Cavatelli with clams and beans, chicory and fava bean puree, Barese tiella (rice, potatoes and mussels), the indispensable orecchiette, an invention of the old town housewives, dressed with turnip tops, anchovies and garlic or with braciole sauce; the very fresh seafood and fish, cooked in a thousand ways, continue to be the undisputed protagonists on restaurant tables, which offer them in a simple and traditional way or graciously revisited and lightened. But always accompanied by the inimitable extra virgin olive oil and generous Apulian wines. These are just some suggestions on what to eat in Bari but the variety of Barese cuisine offers many other typical dishes.
Restaurants in Bari
Restaurant Ai 2 Ghiottoni
On the nearby Via Putignani, just steps from the dark red silhouette, braced by scaffolding, of the Teatro Petruzzelli (which burned down about 15 years ago and, much to the regret of the people of Bari, has not yet been restored), the doors of Ai 2 Ghiottoni open, a Bari restaurant with a thirty-year reputation, always very busy both at lunch and dinner. The interiors are very bright and elegant, aided by the play of white vaults, Lecce tuff on the walls, and Trani stone floors. Hosting duties are done by Mario De Napoli, his wife Rosa, and their son Francesco, helped by a large team of collaborators in the dining room and kitchen. The fresh fish counter near the entrance is a highlight, where customers can choose from large groupers, sea bass, gilthead bream, sea bream, porcupine fish (very tasty small sharks), langoustines, huge lobsters. Alfredo Mesiti, the head chef, signs dishes that masterfully interpret Apulian tradition: “cavatelli with shrimp and clams on a bed of fava bean purée”, “risotto ai 2 Ghiottoni”, sumptuous mixed grills, sea bass and gilthead bream baked in salt, and among the desserts, a stunning “chocolate soufflé”, a house specialty.
Restaurant Piccinni 28
A few blocks away, still in the heart of the Murat district, is Piccinni 28, a restaurant that, for the people of Bari, is synonymous with exquisite cuisine, impeccable service, intimate and refined atmospheres. During the week, managers, politicians, businessmen often sit at tables set with romantic rustling cloths and delightful porcelain, continuing business discussions between courses; while on weekends, more couples and small groups arrive eager to honor the chef Francesco Buttiglione’s delicacies, served to the pleasant notes of a piano. Small masterpieces include “swordfish rolls with mint”, “wild chicory with fava bean purée in extra virgin olive oil”, “homemade maccheroncini with fresh fava beans and toasted almond flakes” or “with fresh grouper and olives”, “stuffed baby cuttlefish in Bari style”, “turbot fillet in acqua pazza”. The wine list is important and carefully curated as well, dominated by Apulian wines, followed by national ones and some foreign labels. In the warm season, you can dine in a surprising inner garden, among yuccas, chikas, dracaenas, and bamboo, a small green lung amid the concrete buildings.
You cannot leave the old medieval area without a glance at the most significant monuments, pride and glory of the entire city: the imposing Norman-Swabian-Aragonese castle, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Bari, and the fabulous Cathedral of San Sabino, and, naturally, the picturesque tangle of alleys, small squares, courtyards, votive shrines, and symbols against the evil eye and slander.
A few steps away, behind the ruins of the Teatro Margherita, lies the small harbor, a meeting point for old and new sea wolves, with Molo San Nicola and the famous ‘nderr alle lanze, the point where fishing boats dock with their bounty of seafood, which also supplies nearby restaurants and market stalls. One could spend hours watching the fishermen “arricciano” the octopuses, beating them vigorously on the ground or with a sturdy wooden paddle to tenderize the meat before cooking.
Restaurant il Pepe Finto
A few hundred meters away, right at the beginning of Via Nicola de Nicolò, nestles a small restaurant with a curious name and interesting cuisine: Il Pepe Finto, elegant but not stuffy, with a gently lightened and revisited local cuisine and excellent service. The menu, signed by the friendly chef Patrizio Mele, offers delicate appetizers such as vegetable couscous, tuna meatballs, zucchini rolls; first courses with legumes (“cavatelli in bean cream”, “fava bean and chicory purée with onion and fried bread cubes”, “pasta scraps with chickpeas”…), with vegetables (“spaghetti with chicory tops, fava bean purée and cheese”; “fresh orecchiette with turnip greens and anchovies”; “pennette with cherry tomatoes and Swiss chard”…), with seafood or bottarga. Main courses focus on grilled small lobsters, scampi, and king prawns, rocky fish cooked in various ways, and monumental lobsters. Those who prefer meat find steak and Angus fillet, “sliced sirloin with arugula and cherry tomatoes”, “oven-baked salt and pepper lamb”, and much more. Specialties to enjoy seated at light wood tables with stylized lines, set with strips of golden yellow fabric instead of classic tablecloths and white porcelain, with an eye on the large wall entirely covered by bottles, revealing a rich and well-curated wine list.
Restaurant Alberosole
Leaving the seafront and entering the elegant Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the dividing line between the old and new city, you reach in a few minutes the Alberosole, a very welcoming small restaurant located on the ground floor of a 14th-century building, with interiors marked by tuff vaults and chianca floors, the typical local stone. Tables are set with Lecce linen cloths and artisanal ceramic plates, each different from the other. This arrangement was chosen about ten years ago by the two owners, Antonio D’Amico and his wife Alessandra, eager not only to respect seasonality and territoriality of dishes but also to enhance and enrich them with creative touches, the fruit of careful research on ingredients and combinations. Thanks to the skill of the two chefs, Nicola Mastrolonardo and Pasquale Laudizio, a simple “chicory and fava bean purée” becomes an enticing “chicory-filled bundle served on dried fava bean cream,” and the ever-present orecchiette acquire the flavor and aroma of buckwheat and are dressed with scorpionfish pulp, fresh ricotta cream, and basil. The loyal clientele, made up of entrepreneurs, managers, freelancers, employees, but also couples and families in the evening or on weekends, is warmly welcomed directly by the owners and attended in the dining room by Patrizia Ferrulli.
A short walk through the right-angled streets of the Murat district leads to the heart of the commercial city: Via Sparano, the most elegant street in Bari, with sparkling shop windows full of refined merchandise, but also places loaded with history and culture, such as the Laterza Bookstore, housed in the former premises of the famous publishing house, with which Benedetto Croce also collaborated, as a plaque on the building recalls.
Osterias in Bari
Osteria delle Travi Il Buco
On the edge of the charming old town, which, in recent years, has seen a strong revival thanks to European funds from the Urban Plan, there is Osteria delle Travi Il Buco, one of the oldest venues not only in Bari but in all of Puglia, where, among centuries-old vaults, rustic furnishings, and lithographs of old Bari, you can savor an authentic original cuisine: orecchiette with horse meat ragù or “alla cardinale” (with tomato, basil, and the typical marzotica ricotta, grated), cavatelli with clams and beans, the tiella or “tiedda” (rice, potatoes, and mussels) on Fridays, the indispensable “braciola” (a horse meat roll with cheese, parsley, and garlic), grilled or roasted fish, and tasty fried mixed fish. At lunch, employees, bankers, prefecture officials, sales agents, students, and workers arrive; while in the evening, families, couples, and small groups create a warm and informal, almost festive atmosphere. Osterias in Bari are generally of good quality; we recommend a stop at those that exalt the dishes of the Bari tradition.
How to reach the restaurants selected by FullTravel
Osteria delle Travi Il Buco
Largo Chiurlia 12, Bari Tel. 339.1578848 Closed Sunday evenings and Mondays Seats 100 Private parking no Credit cards no Price 20 euros, including house wine.
Il Pepe Finto
Via N.de Nicolò 33, Bari Tel. 080.522.79.90 Closed Tuesday Seats 50 Private parking no All credit cards Price 40 euros, excluding wines.
Alberosole
Corso V.Emanuele 13, Bari Tel. and Fax 080.5235446 Closed Monday Seats 40 Private parking no All credit cards Price 35-40 euros, excluding wines.
Ai 2 Ghiottoni
Via Putignani 11, Bari Tel. 080.5232240 Closed Friday Seats 180 Private parking no All credit cards Price 40-45 euros, excluding wines.
Piccinni 28
Via Piccinni 28, Bari Tel. and Fax 080.5211227 Closed Sunday Seats 60+60 outside Private parking no All credit cards Price from 28 euros for tasting menus; 40 euros à la carte, excluding wines.
