First of all, do not despair. Le Zie serves solid home cooking and there have got to be quite a few others in the city that do the same. I've read often about the last two of those 3 restaurants, especially the second.

Alle Due Corte is in the SlowFood guide but the listing tells me that it is closed Sundays. So you might ant to check that in an e-mail or phone call:

http://www.alleduecorti.com/

I just read a very good review of Divina Providencia and if I can find it, I will post it here.

Have you tried this well-known place?

http://www.osteriadeglispiriti.it/il-ristorante/

This is open Sundays and it looks like it has possibilities:

http://www.villadellamonica.it/

Apologies dina for diverting your thread and thanks for starting it because I picked up so much info. I will now desist with a parting thanks to eks.

Thanks eks for the further great tips, especially about where best to stay in Matera. As for my lack of planning, I think weather will really play a huge part in whether I enjoy touring Matera, or the Gargano peninsula, so I don't want to be locked into anything. Don't have anything more to natter about!

Osteria degli Spiriti is also recommended by mario batali.

i've sent an email off to alle due corti, but haven't heard back.

meanwhile, eks, i found masseria barbera is not serving dinner the two nights we were at lama di luna due to weddings. pietro booked us both nights at antichi sapori. what were the other restaurants on your list in that area? i remember you mentioned there were 5 or so on your list.

thanks!
dina

Dina: Two nights at Antichi Sapori would be wonderful, so you can try different items on their menu. You must get the mixed vegetable antipasti on one of the nights. If you want to try another place, this one is just down the road from Lama di Luna. I did not try it but it looks very good and online reviews are excellent:

http://www.osteriamassari.altervista.org/

And in the town of Minervino Murge, which is about a 10 minute drive as I remember, there is this SlowFood restaurant that I tried (and failed) to reserve.

http://www.osterialatradizione.net/

Just wanted to add a note that I spent a few minutes last night with my Kindle downloading the limited amount of material about Puglia available. I'm still sorting through it, and most appears to be fairly low-quality, but if I find anything of value, I pass long the info.

One .99 cent offering on the unique foods of Puglia -- especially mouth-watering descriptions of seafood dishes -- re-kindled (ha-ha) my enthusiasm for going in May - which was flagging because suddenly we are seeing such an uptick in posts from people planning imminent trips to Puglia. I am still concerned I will find the seaside too developed for sun-seeking British tourism, but the lure of that seafood is impossible to resist.

I've got to find some fish restaurants that are "ottimo."

I agree Zeppole - all of a sudden it seems like everyone is heading to Puglia on this board! ok, maybe not everyone...but there are so many posts this year!

Glad we are going this June before it becomes another tourist trap (maybe I exaggerate a bit...but you know what I mean!)

I do know, and agree. All of a sudden, many articles in the press and posts here about Puglia. The coastline is not yet "too developed" as far as tourism, although there is plenty of ugly concrete all over the place inland and on the coast in the Bari/Brindisi corridor, not just hotels but all sorts of industry/commercial structures. The typical failure to delineate any sort of zoning, I guess. Not so uncommon in the South, and not only in Italy.

In Salento, there seem to be many "villagi" resorts catering to domestic tourists outside Otranto, and on the western/Ionian coast which is lined with good sand beaches, but much of the eastern Salento coast is still pristine, and gorgeous.

eks -- Puglia has been on my places to see list for several years, but really decided it for me was your TRs. U make it sound like such a wonderful place with fabulous food, how could anyone resist??

I promise to tiptoe through Apulia and leave it pristine. Not even bringing a camera. Will spend hours inside the museum in non-quaint Taranto. You'll never know I was there.

Well I plan on eating as much delicious food, and drinking as much delicious wine as I can...I hope to leave some for the rest of you...but I cant make any promises hahahaha!!!

Happy Travels!

But, zeppole, u'll come back here and share, pls.

If I have anything to add. Most of my trip will be using the Slow Food guide to lodgings and eateries, plus seeing the known historic attractions. If I disagree with any recommendations, I'll come back with warnings but if you don't hear from me, it will be because Pugiia and Basilicata are as interesting and delicious and largely unspoiled as people say.

great, zeppole! can't wait to hear about your trip!

well-- we'll know it's too late to go when rick steves does a book on it. got the most recent italy guide from the library and there's not a single word. good news. i do like his advice-- but the places he recommends just become overrun! he does take a tour group into puglia (mostly northern, i think) so the book will surely be coming soon, i'm sure.

we leave in just over a week. will post when we return.
thanks again for all the help from everyone.
kawh

Indeed! Rick Steves in the Gargano!

http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/south-italy

Nooooooo!!!!!!

have a great trip, kawh! can't wait to hear about it.
we don't leave till mid-june!

haha, kawh! Thank goodness his show on Sicily was so boring no one would want to go there.
We will be in the Salento in early October, so thanks all for the resto recommendations.

ekscrunchy,

I think this hotel belongs on your list of Puglia possibilties in non-swim season. It's in Canosa di Puglia

http://www.hoteldaltavilla.it/index2.html

You are not kidding! I could care less about the charmless rooms..that pool makes my heart sing!


http://www.prolococanosa.it/

The town appears to be known for pastry, too, or at least has lent its name to a pastry.

http://panperfocaccia-grianne.blogsp...di-canosa.html