We will be in Puglia in October and am canvassing for suggestions of where to eat... we will be based in Matera, Polignano, & Lecce, with a car to get around. Looking for authentic food, reasonably priced, in interesting buildings or settings... and we like everything! I searched the discussion forums and there do not seem to be many recent postings about where to eat in this region? Mille grazie

It is pretty hard to end up eating inauthentic food in overpriced places in Puglia. You almost need to go looking for it! Most places to eat in Puglia are staying very close to super-local tradition and can't stay in business if they overcharge. However any restaurant in a tourist beauty spot with a drop dead sea view or inside a renovated monument means you are going to pay for that slice of real estate even if the food is ordinary.

Alle Due Corte in Lecce serves the type of meal you describe and is atmospheric. In Matera I enjoyed both Le Botteghe (which is way down at the bottom of the sassi) and Al Falco Grillaio at the top of the sassi (near the archeological museum). Le Botteghe is the more expensive of the 2 restaurants and has the better wine. Al Falco Grillaio is quite homey and the cooking is fresh and its rear room has the surprise of a lovely view over the sassi through its small windows.

A fair bunch of places are mentioned in this http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...d-go-wrong.cfm including Sandra's Alle Due Corte which is pretty good and far better than the place across the street which looks more inviting but is not so good on the food front.

Sorry for a misspelling (and for leading bilbo into error)

The correct name of the recommended restaurant in Lecce is Alle Due Corti

We had some great meals in Matera and Lecce last year. Click on my name for the link to my trip report or my blog. It's all there.

well I was surprised but...

Actually my Italian is barely at school boy level

We had some great meals in Puglia 2 years ago. You can read about them in our TR http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...a-short-tr.cfm. Actually there are several TRs on PUglia that have great info on restaurants. Do a search and you will find them.

I had a wonderful meal once in the stunning Grotta Palazzese of Polignano a Mare:
http://www.grottapalazzese.it/it/home/

Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions...