The best restaurants Lecce

Authentic Salento cuisine and products from zero mileage: this is the guarantee of this osteria, open since 1999 and run by Salvatore Campilongo aka Totu, who always keeps an eye on the dining room and an eye on the kitchen. Expect to find a casareccia cuisine, "like at home", without fuss but always generous. The menu satisfies all tastes, from hearty antipasti to share, fresh fish and typical meat dishes like turcinieddrhi.

You really have to know the place or be caught by the tasty smells of the pizzas on the street to get to this small place, located next to the Santa Chiara church. An arty atmosphere, very colorful and warm, with a choice of six kinds of pizzas of all sizes to eat in or take away. Large rectangles sprinkled with cheese, mushrooms, salmon, arugula and other flavorful ingredients are displayed, offering a pleasure for the eyes that will be confirmed by that of the taste buds. Nice selection of local beers.

The ideal address to eat on the go, in a pleasant setting, in the heart of the historic centre, and for really cheap. The team has imported the piadina from Emilia Romagna, a culinary speciality consisting of a thin round cake made from wheat flour and lard or olive oil, salt and water, which is topped with fresh and tasty products, prepared and (sometimes) grilled in front of you. We loved the piadina with freshly cooked aubergines, with its drizzle of olive oil, but also the vegan kebab. To discover without fail!

For more than 50 years, the Rosetta Pizzeria (named after the wife of the first owner) has been a success story. The reason? A real Neapolitan pizza baked over a wood fire, elastic and delectable, topped with carefully selected ingredients and drizzled with olive oil rigorously salted. Traditional or more refined toppings, such as the Rosetta pizza with mushrooms, radicchio, bresaola and grana padano, or the Patata pizza with potatoes, sausage, rosemary and gorgonzola. All without breaking the bank.

In the center of the ancient heart, next to the Convitto Nazionale convent, this trattoria-pizzeria offers the country's specialties: pasta and land flavors like sea. You should taste the sausage-pepper pizza or the interesting menus that include several dishes, first, secondo with 1/4 of water and wine.

A beautiful culinary moment in perspective! We love this address on the other side of the public gardens, combining a touch of aristocratic hospitality with the exaltation of the flavours of Salento. The cuisine is both authentic and refined, seasonal dishes and recipes of the peasant tradition are presented in carefully prepared plates, and modest fave e cicorie (chicory bean purée), enhanced by a drizzle of fragrant olive oil, are transformed into a gastronomic dish! Excellent wines and very good value for money.

With what masterful hand Rosalba de Carlo runs his restaurant in the historic centre! She is proud of the many (excellent, of course) reviews she has received for her traditional Salento cuisine, which she has managed to raise to the rank of gastronomy thanks to her talent. The décor is a bit rustic with its tables with red checkered doilies. To taste: the "fritti ti l'uertu", fried vegetables from the vegetable garden, or the "ricciareddhe", large pasta with tomatoes slightly spicy. Service with the small care. Reservation recommended.

This delightful restaurant occupies the wing of a ^15th century convent, a stone's throw from Piazza Duomo and the Teatro Romano. The historical appeal is combined with refined Italian cuisine, generous in taste and research. The dishes are delicious and the service impeccable, a must. Discover the orecchiette with white bean mousse and toasted bread crumble, the delicious burrata as a starter, or typical Lecce dishes such as ciceri e tria. Pleasant setting and terrace in a small street in the center.

Located in the city center, right next to the Hotel President, this hotel with terrace will allow you to eat on the thumb a great deal of lasagna, served warmly. Ideal for a break in the new city, before going back to shopping.

The restaurant of the Patria Palace Hotel is the gastronomic address in town. In the summer, dinner is served on the terrace overlooking Santa Croce, the baroque masterpiece of Lecce. In winter, the taste buds come to marvel in the elegant vaulted hall of the palace. The cook brilliantly emphasizes the flavours of each of the foods, and the sea specialities are particularly successful. The presentation of the dishes is simple and elegant. The service is of a high standard, and the sommelier of good advice knows the history of each of his wines.

An institution in Lecce, proudly carried by its owner Giuseppe Giannone who represents the^3rd generation. Puccia salentina is a round bread similar to bagnat bread: here it is homemade and baked on stone, then generously garnished with quality regional products. Our favorite puccia is the Pugliese, with burrata, capocollo and thin slices of zucchini, all drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. A treat for a gourmet lunch break.

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.