Today’s post is by Sophie:

Puglia holds a special place in my heart. Since my father is from Bari, that city is almost like my second home. And in the summers we headed further south, on the coast down near Ugento. Then, in my twenties I started going down on my own, becoming close friends with people from the small village of Cutrofiano. I even spent two months working at a butcher there, so I literally got to know everyone in town.

I know Bari very well, since my father is from there. It’s the biggest city and the capital of Puglia. But since the region is long and narrow, the southern part, Salento, is completely different. These days I’m lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time leading tours here. You’d think that when it comes to vacation I’d like to head somewhere else. But I’ll be spending a week there in August and I can’t wait.

The most common question I get is when is the best time to visit. March to June is one of the nicest times, in terms of weather. If you’re more beach-inclined obviously May/June is better beach weather. But March and April are perfect for seeing everything, especially if you want to avoid the heat and tourists. During our March and April tours we are often the only people in town, which I love.

GETTING YOUR BEARINGS: Puglia is actually a pretty big region, and exploring the whole region in just one week is close to impossible. However, if you manage to embrace the slow lifestyle of the locals and focus only on one or two specific areas without rushing through them, you are going to fall in love with this wonderful part of southern Italy and will want to come back for more. Think of Puglia as being divided into three parts: Northern, Central and Southern. Depending on how much time you have, pick a couple bases and take small day trips from there. It’s a good idea to pick a masseria as one of your bases: working farms that have managed to switch to the hospitality side of things as well, giving people a chance to experience (and eat) the local Apulian life

FOOD: The Food in Puglia is some of the most diverse in the country, and for this reason it has become one of the biggest food destinations in Italy. The ideal weather conditions make Puglia one of the country’s biggest producers or fruits and vegetables, olive oil, wheat and seafood.

My Favorite Places to Eat

This really isn’t a guide to the entire region, but just some of my favorite spots  that you might otherwise miss during your time in Puglia. And if there is any place you’ve discovered on your travels, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Pasticceria Andrea Ascalone
Galatina
This is said to be the place where pasticciotto was invented. The cream filled pastries come piping hot out of the oven. The 19th century interior is like stepping back in time and the owners incredibly sweet.

400 Gradi
Lecce
Pizza is not really a thing in this part of Italy, so finding an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria is a treat. Very high end ingredients, so it’s pricier than most, but so worth it. This is the place to head when you need a pizza fix.

Caffe Alvino
Lecce Piazza Sant’Oranzo
The most famous coffee bar in the center of Lecce. Make sure to try their caffe leccese, made with almond syrup; pasticciotto (breakfast pastry filled with custard); and my all time favorite: rustico leccese. This savoury puff pastry is filed with bechamel and tomato and is a flavor bomb!

Vardaceli
Castiglione
I love it when I come across and old fashioned family run trattoria. This one is at the most southern tip of Puglia and has traditional simple food.

Le Stanzie
Supersano
This old masseria (farm) is now run by the youngest generation of the family. Tables are spread throughout different rooms, some have fire places, others have strands of tomatoes hanging from the rafters. It’s incredibly beautiful in a very rustic way. Delicious regional food, most of which they grow themselves.

Osteria da Giuseppe
Ceglie Messapica
Very cute and simple restaurant in one of my favorite towns, Ceglie Messapica. Don’t miss the antipasti. After dinner I like going to the main square to people watch.

Quanto Basta
Lecce
Favorite cocktail bar in Lecce and one of the best in Puglia.

L’Orecchietta
Guagnano, Puglia
Set in a tiny town just north of Lecce, it looks more like a take away food place than a restaurant (and it is filled with locals either taking their lunch home or sitting and enjoying the food on their lunch break) They are also open for dinner, but it really comes to life for lunch, when the place really does fill up with locals. The whole family cooks in the back and takes great care in making you feel at home by taking extra good care of you, giving you advice on the surrounding area, chatting about recipes and ingredients. The menu changes daily, but there is always an abundance of local seasonal vegetables and fresh home-made pasta options

Le Macare (Alezio)
This place is a real gem. Don’t be put off by the location (on the side of a major road), away from any major city/town, because the food is amazing! The owners put an enormous amount of care in selecting the best possible ingredients for classic dishes from Puglia with a little twist. Try their mixed starters (they vary based on the season), and then enjoy one of their fresh pastas with seafood (these also change based on the catch of the day from nearby port town of Gallipoli)

Taverna del Porto (Tricase)
Set right on the seafront of the small port town of Tricase, this restaurant is on the higher side when it comes to prices, but the food and decor is on a higher level compared to many other places in the area, which explains the higher prices.  Start with a mixed raw seafood platter (make sure to have a look at their fish counter as soon as you walk in too see what the catch of the day is). Their linguine aglio, olio e peperoncino di mare is exactly what I dream of when I crave a plate of pasta by the sea. As a main, try their mixed fried seafood platter, or perfectly cooked octopus with potatoes and bitter greens

Trattoria Iolanda (Lucugnano)
This place makes you feel like you are eating in your nonna’s kitchen. This is the place to try traditional dishes from southern Puglia like horse meat, ciceri e tria, seasonal vegetables and fried starters. In the summer, make sure to book a table outdoors to really get a feeling of Italian summer in a small town, where all the local families get together for long meals after a day at the beach. Make sure to get their mixed starters, and take a peak inside to see the owner roll out all the pasta by hand

La Puritate (Gallipoli)
These days it’s hard to find a traditional non-touristy restaurant in the center of Gallipoli, but this restaurant has managed to maintain it’s high quality food and traditional feeling over the years. La puritate is specialized in seafood (not a great choice if you are vegetarian), make sure to get their mixed starters, which change daily but may include mixed seafood salad, raw shrimps (a specialty in this part of the region), sauteèd mussels..etc and also make sure to ask for a portion of their prawns cooked in salt (gamberoni al sale) to add to the starters. They are cooked to perfection, and the waiter serves them table-side, flipping the prawns in a delicious olive oil-salt bath

Le Zie (Lecce)
These days it can be hard to find traditional restaurants that serve good food in Lecce, but this one is a must! They serve all the classic dishes like ciceri e tria, and horse polpette or involtini, in a homey environment (striped tablecloths, wooden chairs and tables, and a doorbell that rings every time a new customer comes in) which makes you forget you are in a restaurant, more like eating in somebody’s home.

Osteria del Tempo Perso (Ostuni)
If you only have one meal in Ostuni, it should be here. Set inside a cave, you can’t help but say ‘wow’ as soon as you step in. The ceramic plates are made by local artists, the service is impeccable, and the wine list is impressive. The food of course is the star of the show with an extensive menu which features a mix of both meat and seafood dishes. Try a few of their starters (a favorite is their wheat berries cooked in a cheese and truffle sauce, or their eggplant parmigiana), and a pasta dish (scialatielli with clams and zucchini blossoms or their Orecchiette con cime di rapa e mollica)

Al Pescatore (Bari)
Bari is known for its raw seafood feasts, and this is the place to try it out. It fills up with locals every single day of the week. Start with an antipasto misto (they will bring you an endless amount of raw + cooked seafood starters), and if you have room afterwards, head over to the fish counter with one of the waiters and have him help you choose something special to be cooked (they will tell you what options you have based on the fish you choose)

Bere Vecchie (Cisternino)
Cisternino is known for its small butcher shops that over the years have transformed into restaurants (you pick your meat at the counter and they cook it for you). Some of the most typical cuts of meat you can choose at the counter are the ‘bombette’: pork rolls stuffed with different cheeses, vegetables and cured meats, then put on a spit and roasted until crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. Make sure to also order a side of fresh salad and whole potatoes cooked in coals. If you are into offal, try their ‘gnumaridd’: lamb innards rolled into little nuggets and grilled, they are a specialty of the area!

Mostofiore (Bari)
People in the city of Bari were incredibly excited when this place first opened, because there was a lack of natural wine bars in Puglia. They have an incredible selection from all over Italy, and their food menu changes all the time based on the season and what’s available. Some dishes on the menu may include crostini topped with different cheeses and cured meats, stewed Octopus, fresh oysters, Tuna tartare..etc  Great place to have a lighter meal or pre-dinner aperitivo (The owner also owns BiancoFiore which is a fantastic restaurant nearby)

Il Cortiletto (Speziale)
When you get here, don’t be put off by the area (set on a main road outside the town center) or the very unassuming front, step inside and enjoy a meal in one of the best restaurants in Puglia. If the weather is nice, make sure to book a table in this restaurant’s inner courtyard, with its wooden tables, white-washed walls, and potted citrus plants, it makes the dining experience magical. The service is polite and knowledgeable, and the food is outstanding, with a focus on local dishes from central Puglia. Some of the standouts are their mixed antipasti to start (careful they are abundant!), and their home made pasta with ragù di braciole e polpette (meat sauce)

Al Gatto Rosso (Taranto)

Taranto is one of those gritty port towns that people ignore, but it is actually one of Puglia’s best kept secrets, filled with beauty, great food and incredible history (and one of the best archeological museums in Italy). Use this restaurant as an excuse to visit Taranto, and you will find yourself coming back time after time. Incredibly fresh and creative seafood dishes, which change daily based on the catch of the day. Some past dishes have been Spaghetti cacio e pepe con Gamberi rossi, Salad with poached prawns and peaches, raw seafood platter (raw mussels are a specialty in the area), all made with love by Agostino the owner, who you will see cooking in the kitchen

Ricciolandia (Savelletri)
If you only have one meal in Puglia, and want to eat by the sea, with locals, this is the place. More like a shack on the beach than a ‘real’ restaurant, it’ss set right on the seafront, plastic chairs and tables, with open walls which allow the fresh sea breeze to cool you down.This is where most locals come to have lunch on the weekends, they are known for their huge platters of sea urchins, it’s a magical experience being able to sit right on the sea on a sunny day while sipping on chilled wine, scooping out sea urchins with crunchy bread,  and slurping on spaghetti with fresh clams and mussels

Antichi Sapori (Montegrosso)
You can either order a la carte or choose the highly recommended tasting menu (16 courses for 45 euros). Dish after dish comes out of the kitchen, each one better then the first. You will have an array of starters, a few pasta dishes, some meat, and lots of vegetables. The tiramisù and Cassata for dessert will be some of the best you have ever tasted. This is some of the most flavourful and colorful food in Puglia, with all of the products being sourced from local producers/farmers. Since it’s located in the very northern part of the region it might seem a little out of the way for most, but it’s a great place to stop for a lunch break while driving to/from Puglia and is always worth the trip if staying somewhere in the Northern part of the region.

Masseria Barbera (Minervino Murge)
Masseria Barbera is a hidden gem set in the middle of olive and wine groves, when you come here for a meal be prepared to completely forget about the rest of the world for a few hours. They grow most of their vegetables and make their own bread, olive oil and wine. Meat and cheese are sourced from local farmers. Order a few of their starters to share (menu changes almost daily, but you will most likely get some home-made focaccia, cheeses, vegetables), and then continue with one of their pasta dishes or slow cooked meats. Save room for dessert and their own home made digestifs (the chocolate and chamomile were memorable)

Baby DiCecca (Foresta Mercadante)
Vito and Roberta, a young couple from Puglia,  recently opened up this ‘cheese bar’ set in the middle of a protected nature reserve in northern Puglia (Foresta di Mercadante). Vito’s family owns one of the best cheese shops in Puglia, so all the cheese comes from the shop in nearby Altamura (Caseificio di Cecca). You can either order a la carte or have their tasting menu which is an amazing option to experience a true cheese feast. Freshly baked and crunchy focaccia accompanies creamy burrata, mozzarella, scamorza, and then goes on to some more aged cheeses and tomato salad (if in season). For 180 euros you can also set up a cheese tour with the owner Vito. Starting the morning at his shop making cheese, and ending at Baby di Cecca for a cheese tasting lunch

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If you’d like to join Sophie on one of her week long trips to Puglia, she’d love it! She leads tours to both the Central part of Puglia (Lecce and Monopoli) and to the Northern part, based in Bari. You can find the full schedule here or else send us or else just send us an email and we will be happy to send you the brochures.

(if the email link to receive a brochure doesn’t work, just email [email protected] )