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Our Recommendations
Puglia is famous for its honest, homely, fresh and (usually) delicious food, based on excellent ingredients grown or made locally. Here are a few of our favourite places in and around Ostuni (Siobhan & Rhona’s turf) and Ceglie Messapica (Sophie’s turf) to eat, shop or just hang out.
Top, Top, Top Icecream
It’s easy to find an excellent icecream in Ceglie or Ostuni, but there’s one place where the icecream is outstanding. Don’t miss:
La Cremeria alla Scala, Via Capitano Vito Tamborrino, 17, Scalinata Monsignor Antelmi, 72017 Ostuni. Tel +39 0831 366436
Just off the main square, down the steps, on the left. Everything is good here, but the dairy-free fruit icecreams are just pure joy. Technically they are sorbets, but they taste thrillingly, richly of sun-ripened fruit.
Top Pizzas
Sophie: for outstanding pizzerias in Ceglie, try:
Base Margherita, via Filippo Corridoni 64, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Tel: +39 0831 1981585
great pizza bases and outstanding toppings, with monthly specials.
Pizzeria Express, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 41, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Tel: +39 0831 382525
a simple pizza and beer joint, but great pizza bases cooked by Andrea in his wood-fired oven. Sophie loves the astroturf in the narrow outdoor area!
Il Fiscolo, Via XX Settembre, 121, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Te l: +39 388 171 1051
Smarter, more up market pizza restaurant, again with perfect crisp dough. Pretty town centre setting.
Rhona: our go-to pizzerias are:
OperaPrima, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 48, 72017 Ostuni BR. Tel: +39 0831 369455
Probably our favourite pizzas in Ostuni, a little pricier but worth it.
Gatto Rosso, Via Giovanni Lanza, 6, Ostuni, 72017. Tel: +39 0831 334851
a casual dining place, making good pizzas, centrally located close to Piazza della Liberta
Al Solito Posto, Via Cesare Braico, 37, 72017 Ostuni. Tel: +39 0831 305850
more up-market serving delicious fish and meat dishes, as well as pizzas.
Top Restaurants
Sophie: Ceglie is famous for its numerous restaurants and these are a few of my favourites:
Vino, Fritti e Cucina, Via Osanna, 53, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR. Tel +39 334 576 5463
Just off the main Piazza Plebiscito, with outdoor tables on the sloping street. No noticeable menu but be sure to order the antipasto which always includes seasonal dishes. Note that as with many eateries round here, quality is sometimes challenged by August crowds.
Osteria da Giuseppe, Via Malta, 12, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR, Tel: +39 334 146 2344
Homely and incredibly good value, this is the first restaurant I ever visited in Ceglie and remains a firm favourite.
I Capitosta, via Molino del Duca 5, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR Tel: +39 0831 609964
Ceglie’s best fish restaurant, run by a welcoming and enthusiastic family, cosy indoors when there’s a chill in the air, and pretty outdoors tables in the narrow streets of the old town.
Enococus - Acini & Carbone, Via Pendinello, 2, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR. Tel: +39 388 863 1022
Hidden away in the back streets of the old town, this is an extraordinary thoroughly modern gem for anyone who apprecieates great beef , perfectly hung and perfectly cooked. Choose from 8 or 9 different breeds then get ready to be thrilled. It’s not cheap, but what you get is so damned remarkable that it is worth it.
Siobhan:
OperaPrima, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 48, 72017 Ostuni BR. Tel: +39 0831 369455 (see Pizzerias)
La Vecchia Terrazza, Vico Benedetto Brin, 7/9, 72017 Ostuni BR. Tel: +39 391 742 6129
Phone: 391 742 6129
Rhona:
Al Solito Posto, Via Cesare Braico, 37, 72017 Ostuni. Tel: +39 0831 305850 (see Pizzerias)
Coffee & More, Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale, 36, 72017 Ostuni. Tel: +39 328 271 1189
Enormous salads, platters and many more goodies, located in the heart of the old town.
Top Seaside Eateries:
Il Principe del Mare, SP90, 25, 72015, Savelletri. Tel: +39 339 639 6304
Sophie’s absolutely favourite fish restaurant, right on the beach, off the road between Torre Cane and Savelletri. Paper table cloths, plastic tables, the freshest fish, sea urchins. Sit outside with the sea lapping at the rocks below and watch the sun set as you savour the tuna carpaccio or a big plate of seafood spaghetti.
Il Veliero, Piazzale della Repubblica, Villanova, Ostuni. 72017. Tel: +39 0831 330376
cheery family-run restaurant right on the little crescent beach. Simple cooking, lots of fresh fish. Book an outdoor table.
Stella del Mare, Via della Torre, Torre Santa Sabina 72012 Tel: +393929745470
tiny fishmonger/grill/fryshop on the corner. A few plastic chairs outside, plastic plates and cutlery, great for grilled octopus rolls and freshest sea urchins.
Savelletri ….
is a fancier seaside town with a weath of excellent sea food restaurants.
Pescheria 2 Mare, Piazza Amati, 1, Savelletri 72015 Tel: +390804829161
is right on the seafront, a fishmonger’s with outdoor restaurant for the freshest pesce crudo as well as classic cooked fish dishes.
Top Cakes, Pastries and Coffee
Sophie:
Alter Gusto, Via Maggiore Vittorio Maresciallo, 16, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Tel: +39 333 484 8150
Apple Pastry, Altergusto
Classy pasticceria with the best cornetti (croissants) filled to order with pistachio or hazelnut crema, amongst other options and epic apple pasticcioti. Ice cream is excellent too. Located in the same street as Ceglie’s Saturday market. Also has a branch in Ostuni but this is the mother ship.
Pasticceria Martinese, Via Martina, 125, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Tel: +39 0831 379585
On the opposite side of town to Alter Gusto, good cornetti and other pastries.
Caffe Centrale, Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 22, 72013 Ceglie Messapica Tel: +39 0831 371062
Right in the centre of town, this little pasticceria is an excellent place to buy Biscotti Cegliese or divine little green dolcetti di pistacchio. Good coffee, too.
Caffe Centrale, right in the centre of Ceglie
Rhona:
Almond, Contrada Tanzarella 37, A, 72014 Cisternino BR Tel: +39 080 444 1237
right in the middle of nowhere not far from Cisternino, this Pasticceria with a pretty peaceful garden is a great place for coffee and pastries or cakes. Look out for their regular Panzerotti nights when you can sample Puglia’s favourite fried calzone with a large choice of fillings.
Alter Gusto, Via degli Emigranti, 75 – 72017,Ostuni Tel: +39 333 4848150
A new branch of Ceglie’s Alter Gusto, and just as good as the original.
Bar/Pasticceria/Gelateria da Ciccio, via Armando Diaz, 66, 72017 Ostuni Tel: +39 0831 302291
A joy of a place with yummy home-made cakes, pastries and superb ice cream. The coffee is outstanding too.
And if those aren’t enough, here are three more good places for cake, icecream and coffee:
Bar Kennedy, Via Pola, 31/a, 72017 Ostuni BR
Gran Bar, Via Papa Giovanni XXIII, 58, 72017 Ostuni BR
Bar Transit S.S 16 Ostuni, 72017 Ostuni BR Tel: +39 0831 333353 A bit out of the way but they make very good icecream and very good coffee.
Top Cocktails and Drinks
Sophie:
Innamorato, Piazza Plebiscito, 1, Ceglie Messapica, BR 72013 Tel: +39 393 337 3722
Cracking gin and tonics amongst other things and excellent apperitivi nibbles. One of my top hang-out spots in Ceglie. There’s also a pretty inside room if you want to escape the hot sun or torrential thunder storm.
Calce, Piazza Vecchia 17, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR. +39 338 946 1912
Laid back, charming little bar in the old town.
Il Brillo Parlante, Largo Ognissanti, 24, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR Tel: +39 327 629 1234
Situated in one of the old town’s prettiest squares, this is the place for sunset cocktails or late night revels.
OtraCosa, SP16, 72013 Ceglie Messapica BR.
Undoubtedly the coolest hang out in the area, Otracosa is beautifully kitsch and delightful. Essentially a burger van and a bar in the middle of an olive grove off the Ceglie - Cisternino road. We love it!
Rhona:
Riccardo Caffe, Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale, 61, 72017 Ostuni BR Tel: +39 0831 306046
located in the old town, this place is very cool and sophisticated. It serves beautiful cocktails and snacks.
Pausa Cafè, Via Indipendenza, 6/8, 72017 Ostuni BR Tel: +39 327 936 0790
close to Piazza della Liberta, a great location to sit and watch the world go by.