is behind the bar with Francesco and Alessandro leading front of house. Great value, great food, and friendly service. There is nothing on the menu that we don’t recommend.

Piazza della Libertà 5, Ostuni BR | +39 333 934 9620

More | the Puglia Guys eat at Ostuni Bistrot, one of their favourite Ostuni restaurants | Ostuni Bistrot photo gallery

La Pastasciutta

Pasta Restaurant

Simple and delicious, excellent fresh pasta dishes. Order at the counter inside the small kitchen. The pasta will be cooked to order and brought out to you. Some unexpected combinations – the cacio e pepe paccheri with tartare of prawn was amazing (14€). There is a 2€ coperto (cover charge) per person.

Via Vito Tamborrino, 15 | €-€€

Best Puglia restaurants | Otranto

LaltroBaffo

Restaurant

Laltro Baffo (a self branded fine fish restaurant) was an easy choice. Many Otranto restaurants offer spaghetti or linguine ai ricci di mare (the qualification “di mare” making it clear that it’s not hedgehog on the menu), but the LaltroBaffo menu offered carbonara di ricci.

Via Cenobio Basiliano, 23, 73028 Otranto | +39 0836 801636

More | the Puglia Guys eat at LaltroBaffo, Otranto

Best Puglia restaurants | Peschici

Al Trabucco da Mimì 

Restaurant

Fresh fish and seafood in a stunning trabucco setting. The location is hard to beat. If you don’t have time for lunch or dinner, they have a cool bar with an equally exceptional view that is highly recommended for aperitivi and to watch the sunset.

Località Punta San Nicola Peschici, 71010 Peschici | +39 0884 962556

More | why the Puglia Guys first choice to eat in Peschici is Trabucco da Mimi | our Trabucco da Mimi photo gallery

Best Puglia restaurants |  Polignano a Mare

Al 2 Ghiottoni al Mare

Restaurant
Fresh fish and seafood best enjoyed in an alfresco setting. Not cheap.
Contrada S. Giovanni 210, 70044 Polignano
+39 080 424 1263

La Casa del Mojito

Mojito Bar
Cool cocktail hangout in the heart of Polignano’s old town.
Via Annunziata 19, 70044 Polignano a Mare
+39 342 825 4061

Mint Cucina Fresca

Restaurant
Intimate bistro serving creative food with heart. Big on food, small on space – booking recommended.
Via S. Benedetto 32, 70044 Polignano
+39 080 424 1373

Pescaria

Restaurant | Street Food

Epic raw, fried and cooked street food. Order at the counter and wait for your number to be called, so listen carefully! The line extends around the block at peak times – go earlier before 12.30pm and after 3pm to avoid excessive queuing. Puglia’s definitive polpo panino (octopus sandwich).

Piazza Aldo Moro 6/8, 70044 Polignano | +39 080 424 7600

Best Puglia restaurants | Putignano

Angelo Sabatelli

Restaurant
Fine dining. Frequently recommended by friends.
Via S. Chiara 1, 70017 Putignano
+39 080 405 2733

Best Puglia restaurants | San Vito dei Normanni

Antiko – Spizzicaturi & Miscele

Cocktail bar, pizzica and food

Another place to really enjoy Salento like a local. Summer nights are often pizzica nights, with traditional music and dancing outside the bar. Popular with locals who come to enjoy the pizzica. The bar food is good too, with typical small plates and generous sharing platters.

Via Regina Margherita, 10/8, 72019 San Vito dei Normanni BR | +39 389 515 4158

Boo! Caffetteria e Bollicine

Bistro bar

A decent spaghetti all’assassina is hard to find outside Barivecchia, which is why its worth visiting here. An authentic spaghetti all’assassina (minimum 2 people).

Via Garibaldi, 67, 72019 San Vito dei Normanni BR | +39 342 020 1815

Emalu Pasticceria Artigianale

Pasticceria, gelateria coffee bar

For outstanding artisan pastries, and the best pasticciotti in Puglia. Award winning panettone and officially the best traditional colomba in Italy (2023). Eat-in or take away. We recommend a pasticciotto – with any filling though we are traditionalists and can never resist the pasticciotto con crema, with an espressino freddo. For something savoury try their fresh made rustici, a typical Lecce aperitivo snack – puff pastry served warm filled with melted béchamel, mozzarella and tomato. Excellent.

Via Brindisi, 136, 72019 San Vito dei Normanni BR | +39 0831 205356

Enobottega Fantini

Wine bar, food and delicatessen

Food is often freshly prepared to order, rather than pre-prepared and ready to cook. A small selection of traditional dishes, home made pasta, from husband and wife team. Bombette are recommended and the cured meats and cheese for the filling will be sliced and taken to the kitchen only once your dish is ordered. There’s a real passion in the kitchen. Slightly more costly reflecting the prepare to order, though not overly expensive.

Via Brindisi, 73 – 72019 San Vito dei Normanni (BR) | +39 339 2582380

Seafood Friggitoria Mastrangelo

Seafood restaurant – fried and grilled fish

Opposite their excellent fish shop is the no-frills restaurant, serving up simple but satisfying fish dishes, including some fantastic panino sandwiches. The terrace sits adjacent to a busy main road, and the interior may be functional but the quality is excellent, the dishes are typical and it’s inexpensive. Take-away also available.

Via Brindisi, 90/95 – 72019 San Vito dei Normanni (BR) | +39 347 838 3587

Strato Bar

Bar – traditional music, food, drink and coffee

Self-styled dive bar, this is a huge favourite with locals. A top spot to sample Salento life like a true local. Summer nights are lively, often with local traditional pizzica music and dancing, panzerotti and braceria street food stalls on-site. They have great bar food – we are big fans of their pinse (like pizza, but less goopy) and the mortadella and gorgonzola panino – but be prepared to wait for these as the kitchen is small and busy. Great for coffee and pastries in the morning. For al fresco cornetti (croissants) in Puglia – cornetto con crema is highly recommended – supplied by local pasticceria Virgola (but not on Mondays when the pasticceria is closed).

Located in ExFadda Via Brindisi s.n. 72019, San Vito dei Normanni | +39 327 625 4986

xfood Ristorante Sociale

Restaurant

Local dishes and traditional cuisine that forays into the creative. We are frequent visitors with friends (for dinner) and on our own for Sunday lunch. Festive celebrations – Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, feast days and the Christmas / New Year periods – offer great value for money with fixed menu dining over various courses, often with house wine included.

Located at the rear of ExFadda, Via Brindisi s.n. 72019, San Vito dei Normanni | +39 366 891 3041

Best Puglia restaurants | Savelletri

MòMò

Restaurant 
Fresh fish and seafood, efficient service
Via Fiume 24, 72015 Savelletri | +39 320 616 2661

Osteria del Porto

Restaurant
Fresh fish, seafood and pasta with all the trimmings in a smart restaurant by the port. Anti pasti dishes are generously proportioned. Surprisingly reasonably priced for Puglia’s seaside town for the rich and famous!
Via del Porto, 19 , 72015 Savelletri – Fasano (BR)
+39 338 280 5468

Pescheria 2 Mari

Where to go for raw fresh fish and seafood. With only fish and seafood on the menu this restaurant celebrates Puglia’s tradition of carpaccio and tartare, with some creative menu items. A winning wine list and a beautiful location.

Piazza Amati, 1, 72015 Savelletri

Ristorante AlbaChiara

Restaurant
Fresh fish and seafood by the sea (a little beyond Savelletri, towards Torre Canne)
Strada provinciale 90 (Torre Canne-Savelletri), 72015 Savelletri di Fasano
+39 339 536 5659

Best Puglia restaurants | Taranto

Ristorante Al Canale

Fish and seafood restaurant

Popular with the business community. Bright and airy, overlooking the channel between la Città Vecchia and downtown Taranto. A flawless lemon scented insalata di mare served hot in a lemon brodo impressed us.

Discesa Vasto, 74123 Taranto TA | +39 338 679 1727

More | Ristorante Al Canale is one of the reasons why the Puglia Guys head to Taranto for some of Puglia’s best seafood and the best mussels in Italy.

Fichi & Barbera Wine Bar 

Wine bar

Trendy and unexpected wine bar hidden down an alley, with an enclosed outside seating area (leading to a “secret” courtyard with street art – just don’t bang your head under the archway).

Via Arco Madonna del Pozzo, 4.

Ristò Fratelli Pesce 

Fish and seafood restaurant

At the northwestern end of Taranto’s raw and gritty borgo vecchio not too far from the Porta Napoli bridge is this busy fish and seafood restaurant. Seafood pasta dishes are highly recommended, as is booking. Do not miss out.

Via Porto, 18 (+39 339 818 2010).

Gente di Mare Trattoria 

Fish restaurant

Cucina di Pesce a Taranto. What can we say. Excellent, and popular with locals. It was full for Sunday lunch, always a good sign. (They also have a restaurant at the other end of the borgo antico which we haven’t tried).

Via Garibaldi, 254 | +39 099 946 6652

La ringhiera pizzeria Di Michele Ruggiero 

Pizza restaurant (more popular for its seafood)

Opposite Ristò Fratelli Pesce. We walked in when we couldn’t get a table at Fratelli Pesce, and were pleased we did. Recommended for raw and cooked plates of seafood.

Piazza Sant’Eligio, 12 (+39 320 710 6301).

Best Puglia restaurants | Trani

Gallo

Restaurant
“Exclusive and elegant, refined” fish restaurant serving creative and traditional dishes.
Via Statuti Marittimi 48/50, 76125 Trani
+39 0883 487 255

Le Lampare al Fortino

Restaurant 
Italy and international cuisine with a wide selection of (but not only) seafood. Nice view over the port. Price reflects the fine dining.
Via Tiepolo, snc, 70059 Trani | +39 0883 480 308

Quintessenza Ristorante

Restaurant, fine dining

Michelin starred restaurant since 2016 (1 star). Attentive service, without being overly fussy. Food excellence is reflected by price, though not prohibitive.

Via Lionelli 62, 76125 Trani BT | +39 0883 880948

Best Puglia restaurants | Tricase

Farmacia Balboa

Cocktail Bar

The one with Dame Helen Mirren (she is a co-owner), although she wasn’t serving behind the bar on our visit! Sympathetically restored former pharmacy, serving cocktails. Watch Salento life pass by on the small picturesque piazza.

Piazza Giuseppe Pisanelli 23, 73039 Tricase | +39 0833 772585

Locanda del Levante

Restaurant 
Surf and turf. Traditional flavours with a touch of creativity in a beautiful space and a lovely courtyard out front. Be brave and try the horse meat if it is on the menu.
Piazza Antonio dell’Abate, 73039 Tricase
+39 0833 546678