Restaurant Resources for Puglia/Matera/Naples
 

Hi everyone.

What are the best restaurant resources for Southern Italy? Specifially, we will be staying in Bari, Lecce, a masseria near Ostuni, Matera and Naples. My usual go-to-resource is chowhound but most of the discussions there are quite dated.

I've seen a number of references here on Fodors for the Slow Food Guide and there is a new 2016 app. But it is all in Italian, which I can't read. Is there a a simple way to automatically translate it on my iPhone and I just don't know how?

And, of course, I am reviewing eskrunchy's reports as I would be happy sitting at the table next to her at any restaurant and simply say "I'll have what she is having."

In addition to resources, if you have any specific restuarant recommendations for the towns we'll be staying at, I will certainly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Where are you staying in Naples - I have a couple of recs but if they're far away from your hotel then they may be inconvenient for you.
I will say, however, if your budget can manage it, do go to the one Michelin starred restaurant Il Comandante. It is out of this world. I would go back time and again just for the views.
http://www.romeohotel.it/naples/il-c...te-restaurant/

Your instinct to follow escrunchy's advice is a good one. I've done the same many times. :-)

If you click on my name, you'll see I have a trip report from a couple of years ago to Puglia and Basilicata as well as a separate one to Naples. We ate very well.

As for resources, I also like Chowhound, but yes, it's hard to find anything new for the less traveled locations.

Blueeyedcod: We are staying at the apartment at Hotel Piazza Bellini. While we often prefer more low key restaurants, one or two high end restaurants is fine if the food is special. Is Il Comandante too far from our hotel to be worthwhile in your opinion?

Kristina: I will find your report. I've probably read it somewhere along the way, but I will definitely pull it up again.

In Lecce, you can try the classic cucina povera at these two restaurants

Trattoria le Zie – Cucina Casareccia
Alle due Corti

We ate at Alle due Corti and loved it
You might enjoy this trip report with food reviews that I posted a few years ago. I no longer use that name, and I'm not sure that the photo links work anymore.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...gins-to-puglia.
Although you're not specifically staying at some of these towns, you might be touring there.

Enjoy your trip! Trip tip, diet now, you are going to eat well! :)

Il Comandante - It's two metro stops away from Hotel Piazza Bellini (hop on at Dante stop and off at Municipio) and then a short walk to the waterfront. It's in the Hotel Romeo which is at the port, very close to the Molo Beverello ferry port. I love the restaurant and have been for a few special family dinners but if you would like to stick to your hotel surrounds there are still lots of choices.
Sorbillo pizzeria on Via Tribunali is one of Naples' legendary pizza places. It doesn't take reservations. Everyone mills around the entrance at around 5.30-6.00 and then you go in when they open the doors and find your own table. It's unbelievably cheap with two pizzas and wine coming to around 15 euro but it's definitely no-frills. You pour your own wine into plastic cups and it is not a place where you are encouraged to linger as there are always lines outside.
http://www.sorbillo.it/en/

There are a couple tucked away in the Spanish Quarter - 7 Soldi

http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/7-soldi-napoli-2

I also love Nenella which is becoming very well known so there are always lines. It's a bit of Neapolitan theatre thrown in as the waiters often burst into song, especially when someone adds a tip to the basket which is strung on pulleys between the cash register and the kitchen. Also ridiculously cheap
http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/trattoria-da-nennella-napoli

Both are walking distance from your hotel - about 15 minutes away.

There are many down on the waterfront which are worth the walk for the views of little Castel dell Ovo. These are more expensive and they add a cover charge of around 15% but this area is pedestrian only (it was closed to traffic in 2012) so makes for a very quiet place for lunch and to watch the world go by. Choose any of them - I have been to all of them and there is not a dud. Antonio e Antonio is very popular.
http://antonioeantonio.com/

Oops, that link doesn't work, I guess because I closed that account. But if you Google Fodors Bari, Polignano, Lecce, it will show up.

Download the slow food app--there is a map function, so it's easy to locate options, and for descriptions that are not translated, just plug them into google translate.
Italy for the Gourmet Traveler by Fred Plotkin was last updated in 2010 I believe, but it is still valuable for food descriptions and of course a lot of places don't change much.
See Elizabeth Minchilli's blog for Bari recs (her husband is from there). Espressino travel is a good resource for Lecce. Another tour operator with a useful blog is http://foodloversodyssey.com/2014/08...guide-claudia/
Personal recs:
Naples: Pizzeria dal Presidente and Pizzeria Attanasio (close to Hotel Piazza Bellini--great choice btw!)
Matera: Il Borghese and Dalla padella alla Brace (the former a tad more formal, with a pasta with cardoncelli mushrooms and arugula that I dream of, and the latter a friendly family place with delicious, entirely too much food at an amazing price. If you scoff at a feast, just the antipasti was enough.) We also had a memorable bean soup at the CEA visitor's center in the Murgia Materana park.
Lecce: Le Zie for sure! Nonna Tetti also quite good.
If you make it to Alberobello, do it when the bakery Casa Del Pane Di Recchia Maria is open (get bread and sweets. I had a focaccia with vegetables embedded on top in a smiley face--soooo gooood!)
I wish I had the name of the place we stumbled into with jet lag in Bari--we are going to try to locate it when we return in May.

Luciano Pignataro's website. Most of it is Italian, some is in English. It's easy to figure out.

I highly recommend L'Antica Locanda in Noci which we found in the Slow Food Guide, I have the English translation not the app. The restaurant was excellent, in general we found the ones with the snail designation to be well worth going out of your way to find.

The other meal we loved was the much recommended Antichi Sapori, in Montegrosso, our meal there was among our favorites in Puglia.

We enjoyed meals at several of the places recommended above in Lecce.

In Naples I'd recommend a place on Plaza Dante around the corner from your hotel. It's a simple place but we loved the food, particularly the antipasti Leon D'Oro.

Have fun!

Wow. Wonderful suggestions and references that I would not have come up with on my own. Many thanks.

wj1 I agree, great thread, bookmarking.

Yorkshire --

Is this the Slow Food App for $7.99?

Osterie d'Italia 2016 - la Guida di Slow Food
By Slow Food Editore





Thanks.

SaulMax

Naples- in Chiaia near waterfront.
Terrazza Calabritto- outstanding! Food, service, setting.

Piazza Bellini clean and friendly, but don't expect an upscale neighborhood.