redvines

I'll be in Puglia & Basilicata (Matera only) for the last 8 days of December and the focus of our trip is 100% food related. Since there isn't much posted about seafood focused eating, I've made selections based on what's been well reviewed and what will be relatively near where we're staying (Fasano, Matera, Lecce & possibly one other TBD locale.) I'm having a hard time narrowing down all the choices and am wondering whether or not any of the following won't be as satisfying for non meat eaters. I'm hoping the local wines, pastas, cheeses, vegetables, breads (and possibly seafood choices that just haven't been described!!!) etc will still make these phenomenal eats worthwhile? If any should/can be eliminated by non meat eaters, please advise. If there are any known phenomenal seafood spots, please advise. Ironically, staying inland as we primarily are, has likely minimized our seafood choices. Is there such a thing as a masseria that focuses on seafood?

Many thanks in advance for sharing all your insights.

Here's the current dining "wish list":

Matera:
Lucanerie
Le Botteghe

Ostuni:
Osteria Pizzetta Cattedrale

Fasano:
Masseria Parco Di Castro
Masseria Torre Maizza (how is the food here??)

Andria:
Antichi Sapori

Polignano a Mare:
Da Tuccino (the only known seafood focused stop)

Ceglie Messsapica:
Cibus
Furnello da Ricci

Lecce:
Le Zie
Alle Due Corti

Minervino Murge:
Masseria Barbera

A_Brit_In_Ischia

Not on your list, and a little further north than you're considering, but we found quite wonderful fish and shellfish in pretty Trani, just above Bari...

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/trani_gen

... and that was after we'd already been living here on Ischia for some six years!

Unlike along the western coast, restaurants there were offering all sorts of seafood (not just swordfish and salmon!) prepared in a variety of raw and carpaccio forms - almost directly off the boats.

This menu is from a place that seemed a little fancy for our tastes, but will perhaps give an idea of what's available..

http://www.corteinfiore.it/menu/piatti.pdf

Peter

ekscrunchy

I've been to quite a few restaurants on your list. I am not a big meat eater.

Speaking first of Matera, you may already know that the only traditional fish on inland Basilicata (Matera) menus would be baccala, or salt cod, but perhaps there are other fish on some menus as a concession to outsiders. This (baccala) is the only fish on the menu at Le Botteghe, for example, which you can see here. Note that this place, above all the others on your list, is meat focused:

http://www.hotelamatera.it/index.php...mid=72&lang=en






I would not expect fish at Parco di Castro or Masseria Barbera since these are both traditional farm masserie offering foods of the immediate area. (If a town is 5 miles from the sea, menus will concentrate on land-based items, as cuisine is very regional). I ate at Barbera on a Sunday and the menu was fixed; I do not remember any fish and there were a few meat courses. During the week the menu may offer more choice.

Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso (there is also one outside Bari with the same name) shines with their vegetables, so you would not miss meat if you want to avoid it. I tend to doubt if there is much fish on their menu, either. This is an excellent restaurant and one you need to book ahead of time.

Le Zie in Lecce almost certainly will have seafood.


In Ceglie, the two spots probably have some fish but it will not be a focus.



The food at Torre Maizza is very good if you stick to the traditional side of the menu. They certainly have lots of choice on seafood and fish, as I've had it there myself. I would recommend taking many dinners outside the hotel; there are two seafood restaurants in Savelletri. Of the two, I've eaten only at Da Renzina, but my sister (just spent 12 days at the hotel) raves about the one next door..La Maddelena. There are also good places, or so I've heard, in nearby Torre Canne.

But a non-meat eater will have NO trouble at any of these places since the vegetable dishes in Puglia/Matera are so fantastic. I did not often order meat on my visits to these regions and I ate very, very well. Between the antipasti parade and the pastas, you may not have room for a secondi in any case.

Please check to see if the restaurants are open during the holiday period. I would recommend booking ahead for the two in Ceglie, especially. They respond to e-mail, as I've written to both of them myself in the past. You also need to book ahead for Le Zie, and certainly for Antichi Sapori in Montegrosso. And you must book ahead for any Sunday meals, to avoid disappointment.

Do let me know if you need more assistance or tips on food in the area. And above all, ahve a wonderful trip.

ps. Do not forget Da Natale bakery in Lecce. My sister thinks their gelato is the best in italy!
http://www.natalepasticceria.it/

redvines

Thanks to you both! I initially considered Trani, Peter, but I'm trying desperately to prevent myself from committing to too much driving. As it is, there will definitely be less "walking to meals" than I'd hoped, but in order to hit many spots on my wish list AND not change hotels every night, I'm in store for more driving than ideal.

To that point, I have several more questions, if you'd be so kind to share more info;

1) I read that "google maps" directions aren't reliable in this area. I'm trying to determine how far it will be from one town to the next AND to dinners from my hotels. Is there a more reliable source than google maps that you can recommend? (including apps)

2) Are there any particularly noteworthy biscotti or cantuccini bakeries that you happened upon in your travels? I'm actually not a fan of gelato (should I have kept that to myself??) but I absolutely cannot resist the opportunity to taste every Italian cookie. I'd go out of my way for something spectacular. I know people say to skip the pastries at Da Natale and just go for the gelato, but it doesn't even seem they have cookies (based on their website).

3) Are there any particularly noteworthy wine bars that have an extensive 'by the glass' selection? If I had the time, I'd have loved to travel to all the D.O.C.'s in Southern Italy to taste all the local varietals. Since sadly I can't do that, is there a single location you can recommend where I could sample an extensive variety?

4) Lastly, is it unrealistic to stay at Masseria Torre Maizza and intend to drive to Montegrosso, Polignano a Mare, Ceglie and maybe Molfetta for meals? I plan to use Torre Maizza as my hub to hit restaurants both lunches and dinners in those areas.

Thank you SO much for sharing all your insights.

ekscrunchy

I can answer a few of those questions.

First of all, Da Natale is a bakery, with a full selection of cakes and cookies. The typical Leccese pastry is pasticiotto and it is scrumptious. You will find them in many area bakeries, along with other local treats.

Cantucci are not typical of Puglia, as you probably know, so I've not looked for them. But perhaps there are other types of twice-baked pastry.

You can drive to Ceglie and Polignano for dinners from Torre Maizza. (Although I would not; I don't know of any restaurants in Polignano worth driving so far for dinner; Ceglie is another story, but Il Fornello has been closed when I've been in the area.) Montegrosso is way too far, at least for me. Molfetta, too, at least for me, but then I prefer to eat dinners within a half-hour drive of my hotel to avoid lots of night driving.

I used Via Michelin to get an idea of distances and it worked fine for me.
For driving I relied on paper maps. There is good signage on local roads, for the most part.


Most important, since you are leaving soon: Have you booked your restaurants? Do you know for certain that they are open during the holiday period?