Gourmet products local specialties and wines Apulia

One of the best addresses of Lecce for amateurs of artisanal ice. At the time of passeggiata, there's a crowd in this renowned glacier-pastry.

The town of Andria is the birthplace of the burrata, which is distinguished by a protected geographical designation with very strict specifications. In this artisanal cheese dairy, opened since 1988 by the Olanda couple, breeders and milk producers, you will have at your fingertips a burrata of remarkable freshness, milky white, creamy to perfection, in short, unforgettable! Let yourself also be tempted by the caciocavallo, mozzarella and scamorza.

Is there a more pleasant pleasure than an ice cream by the sea? In any case, this is the best address to enjoy it. The choice is wide in this gelateria, which has been open for over 50 years and is a must in Otranto. And as Martinucci is also a famous pastry shop, some flavours are directly inspired by the sweets offered by the house: try the pasticciotto, mille-feuilles or Sacher flavours, a treat! The fruit ice creams, made with organic ingredients, are both rich in taste and refreshing.

A family cheese dairy, run by two brothers who "fell into it when they were little": Giovanni will tell you that at the age of three, he was already mixing milk in the vats! In the laboratory at the back of the shop, the master cheesemakers make the cheeses sold in the shop: burrata, mozzarella and ricotta fresh in the morning, but also caciocavallo (taste the one with mucca rossa milk, very fragrant), pecorino and cacioricotta, a typical Apulian cheese that is grated on tomato orecchiette.

In this elegant café, one of the oldest in Conversano, there are always people rushing to taste the artisanal ice cream of Franco Vitto, the famous master ice cream maker of the area. The flavours follow the season and the cream, always fresh, is still whipped according to the traditional recipe. Delicious traditional pastries (bocconotti, pastatelle) to be accompanied by a steaming espresso or a liqueur or sweet wine, following the advice of the house which also recommends this association with its ice creams.

Charming shop on the main square selling local products (olive oil from the neighbouring massage parlours, honey, pasta, sourdough bread, taralli, cakes, wines...). A nice initiative to make the small producers of the region known. And an ideal stopover to stock up on typical gifts. The company also organises "taste laboratories", which consist of tasting local products in the company of experts in the oenogastronomic sector (producers, cooks, etc.), to discover the scents, textures and flavours.

A masseria run by the Presicce family, who make and sell their own cheeses. What a joy to be able to buy ricotta cheese while it is still hot! It is possible to have dinner on site, from Friday to Sunday, by reservation. You can then sit out on the large terrace and enjoy cheese platters and other local specialities such as orecchiette, grilled meat and vegetable fritters. Dishes of great simplicity, authentic and served with generosity, in a friendly and relaxing atmosphere.

Set in the countryside, the Masseria Brusca is an imposing fortified farmhouse dating back to the 18th century, where many film scenes were shot. For some quality shopping, don't hesitate to visit the shop under the entrance porch, where the Zuccaro family's own production is sold: cheese, honey, olive oil, wine and meat, guaranteed "kilometre zero" products. It would be a pity to leave the premises without visiting the church and the beautiful walled garden. Definitely a place apart and out of time!

During your visit to Fasano, a stop at this historic wine cellar in the city is a must, where the best of all Italy's wine is presented. Many wines from Puglia, but also from all over the peninsula. Foreign labels, sparkling wines, liqueurs and spirits: let yourself be advised among the many bottles. Small restaurant corner inside, to taste some typical regional products (cheeses, cold cuts, carpaccio...) with the wine of your choice. The house also has a sign in Martina Franca.

For over 30 years,Benvenuto has been working in its charming vaulted grocery store and selecting traditional specialties from the region. Here you will find taralli with classic or unusual flavours (chilli and cacioricotta, onions and raisins, anchovies and capers, chocolate and coconut...), pasta (plain orecchiette, with primitivo wine or squid ink, sagne 'ncannulate), various preserves (fave e cicorie, cime di rapa...). Enough to reproduce at home a meal in the Salento tradition! The company also exports abroad.

A place that, since 1911, has been upholding tradition with itsdelicious pasticciotti (an unavoidable pastry from Salento) and other desserts. The ice creams are also delicious! In summer, the tables are outside. The location is perfect, since it is situated in the Sant'Oronzo square! If we were not seduced by their small restoration, the bar is, on the other hand, recommended for a copious breakfast, for a greedy snack, or for an aperitif in the evening, in order to taste a spritz served with some amuse-bouches.

One of Martina Franca's (many!) butcher's shops where you can buy capocollo, the local specialty, and other salted meats produced and matured by the house. Our preference goes to culatello nostrano, a salted and dried raw ham, truly melting in the mouth! If you wish to bring back some cold cuts from your trip, ask for vacuum-packing. On the butcher's side, you will find the traditional bombette. Also some canned vegetables in oil, dry pasta and various condiments.