Best Restaurants in Puglia
Beautiful setting at Cala Masciola in Borgo Egnazia
During our travels to Puglia, we were consistently blown away by the food coming out of this region of Puglia. From Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall local haunts, and dining by the sea, almost every meal we had was unforgettable for one reason or another. Puglia is a farm country after all, so expect high quality, fresh food at every turn. Check out our picks below for the best restaurants in Pulia.
Delicious food in an unassuming storefront at Il Cortilleto
Located on the main street in a tiny town, Il Cortilleto is unassuming from the street. The menu is comfort food Italian and delicious. The menu is constantly changing, and everything we tried was delicious. Be sure to try the appetizers and desert. Despite it’s laid-back vibe (we took the kids for lunch) and local following, this place has also become a celebrity favorite. This newfound popularity mean you need to make a reservation. Open for lunch and dinner.
Cala Masciola
We had the pleasure of dining here while staying at Borgo Egnazia. We ate here for both lunch and dinner, both were nice but I preferred our sunset dinner. For lunch, the setting is lively with the nearby beach club playing music and serving smaller bites as well. Dinner was a more formal affair and much quieter than the lunch service. The ambiance and viewes, along with the food, made it a very pleasant evening. Be sure and try the salt-baked fresh fish. Delicious!
This restaurant in Monopoli came recommended by several people, and we enjoyed sitting outside on the grassy area overlooking the bay and old town. I found the inside to be very stuffy, so I don’t think we would have enjoyed it as much had we been seated inside. Its about a 10-minute walk along the promenade from the old town to Lido Bianco. We also found the outside option to be appropriate for kids.
Outstanding tiramisu at Osteria gia sotto l'arco
We enjoyed a very pleasant at this one Michelin-starred restaurant. Inside the ambiance needs some improvement (think bright lights, no music), but we had the good fortune to sit in the one table outside overlooking the small town of Carovigno. We enjoyed the inventive five-course prix fixe all while watching the happenings in the Plaza. The Tiramisu was the perfect way to end a delightful evening.
This Polignano A Mare sandwich shop had a wonderful selection of sandwiches, including some delicious tuna sandwiches. The raw tuna with a creamy burrata, not your typical tuna picnic sandwich, was surprisingly delicious. They have a nice outdoor seating area on a cute pedestrian street, but we chose to get ours to-go enjoy by the water.
Coccaro Beach club at sunset
This is a good beachfront option if you’re staying at or near Borgo Egnazia. Beautiful setting right on the water with good food to match. The size of the restaurant makes it good for big groups too. As with most of the beachfront restaurants in Puglia, the specialty was fresh seafood. This seaside gem is open for both lunch and dinner, with lunch being the livelier option. The restaurant also catered to kids.