Ranging from 5,50€ to 15€, be careful where you choose to sit for your Aperol Spritz on Ostuni’s main piazza! Around the square Italy’s favourite aperitivo is served with a small ‘tris’ – a selection of 3+ small bowls from the following: olives, crisps (US chips), taralli, savoury crackers and peanuts.
Prices as at July 2024.
Read this post and save up 80€ on your first day in Ostuni!
Green is go for the best value Aperol Spritz. Red, at the Casbah, well, that’s up to you! But a round of four will cost 40€ more. So choose carefully, especially if you slip into a 2nd round!
Best Value – Caffè Fanelli Bistrot | 5,90€
Our default bar. We usually go here for a morning coffee, if we are in the mood for lasagne at lunchtime, and for apertivi. The perfect place to people watch.
As of July 2024 the cost of an Aperol Spritz is 5,90€. It is usually served with a generous ‘tris’ selection of snacks, included in the price. The best value Aperol Spritz on the piazza. The spritz is made with a dash of tonic water instead soda water (the recipe we use at home), which means it’s a slightly more bitter tasting cocktail.
Most expensive (but our favourite tasting) – Casbah Risto Cafè | 15€
Approximately 10 metres away from Fanelli, diagonally opposite on the other side of Sant Oronzo’s column you will find the most expensive Aperol Spritz on the piazza. At 15€ this is more than double the price of Fanelli. However this was our favourite tasting Aperol Spritz when we tasted them around the piazza (July 2024). A slightly less bitter but more balanced flavour.
The Spritz is served in a bigger glass, and although we didn’t measure it, there did seem to be more cocktail in the glass to drink. It was served with a marshmallow garnish, which we didn’t understand and was a gimmick too much! The price includes a very small tris. However one of the bowls ours came with was not properly washed (although it was the one for the olive stones).
There is often live music (ironically too loud to enjoy if you are sitting at Casbah’s tables and easier on the ears elsewhere on the piazza).
If you are a group of four, that means a 60€ bill of a bill of 120€ for a second round. You’re welcome. We have just saved you 80€ on your first day in Ostuni.
There may be cool sofas to lounge on and sexy mood lighting at night. But we’d rather use the €€€ saving to be made for something else!
Best location (not on the piazza) – Borgo Antico Bistrot | 7€
Not located on the piazza, but at the top of the old town, just beyond the duomo, with a spectacular view over the olive groves out to the Adriatic. Serving up a surprisingly good value Aperol Spritz given the prime location. It was a slightly less bitter Aperol Spritz. For us the balance of ingredients was not quite as perfect as elsewhere (perhaps it had a little too much of a dash of soda water to our taste). The price is for the Aperol Spritz only, a tris (bar snacks) cost extra.
Ostuni Bistrot | 8€
At our favourite restaurant on the Piazza della Libertà a Spritz costs 8€. The restaurant’s external seating area is right next to the seating area for a restaurant now called Petit Bistrot (it was Pizzeria Codice a Barre). Do not confuse the two. Ostuni Bistrot is where we want to be.
Etrè | 7€
Directly opposite Casbah on the other side of the steps leading down to Via Vito Tamburrino. Their Aperol Spritz comes in at 7€.
Drogheria Pugliese | 6€
Next door to Etrè, their Spritz costs 6€. Tris not included.
Cicinedda fruit bistrot | 6€
And next door to the Drogheria is Cicinedda where unsurprisingly the Spritz costs the same as its immediate neighbours!
Sergio Crudo & Frizzante | 6€
Opposite Cicinedda across the street, coming in at 6€.
Freaks Food & Aperitif | 5,50€
Next to Fanelli, this bar has never caught our imagination! 0,40c cheaper that the Aperol Spritz at Fanelli.
Garibaldi Cafè & Bistrot | 8€
Along the back of the Piazza, where we find some of our favourite ice cream. Don’t confuse it with Osteria Madre next door, which is owned by the same group and has similar branding (and happens to be a much more upmarket restaurant where a bottle of Perry’s Pomerol 2017 will set you back 5200,00€ (and they still charge a 5€ coperto). This is one of Ostuni’s more expensive restaurants for fine dining.
More | check out our Puglia by city guide to Puglia’s must visit destinations | visiting la città bianca? You’ll need our insider guide to Ostuni with recommendations for Ostuni’s best restaurants.
2 Comments