Food in Puglia - 15 Typical Dishes and Where to Try Them
If you’re planning a trip to Puglia and wondering about the region’s food, look no further! We sat down with Lecce native and 20-year veteran local guide Paolo to learn about typical foods of Puglia and discover some of the region’s best restaurants where you can try them. Paolo shares with us 15 local foods to try as well as his favorite places to find them!
The restaurants in this list are mostly hidden gems and hole in the walls, so don’t expect anything fancy. Be prepared for no menus or if they do have one, for it to be written in only Italian. If you’re looking for places catering to tourists, this is not the guide for you. But if you want to go where the locals eat, read on!
The list is by no means exhaustive and we’ve mostly focused on little bites and snacks instead of more obvious main dishes. However, it is a solid introduction to Puglia food and includes loads of great local treats you won’t often see mentioned. This is as local as it gets!
As everywhere in Italy, what is available will depend on the season that you’re there.
Table of Contents
Introduction to food in Puglia
What makes Puglia food special
15 foods to try in Puglia
Ostie “ckiene”
Pane di Semola
Peperoni cruschi
Sgagliozze
Popizze (or Pettole or Pittule)
Focaccia Barese
Caffé speciale
Tette delle monache
Bocconotto
Capocollo
Biscotto Cegliese
Panino Cegliese
Rustico
Pasticciotto
Caffé in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla (caffé leccese)
*In the list, please note that the blue highlighted name of each restaurant, cafe, kiosk, bakery, pastry shop, grocery store, etc. is also a hyperlink to their location on Google Maps.
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
An introduction to Pugliese food
If you’re planning a trip to Puglia, you have probably travelled a lot and perhaps you already know Italy very well. If so, you will have for sure noticed that Italian food in Italy isn't very much like the Italian food you find in the rest of the world. There's no “spaghetti and meatballs”, we don't know what “chicken alfredo” is, and we don't actually eat lots of bread dipped in olive oil before our meal.
There are no “Italian restaurants” in Italy. Food is very regionalized here and the myth of national Italian food is just that; a myth!
Traveling around you’ll notice a fierce provincialism, known here as “campanalismo”, which in terms of food translates into each town and region being so proud of its own history and traditions that restaurants in them, in most cases, serve specific dishes that are typical of that specific area. Don’t tell my fellow countrymen I said this, but sometimes we might even overdo it a bit. Can the asparagus really change that much 2 kms down the road…? I’m entering dangerous territory here though, so I’ll leave it at that!
Puglia is no exception to this regionalism and here you’ll notice major culinary differences as you move from the North into the South. You can distinguish at least six different areas where linguistic dialects are different and food products and recipes vary as well.
These 6 areas are: the mountainy North called Gargano, the flat land full of durum wheat fields called Capitanata, the inland high plateau called Murgia, an extremely fertile valley full of the now famous “trulli” houses where the soil is red and rich called Valle D’Itria, a flat area along the coast full of history and grape and olive orchards that is usually referred to as Terra di Bari, and finally the southernmost part of Puglia; a flat peninsula characterized by baroque architecture, terrific wine, and great beaches that is called Salento.
If you’re wondering what to eat while in Puglia, I’ve put together a list of 15 products to try which are typical of the region and often hyperlocal to one of the aforementioned 6 areas.
Happy reading and buon appetito!
What makes Puglia food special
Puglia was once the bread basket of Italy and you’ll see this still reflected in our cuisine today. All those fields of durum wheat aren’t for nothing!
Food here is light and fresh - the focus is always on the primary ingredients and you’ll find lots of seasonal vegetables in our antipasti (appetizers), all different kinds of pasta; chief among them our now famous orecchiette (little ears - because of their shape), lots of fresh and semi-cured cheeses, wonderful salumi (cold cuts), and of course pesce (fish) and all manner of frutti di mare (seafood).
One thing that we do in Puglia that is distinctly different from the rest of Italy is raw seafood. We sometimes call it sushi Pugliese (Pugliese style sushi). In different areas of the coast you’ll find menus with raw mussels (cozze crude), octopus, squid, gamberi (prawns), and so on.
Something else not to miss while here, if you’re in the right season, are our fabulous ricci di mare (sea urchin).
Bear in mind that seafood will be more prominent along the coast while inland towns and cities will focus more on meat dishes.
1. Ostie “ckiene”
Gargano & North Puglia
In Monte Sant'Angelo, up in the Gargano area where pilgrims have been going to visit the grotto of Saint Michael for centuries, the most typical thing to try is a cookie, ostie ckiene, that resembles a small panino. It’s made of two thin slices of wafer around toasted almonds caramelized with sugar, honey, and a pinch of cinnamon.
Where to try
I have not included a specific place where to try this as you will find it in so many local bakeries. As such, you should have one in all of them!
2. Pane di Semola
Altamura & Matera
Distinct from northern Italy, here we make bread with durum wheat flour (well known as semolina, which is in reality just ground one more time). So, semola bread is definitely something to taste. There are so many different shapes and variety to this bread, but the one of Altamura or Matera is the one that you should try.
Careful though! Don't ask in Matera to buy Altamura bread (or vice versa) unless you want to get in trouble! The cornetto or pane alto typical of these two places is a tall type of bread that looks like a gigantic croissant with a very thick crunchy crust and a yellowish soft inner.
Where to try
Forno Santa Chiara - In Altamura, this is a good place to try different typical breads. You’ll also get to see a wood-fired oven from the 1400s that is somehow still in action.
Panificio Cifarelli - The oldest bakery of Matera and a place where they still use an original wood-fired oven. It is also cool because it’s outside of the touristy area.
3. Peperoni Cruschi
Basilicata
Ok, I am cheating... This product isn't really typical of Puglia, but more so of Basilicata or Calabria. I’ve decided to include Matera in this list because when visiting Puglia you really can't miss a stop there.
Peperoni cruschi are sweet long peppers that people dry by hanging them in bunches. They are then served after being deep fried. How do you eat them? Like potato chips or crumbled over a soup or handmade pasta dish.
Where to try
Il Buongustaio - Right in the main square of Matera, this is a boutique grocery store where you’ll find the best of the local production and of course also peperoni cruschi.
4. Sgagliozze
Bari
Back to Bari, on the sea side to try some street food! You don't need to struggle too much in your research because you won't find sgagliozze... it is sgagliozze that will find you!
What are they? Polenta (corn flour bread) deep fried, salted, and served in a cone of rustic paper. They will find you because when the old ladies of Bari decide it is time to fry, the smell will simply capture you!
Where to try
Le Sgagliozze di Donna Carmela - Go to Carmela if you are hungry because she also cooks some wonderful local recipes like orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe and braciole (flank steak rolled up and cooked in tomato sauce, white wine, and garlic).
5. Popizze
Bari
If a party where you’re from means BBQ, here there is no party without frying!
Together with Sgagliozze, all over Puglia they also fry pizza dough in little balls which, in Bari, are called Popizze. In the rest of Puglia this dish is called Pettole or Pittule.
Where to try
Maria - Walking from the superb basilica of San Nicola towards the Cathedral and the Castle you’ll know where to stop once you get there 😊. Maria also sells Sgagliozze, so you could knock out two dishes in one go!
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
6. Focaccia Barese
Bari
Focaccia is different from pizza and other breads because it doesn't cook directly in the oven, but rather is baked in a pan. There is also a lot of olive oil involved and sometimes a bit of potato in the dough.
The most typical focaccia barese is, no surprise, found in Bari. It’s made with cherry tomatoes and olives on top.
If you have time to waste while in Bari, just start an argument with the first random person you see about which bakery makes the best focaccia! For my favorite, see below.
Where to try
Panificio Fiore - A jump back into the past, this is a historical bakery located at the back of the church of S. Nicholas. They basically make focaccia all day!
Panificio Santa Rita - Another great bakery with another amazing focaccia... Don’t ask me to pick between these two!
7. Caffè Speciale
Polignano a Mare
Driving south from Bari, if you stop in Polignano, you shouldn’t miss the chance to have a good gelato or a great fish lunch. But that’s not why we’re here!
If you want to try something really special while in Polignano, you have to stop at this popular café right in front of the main gate entering the old town. The tip here is to order a caffè speciale. Here, they mix an espresso with cream, Amaretto, and a bit of lemon peel.
If you’re visiting in summertime, drinking this when it’s 40 degrees Celcius outside might be a little questionable. However, I firmly support your decision!
Where to try
Super Mago del Gelo - This coffee was invented here so it would be slightly sacrilegious to order it anywhere else!
8. Tette delle monache
Laterza
I am not sure if I should really fully translate the name of this local treat. Let's just say that the name references the breasts of a nun.
This tasty delicacy is made with a fluffy sponge cake filled with a cream that in Italy is called diplomatica (a mix of custard and fresh cream).
It is a pastry born in a village called Altamura, but I have a personal map of the best pastry shops around my region and, in my opinion, the best one is made in a bakery in the small town of Laterza.
But why the breasts of a nun? Well, we’re talking about a pastry that is very soft and extremely pale. A pastry that never sees the sun, if you will. And apparently it reminded certain bakers of the pasty white and untanned skin of certain local women; nuns…
Where to try
Cin Cin Bar - If you will not be going to Matera, Cin Cin Bar and the town of Laterza are totally out of the way and going here is probably not the best use of your time if solely to hunt down this little pastry. But, if you will be traveling between Puglia and Matera, particularly from around the Valle D’Itria, Laterza lies just off one of the main roads and makes a good stop.
9. Bocconotto
Martina Franca
Martina Franca is a lovely village and that alone should be reason enough to visit. But in town there is also bar with a long history that makes a delightful bocconotto pastry. You’ll find variations of the bocconotto all over Southern Italy, but here in Martina and especially in this little café is where it reaches the pinnacle of flavor!
The bocconotto is a little jewel case of short bread filled with a ricotta cheese cream mixed with pears.
Where to try
Bar Caffé Tripoli - The best you’ll find in Puglia is hands down at Bar Caffé Tripoli. You’re welcome!
10. Capocollo
Martina Franca
Another speciality of Martina is a kind of salami called capocollo. Technically, the specific cut of pork comes from the pig’s neck.
Here in Martina the cut is processed in a way that is very celebrated and is now considered a regional tradition to be preserved; the meat is cleaned, salted, then left in wine to marinate. Next, it is smoked before finally being aged naturally in cool cellars.
Where to try
Macellera Centro Storico - Of course the best place to buy a good capocollo is at a butcher shop. At this one you also have the opportunity to do a wonderful tasting.
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
11. Biscotto Cegliese
Ceglie Messapica
There is great tradition of almond cultivation in Southern Italy which is why you will find so many pastries and cookies made with either almonds or almond paste. The biscotto cegliese (Cegliese style cookie) is typical of the town of Ceglie Messapica. This little cookie is so celebrated that it has been preserved and protected by the Slow Food organization which also guarantees that each ingredient used in its making is hyperlocal to the region.
The cookie dough is made of almonds (no flour - so gluten free) mixed with honey and sugar. For filling, inside there is a lovely jam, typically grape or tart cherry.
Where to try
Caffé Centrale - While you’ll find a biscotto cegliese in so many places now, this cafe is my go-to because they make the cookies in countless variations, including glazed.
12. Panino Cegliese
Ceglie Messapica
Created to feed the masses of hungry workers and masons on lunch break during the reconstruction efforts after World War II, the panino cegliese (Cegliese style sandwich) has become an icon of the charming whitewashed village of Ceglie Messapica.
You won’t see it listed on any restaurant menus, so where can you find it? Only in grocery stores and little corner shops, called alimentari. Why? Because it is rustic food for simple people! It’s not something a restaurant would deign to serve its clients.
So what's inside it? Well, it is a round crunchy panino stuffed with “mortadella” (a salami typical of Bologna), canned tuna (seriously?!), provolone (a spicy cheese also originally from Northern Italy), and capers (the quintessential Southern Italy ingredient). It is a very unusual combination and can only be understood once you’ve tried it!
Where to try
L’Antica Salumeria - Just about any alimentari or grocery store will make you one, but it was born at this shop so obviously you should try it here.
13. Rustico
Lecce
Now we head to the southern part of Puglia and into the province of Lecce. Here in what is called the Salento area you will find some of the best food of the region.
In Lecce one of the most typical street foods is the rustico. It is a golden puff pastry stuffed with tomatoes, bechamel sauce, mozzarella, and black pepper. Have two of them and you’ll have energy enough to run a marathon! But don’t even think of ordering one and not having a beer to accompany it!
Where to try
Alvino - Right in the main square of Lecce, this is a very popular café where everyone goes for a cappuccino, a pastry, and also a drink with an aperitivo in the evenings.
14. Pasticciotto
Lecce & Salento
It would be blasphemous of me to make a list of traditional treats and not include the most iconic pastry of Lecce and its province!
The pasticiotto is a super flaky short bread dough filled with custard. On a good one, the top will be ever so slightly, and oh so deliciously, burned. This is a pastry that really must be eaten warm.
In Lecce, my favorite place is again Alvino, but in the nearby town of Galatina there is a pastry shop that has stood since 1745 called Ascalone where they make a superb, although a bit different, version of the pasticiotto.
Where to try
Ascalone - Entering this tiny little boutique is like traveling back in time and all their pastries, the pasticiotto included, are strongly linked to the local traditions. Another treat are their cookies made with almond paste.
15. Caffé in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla
Lecce & Salento
Together with a nice pasticciotto you should also try the summer leccese (lecce style) version of a regular espresso. You will sometimes hear this called caffè all salentina, caffè leccese, or even just iced coffee. If you want to be safe, ask for caffè in ghiaccio con latte di mandorla.
How’s it made? Pretty simple - we take an espresso, pour it over ice, and then serve it with a sweet, syrupy almond milk mixture. The bitterness of the espresso delicately pairs with and enhances the flavor of the almonds. Perfect for those hot summer months!
Where to try
Avio - If you are a coffee lover you must go at least once to this cafe, even if just for a regular espresso. Avio is considered by Lecce people, myself among them, to be hands down the best coffee in town. The place is also owned by a company that roasts its own coffee.
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
Avoid tourist traps, go where the locals go, and plan a better trip with help from a local!
