Best Mediterranean Restaurants in Italy

Set inside the Tondi-Vignola building from the 1700s in the heart of Galatina, a stone's throw from the essential local churches, stands the restaurant with creative cuisine from the area Anima & Cuore. Anima & Cuore is a charming, warm and welcoming restaurant with decorated vaulted ceilings, niches and mosaic flooring that recall the history of the place. In the summer, it has a large outdoor area from which you can enjoy a wonderful panorama and dine under the moonlight. The cuisine of Anima & Cuore is centred on the revival in a modern key of the classic recipes of the Salento culinary tradition, but not only; the chef loves to range and mix typical local dishes with Mediterranean and national recipes as well as personally taking care of every facet of words based on the creativity and inspiration of the moment. The menu ranges between sea and land with "Km0 and Miglio0" products and varies with the current seasons. Anima & Cuore's speciality is fresh fish purchased daily from the Gallipoli, Leuca, and Santa Cesarea fish markets. Not to be missed for meat lovers is the horse fillet flavoured with negroamaro wine on toasted Galatina d.o.p potato or in baked pastry. Vegan-Friendly menu every day. An excellent high-level wine list with a selection of cellars and wines from national and international territories, as well as champagne and Franciacorta. The name given to him represents the friendship and commitment we put into all of you every day. Because we put Soul & Heart into it

Il Vecchio Molo is a restaurant that, in the summer, reflects a lively and dense marina, that of San Foca. In the winter, it is dipped in a veiled romanticism thanks to a refined atmosphere and large windows overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Here you can appreciate the freshest fish and the always seasonal products of the land in a creative and tasty encounter that passes through the hands of chef Davide Rollo. The restaurant has a refined and delicate soul with contemporary furnishings and an excellent wine cellar. The warm season is also welcomed in the dehors to taste the dishes together with the natural scent of the sea. Among the appetizers are cuttlefish tagliatelle with green pea sauce and Squid and Squid accompanied by Catalan salad. Among the first courses, the Cappellacci with saffron with beetroot and scampi and the Spaghettone with firm ricotta and swordfish on creamy aubergine, mint and bran pepper stand out—Cuttlefish in BBQ and breaded tuna fillet with citrus endive among the main courses. Bread, breadsticks, lace and everything related to bread making and desserts are exquisitely handmade, even ice creams and sorbets, as well as the selection of wines on the list, managed by Sonia, with a great variety of bubbles and niche labels.

La Scarpetta Hostaria is a beloved restaurant in the heart of the historic city of Lecce. Celebrated for its commitment to regional cuisine and a warm, inviting atmosphere, this restaurant offers an authentic taste of the rich culinary traditions of the Puglia region. The menu at La Scarpetta Hostaria beautifully embodies the simplicity and depth of flavours characteristic of southern Italian cuisine. The restaurant emphasises utilizing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to craft dishes that reflect the gastronomic heritage of the Salento area. You can expect an incredible array of pasta dishes, including local specialities like "Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa" - ear-shaped pasta served with rapini, anchovies, and garlic. Fresh seafood is another highlight on the menu, reflecting Lecce's coastal location. The "Fritto Misto di Mare," a lightly battered and fried seafood selection, stands out. La Scarpetta Hostaria is as much known for its charming atmosphere as its food. Housed in a beautiful historic building, the restaurant offers a cosy, rustic setting with stone walls, wooden beams and warm, intimate lighting.

Located in the heart of Monteroni di Lecce, Malcandrino is a beloved local restaurant that shines a spotlight on Salento's culinary heritage. Known for its dedication to traditional flavours and cooking techniques, Malcandrino offers a dining experience deeply rooted in the rich gastronomic culture of southern Italy. Malcandrino's menu is a tribute to the tastes and ingredients of Salento. Each dish is a love letter to the region, crafted using local produce and traditional recipes. With a focus on homemade pasta, fresh seafood, and locally sourced meats, the restaurant serves a satisfying array of Italian comfort food. One can expect classic dishes like "Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa," ear-shaped pasta with rapini and garlic, or "Frise Salentine," a traditional Salentine twice-baked bread topped with tomatoes, olives, and olive oil. Seafood lovers might opt for the "Fritto Misto di Mare," a mixed-fried seafood selection. The desserts, too, are a homage to local flavours, featuring options like "Pasticciotto," a classic custard-filled pastry from Lecce. Walking into Malcandrino feels like stepping into a piece of Salento's history. The rustic stone walls, wooden furnishings, and cosy lighting create a homely and inviting atmosphere that perfectly mirrors the comfort found in its food.

Typical Salento products have been home for nine years now: the Fiori di Zucchini restaurant is a refuge for lovers of solid and genuine flavours seasoned with love for all-around necessity. Located in the southwest area of the capital, in a side street of Viale Marche, the Fiori di Zucchini trattoria recalls in its furnishings and, above all, in its welcome, that sense of familiarity that makes you immediately empathize with the owners, Bepi and Lucia. Crossing the restaurant's threshold is like entering the dining room of a close relative, where the kitchen's scents mix with the furnishings' warm wood, the jars of jam in the sideboard, and the dried tomatoes hanging from the ceiling. Inside there are 40 seats, plus 25 outside in the summer. The couple knows how to do the honours of the house with joy, putting at ease from the very first occasion all those who want to taste the authentic cuisine of Lecce. Bepi, like a true pater familias, has an attentive eye on the room and the dishes, of which she constantly guarantees authenticity and adherence to tradition. Lucia, a tireless and thoughtful chef, selects raw materials and recipes with care and love, keeping them like a family treasure. The menu, which changes daily based on the availability of products, is a riot of seasonal vegetables, local meats, cold cuts and cheeses, fresh pasta and desserts made with dried fruit, just like the grandmothers of Lecce used to make them. In addition to the characteristic courgette flowers in batter, the sage 'cannulate, the pieces of a horse with sauce, and the poached rape cannot be missing. The seafood menu is based on oily fish. At the end of the meal, here are the morsels of almond paste that melt in your mouth. But Fiori di Zucca is also attentive to health, having a separate hob for coeliacs to avoid contamination. Even the homemade pasta, upon request, is prepared with whole grains from organic farming with shallow gluten content.

A place where you can appreciate the alchemy of traditional flavours with unusual ones, where research and reinterpretation are the constant daily inspiration, and where courtesy and passion are at home. Chef Salvo and his staff are waiting to welcome you in their corner of delicacies, a simple but elegant environment, small but spacious, suitable for any occasion and never intrusive, to create that harmony that will allow you to taste every course that you will choose entirely. The San Domenico Italian Bistrot, nestled in the heart of the city of Pisa, located in the Corte San Domenico in Pisa, in Corso Italia 139, is the result of years of experience and love for cooking.

The Il Colonnino restaurant, located in the heart of Pisa, near the Verdi Theater and the main streets of the historic centre, offers a warm and rustic environment in a location which, with its stone walls and vaults, recalls an osteria d' other times. Purely family management gives a hospitable and comfortable atmosphere. You can dine by candlelight while appreciating one of the many selected labels or prestigious bottles from the wine list. The typical dishes of the Tuscan and Pisan tradition have always been served, carefully choosing each ingredient and putting all the passion into what is done. The traditional dishes are presented and served with simplicity, letting the customer concentrate all the attention on the aromas and flavours; for the revisited recipes and dishes, we allow ourselves to be guided by a vein of creativity even in the presentation.

We find a small restaurant on the outskirts of Pisa, in front of the Pisana Cisanello university hospital. La Vecchia Cascina is ready to welcome you, offering numerous alternatives to meet the needs of each customer. La Vecchia Cascina, Restaurant and Pizzeria, offers its customers the possibility of using a quick menu for lunch. At the same time, in the evening, it focuses on providing the hospitality and warmth of typical Tuscan cuisine to enjoy a characteristic dinner accompanied by a wine from the extensive cellar that the restaurant has. The dishes offered are cooked passionately by the chefs, with attention to fresh and quality ingredients.

We are on the seafront of Marina di Pisa, a few steps from the beach, and here we find the Teste e Lische restaurant. A simple, casual, family restaurant that overlooks the sea and offers its customers the opportunity to eat excellent Mediterranean cuisine with a view of the beautiful Tuscan Tyrrhenian Sea. Thanks to the close relationship with the sea, the restaurant's cuisine offers fish as the main ingredient, used as a main course among the second courses, and as a condiment for first courses and appetizers. Homemade pasta to bind with grouper sauce, or seafood linguine with clams and mussels, and much more.

On the coasts of Marina di Pisa, navigated and very crowded by residents and tourists, full of clubs and restaurants, a delightful family restaurant, the Da Gino restaurant, steals the show. A place where you can taste quality fish cooked simply respecting tradition and ancient recipes with some "unscheduled". Fish-based dishes, as tradition dictates, and as tradition has been handed down for generations in Gino's family, from grandmother to mother. The fish soup, the famous Caciucco, the agerto alla pozzolana, or the fantastic fried fish, fresh, caught during the day and served at night to guarantee the absolute freshness of the local products.

Bagno Italia is not just a restaurant. It is the perfect fusion between refined cuisine and a great party atmosphere. Michele and Andrea are committed daily to offering you dishes prepared with class mixed with selected music and a great desire for fun. It is the ideal place for your essential but slightly unconventional dinner. Dinners with live music, lunches with DJ sets by the sea and much more. The concept that has always distinguished Bagno Italia is to make everyone feel at ease, just like at home, but with the convenience of being pampered and delighted with the best gastronomic and wine selection. Bagno Italia is the perfect setting for any occasion, from business lunches to romantic dinners, corporate events, ceremonies, and theme nights.

On the Tuscan Tyrrhenian coast, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, to be exact in Tirrenia, in the province of Pisa, on the seafront, we find a beautiful restaurant that is hard not to notice for its beauty and elegance. Let's talk about the restaurant pizzeria "Il Cavaliere Nero". This is the ideal place for lovers of fresh fish and wood-fired pizza. Sober and welcoming, elegant and informal simultaneously, it offers excellent new seafood dishes cooked by Chef Mario. Among the founders of "Le Tavole di San Giorgio", with his culinary experience, he combines the seafaring tradition with typical Tuscan land dishes by reservation, all accompanied by a careful selection of wines. The fragrant pizza cooked in a wooden oven is also delicious. Il Cavaliere Nero is surrounded by a garden where it can dine while enjoying the cool air on summer evenings. Children are welcome, and a special menu is dedicated to them.

On the Tuscan Tyrrhenian coasts, we find beautiful landscapes but not only, but also many fish restaurants. We see a fabulous cocktail bar restaurant that catches the eye of them. Let's talk about the La Terrazza Restaurant. Since the legendary 80s, it has been an unmissable destination for tourists and Pisans with its bar for breakfasts and snacks, the restaurant specializing in fish dishes, the pizzeria with wood-burning oven and the lounge bar for aperitifs and cocktails. Enjoy an aperitif or a cocktail to finish the day with friends. The welcome is comfortable, the cuisine of quality, and the service attentive and attentive in a modern and familiar environment. Business lunch in the company of colleagues and friends. Or a family lunch with your loved ones. A romantic lunch on the weekend or mid-week to break the routine. Everyday dishes prepared with fresh fish and land-based alternatives are offered. The menu ranges from seafood specialities to land choices to pizza.

In the heart of the historic city of Lecce, Osteria di Lecce offers a quintessential Italian dining experience. The restaurant is celebrated for authentic Apulian cuisine, honouring local culinary traditions and ingredients, making it a popular spot with locals and tourists. The Osteria di Lecce menu celebrates Puglia's rich culinary heritage. The restaurant prides itself on using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients to create traditional Puglian dishes with a modern twist. Among the standout dishes are the homemade "Orecchiette con le Cime di Rapa", a classic local pasta dish with turnip greens, and the "Fave e Cicorie", a hearty broad bean purée served with black cherries. Fish lovers will be delighted by the "Fritto Misto di Mare", a plate of mixed fried seafood with the day's freshest catch. The Osteria di Lecce offers a comfortable and charming environment. The décor features rustic Italian elements, with exposed stone walls and wooden furnishings. Combined with soft lighting and carefully selected tables, the restaurant exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Arte Dei Sapori restaurant is located in the heart of the historic centre of Lecce. Warm and welcoming in winter, with its internal rooms with characteristic star vaults, typical of the buildings in the historic centre of Lecce, suggestive and romantic in summer, in a distinct corner of Leccese Baroque, you can spend your evenings accompanied by delicious food and excellent wines, under the starry sky of Lecce. Our cuisine starts from the typical Salento cuisine to everything the Salento sea offers. We will prepare the fish for you in the most varied ways of cooking, always accompanying the first courses with homemade pasta, the bread of our production, and delicious homemade desserts. The wine list exceeds 120 Salento and national labels. There is no more sincere love than the love of food. Please tell me what you eat, and I'll tell you what you are.

La Vecchia Osteria is ideal for those looking for a gastronomic point of reference in Lecce, where you can taste the typical Salento cuisine in a convivial and peaceful environment. Past and present mix like the flavours of this Osteria in a perfect food and wine journey among local products and zero-kilometre ingredients, which enhance their taste and beneficial properties. La Vecchia Osteria offers a vast menu, which embraces different flavours, but with a single leitmotiv: genuine Salento cuisine. A tribute to the old Lecce, which through the careful preparation of our chefs, offers a look at the past skilfully mixed with modernity. From the typical appetizers of the place to the specialities composed of first and second courses of land and sea, each dish is served with care and attention, prepared with typical ingredients of the Salento area.

L'arzilla Furcina is a popular restaurant in Lecce known for its inventive approach to traditional Italian cuisine, specifically dishes from the Puglia region. This restaurant is highly regarded for its commitment to quality, utilizing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to create a unique dining experience that pays homage to the region's rich culinary heritage. The menu at L'arzilla Furcina is a testament to the abundance of the Puglia region, featuring a wide range of seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes. The kitchen team delights in experimenting with classic recipes, adding their unique touches without losing the authenticity of the flavours. Among the standout dishes is their signature "Furcina Pasta," a unique pasta dish with a robust seafood sauce, showcasing the restaurant's maritime influence. Another must-try is the "Zuppa di Pesce," a traditional seafood soup that bursts with the fresh flavours of the Adriatic Sea. For dessert, patrons highly recommend the "Tiramisu di Pistacchio," a delightful reinterpretation of the classic dessert using pistachio instead of coffee.

Tucked away in the quaint town of Cavallino near Lecce, Osteria del Pozzo Vecchio is a charming restaurant known for its authentic Salento cuisine. Rooted in tradition yet unafraid to experiment, the restaurant offers a gastronomic experience that transports diners to the heart of Southern Italian flavours while surprising them with inventive culinary spins. The food at Osteria del Pozzo Vecchio is an ode to the tastes of Salento. The menu incorporates local, fresh ingredients into various dishes that showcase the region's culinary traditions while introducing modern touches. The result is a unique blend of comfort and creativity, appealing to traditionalists and adventurous eaters. Standout dishes may include "Paccheri con Ragù di Mare," a dish featuring large tube pasta with a rich, sea-based ragù, and "Involtini di Melanzane," a beautifully presented plate of rolled eggplant filled with local cheese and herbs. A meal here would not be complete without one of their homemade desserts, such as "Pasticiotto," a traditional Puglian custard-filled pastry crafted to perfection.

The harmony of a rigorous and elegant aesthetic meets the innovative cuisine of Atenze Restaurant, our gourmet restaurant in the historic centre of Lecce. The amazement of discovery creeps into the flavours that our Executive Chef Ivan Bruno reinterprets in a constantly evolving evening menu and the tasting itineraries dedicated to Lecce and its origins. Original combinations of flavours express the tension towards reaching the balance point between profound respect for the most authentic ingredients and scents and their creative and contemporary interpretation in an elegant flavour essence. On summer evenings, Atenze's cuisine is staged in the suggestive location of Sira, our rooftop, to offer you the exclusive experience of dining under the silvery reflections of the moon, with the backdrop of the majestic Basilica and its Baroque rose window. At lunch, the light taste of the Salento summer inspires delicate proposals to be enjoyed in the shade of our Dehor, an intimate private garden in the small square overlooking Santa Croce.

63 Osteria Contemporanea is a modern dining destination in the heart of Lecce. The restaurant presents an innovative approach to traditional Italian cuisine, pairing time-honoured techniques and flavours with creative culinary twists. It offers an evolving, seasonal menu that respects the integrity of local produce while demonstrating the chefs' commitment to exploring new gastronomic frontiers. At 63 Osteria Contemporanea, the dishes are as visually impressive as they are flavorful. The menu changes with the seasons to ensure freshness and quality, featuring a careful selection of Italian and local delicacies prepared with a creative touch. Signature dishes may include "Ravioli Caprese," a reinterpretation of the classic ravioli dish with a burst of Caprese salad flavours inside, or "Tartare di Mare," a beautiful array of fresh, raw seafood seasoned with innovative sauces and garnishes. The dessert menu is also an adventurous journey, with modern takes on Italian classics such as "Tiramisu 63," their interpretation of the famous sweet treat. 63 Osteria Contemporanea offers a contemporary, elegant dining space. Its interior design combines sleek modern elements with traditional features of Lecce architecture, such as exposed stonework, creating a stylish yet comfortable environment.