The best Italian pizzerias and restaurants Apulia

A warm address right in front of the Palace Hotel Bari, with a vaulted and intimate room, chandeliers diffusing soft light, a bar with an abundance of vintage decoration, jazzy and enveloping music. Small terrace overlooking the street. Possibility to arrive late for dinner. The cuisine is traditional and good value for money, with several pasta dishes such as, for example, orecchiette with tomatoes and pecorino. Ask the staff for advice and they are very welcoming.

A wide choice of pizzas cooked over a wood fire, in a very well located restaurant with a warm service. You are at the level of this so beautiful cliff that juts out into the Adriatic Sea. The locals know the address very well and many come to validate the quality of the establishment. Classic pizzas (margherita, capricciosa) or more original, with daring associations, as for the zenzero pizza topped with artichoke hearts, arugula, mozzarella, grated fresh ginger and chilli pepper, a delight! Family and playful atmosphere.

In the heart of the historic centre, this rustic restaurant has preserved its vaults and stone walls. Here one does not joke about the quality of the products, and in particular about the freshness of the fish and seafood! The antipasti from the sea are delicious, as well as the pasta dishes (try the linguine with sea urchins). You can also make your choice among the fish of the day, which will be cooked at your convenience. Reservation recommended in season, the establishment is not very big. A sure value for a good quality-price ratio.

A good pizzeria, located close to the sea, which excels as much in pizzas as in its variety of antipasti. An address known for the premises and that you will find open even in the winter.

Near the Porta Marina, a restaurant with a modern style mixing a touch of rustic and elegance. You can taste a regional cuisine, which mixes all the specialties of the territory: fish, meat, cheese, pasta... The menu offers antipasti of raw seafood, fried artichokes with caciocavallo podolico cheese, pasta and risottos with seafood or with cime di rapa, and a horse stew that has been simmered for a long time. Charming welcome. Very extensive wine list with good wines from all over Italy.

At the water's edge, Il Bastione is like a boat, surrounded by the sea that comes crashing down at its feet. Opposite, another bastion left free gives an idea of the advance on which the restaurant stands today. The inventive cuisine, based on seafood, is consistent and never pretentious. The marriage of tastes takes place subtly and one is always pleasantly surprised. The waiters are discreet and always keep an eye on your plate. On the wall, Pignatelli's paintings give a surrealist touch to the place.

A beautiful covered and shaded terrace facing the castle, where the reception is most pleasant. The speciality of the restaurant: fresh and local fish and seafood. For wolf and sea bream, grilled or baked with olives (a treat!). Let yourself be tempted by a lobster or marinated mussels, followed by a sea risotto or cuttlefish ink pasta, all washed down with a good Apulian wine. Grilled steaks for carnivores. Attention, add to the price the side dishes! For dessert, try the pastiera (a ricotta cake)

Behind a discreet front, a small establishment with a refined decoration, just like its kitchen. Chef Angela draws her inspiration from local culinary traditions and local produce to create gourmet plates full of flavour. The menu is divided into a land and a sea menu, and one is invited to travel from one to the other to taste fish carpaccios with citrus fruits, orecchiette with capocollo and bean purée or risotto with saffron and black truffle, with a divine fragrance. Excellent Apulian wines.

Ideally located between the cathedral square and the waterfront, Locanda del Porto is always busy and this success is justified: freshness of the products, tasty recipes, mastery of cooking and good value for money, nothing is missing. Seafood dishes coexist with generous pasta dishes and beautiful pieces of meat cooked to perfection. Those who are undecided can choose the Degustazione della Locanda: ten culinary preparations for a complete menu. Reservation recommended.

Along Via Duomo, which leads to the cathedral and the castle, an excellent address to enjoy creative and tasty Apulian cuisine. The restaurant occupies a beautiful vaulted room, cool in the summer, with an elegant decor. The staff is welcoming and available, and one appreciates the little touches, such as the tasting of local olive oil at the beginning of the meal. The star dish: spaghetti al Tettuccio, served with cherry tomatoes, stracciatella and diced raw shrimp. But everything is good, from appetizer to dessert!

Follow the sign "^{1st alley} on the right, just after the arch" to find La Chicca, "the nugget", in the labyrinth of alleys that lead to the cathedral. For the people of Ruvo, this restaurant is a sure bet for the quality of its land and sea products and for its excellent quality/price ratio. The recipes, inspired by the Apulian culinary tradition, are not without a touch of creativity and are prepared with generosity. Authentic welcome. Interesting selection of wines from the region.

An elegant address where you can enjoy gourmet pizzas under the blond stone vaults of the beautiful room or, outside, in the gothic arches of the façade. The menu includes some classics such as the margherita, but above all pizzas with original and appetizing toppings, made with quality regional ingredients such as burrata from Andria and capocollo from Martina Franca. Some daily suggestions inspired by seasonal products, a little more expensive but always very tempting. On the menu, good Italian and Belgian beers.

Located along one of Brindisi's lively thoroughfares, the Trullo is a renowned restaurant-pizzeria that satisfies every craving. The pizzas are cooked on a wood fire in a trullo-shaped oven. Thanks to a long cooking time, the dough is light and easy to digest, and it is topped with a variety of ingredients that celebrate the gastronomic richness of Southern Italy. The freshness of the meats and seafood is guaranteed by daily arrivals. Classic and tasty cuisine. A safe bet for a good value for money.

Right next to the Liberrima bookstore, this restaurant-bar-oenotheque offers a welcome interlude at any time of the day, whether for a coffee with pasticciotto, a glass of wine with a slice of focaccia or dinner. The terrace in the shadow of the church of Sant'Irene invites you to relax; the vaulted room with walls lined with wine bottles and books is just as welcoming. Good typical Salento cuisine. The dishes are offered in assaggio (small tasting) version, which allows to taste more things.

Chances are, you're the only tourists in this neighbourhood pizzeria that the locals love! What makes its success is the great care taken with the dough, which is left to rise for 72 hours, which gives it lightness and digestibility. The great classics are à la carte (margherita, four cheeses, capricciosa), as well as some unusual toppings (porcini mushrooms and sausage, mozzarella di bufala and zucchini flowers...). Family and lively atmosphere. Reservation essential at the end of the week.

A historic establishment in old Bari, open since 1906, which perpetuates the local culinary traditions with simplicity and respect for good products. Popular atmosphere in the vast white room furnished with heavy tables and dark wooden benches. A fine assortment of antipasti at the buffet and generous typical dishes such as orecchiette al ragù di cavallo (horse stew) and riso potato cozze (rice, potatoes and mussels), all served under the watchful eye of the owner, whom you may manage to cheer up at the end of the meal!