Eat Ostuni | our recommendations
Sophisticated and stylish, poetic and timeless. Ostuni rises up from the rolling olive groves that surround it, a gleaming white oasis, framed by Puglia’s endless blue sky.
The choice of dining experiences in Ostuni during the summer season seems endless. Excellent restaurants and chic bars are tucked away in the maze of medieval alleys, arches and stairwells of the old town that shoot out from via Cattedrale and wind around the duomo and the old town walls.
While bad food is hard to find some restaurants offer better value than others. Restaurants regularly recommended on travel forums may not be included here. The food and dining experience may be good, but if it is comparatively overpriced without any added value, we haven’t included it.
We pay for all our meals and review anonymously.
Updated June 2023.
Two things that you will want to know. First, what is the coperto charge, and do I have to pay it?
Secondly, with prices ranging from €4,90 to €15,00 for a glass of Aperol Spritz across the piazza, where is the best value Aperol Spritz on Ostuni’s piazza della Libertà? Be sure to read this as it will save you €40 on a round of 4 drinks (that’s €80 if you stay for a 2nd round: and there’s no discernible difference in the product, only the seats you will sit in).
Ostuni Bistrot
One of our favourite restaurants for lunch in Ostuni. Good value, good food and friendly service means we are frequent visitors. Great for lunch. Orecchiette in a traditional tomato sauce and the parmigiana offer great value at 8€ but their orecchiette with polpette and braciole (maritato piatto unico) 15€ blew us away. Traditional local dishes and great pinse.
€€
(=
Starters 5€ - 10€
Primi 8€ - 15€
Secondi 12€ -18€
Dolci 5€
House wine 4€ | 18€)
Piazza della Libertà, 5, 72017 Ostuni
+39 333 934 9620
BGP Hack | if you take an Ape Calessino Ostuni tour (the tuk tuk ride) the drivers usually have 10% discount vouchers, be sure to ask for one.
More | our visit to Ostuni Bistrot | visit their Ostuni Bistrot website.
Casa San Giacomo
Restaurant. Traditional cooking by Nonna. A favourite for dinner, but be sure to book. And yes, Madonna celebrated her 63rd birthday here.
€€ - €€€
Via Bixio Continelli 4, 72012 Ostuni
+39 328 138 8457
More | visit their website.
Osteria Monacelle
Restaurant. Good local food in the heart of Ostuni’s old town.
€€ - €€€
Via P.Vincenti, 72012 Ostuni
+39 083 133 4212
More | our visit to Ostuni Monacelle | visit their website.
Trattoria Il Cortiletto
Good food in modest unassuming surroundings. A short drive from Ostuni en route to the main highway.
€€
Via Lecce 91, 72015 Speziale
+39 080 481 0758
More | visit their website.
Masseria Moroseta
A modern take on traditional dishes in minimal surroundings. Expensive, but exceptional dining. A short drive from Ostuni en route to the main highway. Fixed menu, price on booking.
€€€€€
Contrada Lamacavallo snc, 72012 Ostuni
+39 338 18 99 199
More | our visit to Masseria Moroseta | visit their website
Caffè Fanelli Bistrot
Bar, coffee and drinks. Our favourite spot for people watching, morning and evening. At 4,90€ the best value Aperol Spritz on Ostuni’s piazza della Libertàthe best value Aperol Spritz on Ostuni’s piazza della Libertà.
Piazza della Libertà, 72017 Ostuni BR (2 Corso Cavour).
Asso di Spade
Take away panzerotti. In Ostuni we don’t do kebab on the way home. We go for panzerotti and Asso di Spade has some class specials including nduja, gorgonzola and guanciale as well as bog standard tomato and mozzarella. Hits the spot!
Via Benedetto Cairoli, 1, 72017 Ostuni BR.
More | visit their website.
AVOID | RICCARDO caffè
Beware of being overcharged and paying for unexpected extrasYou will find this on the far side of the old town, on Via Gaetano Tanzarella Vitale, 61 just along from Osteria Del Tempo Perso.
Offering aperitifs and cocktails in a cave setting with a trendy outside seating area marked by beanbags up and down the stone steps, we were overcharged and our bill included unexpected extras - in this case a live music surcharge of 2€ per person.
We explained that we had actually come to the bar for the purpose of reviewing it for our Ostuni travel guide. We pointed out that it was not permitted to charge more than the menu price, required to be displayed by Italian law. When we asked how we could explain this in our review, we were approached by someone who had identified themselves as Riccardo when we arrived. In what we considered a very aggressive, confrontational and threatening manner, after asking him the same, we were asked to leave. We were then escorted off the premises.
PRICE ALERT | Casbah Risto Cafè
A trendy bar on the main piazza in a premium spot, but with premium prices to match!
The most expensive Aperol Spritz on Ostuni’s main piazza, at 15€ a glass. Check the menu before you sit down. It’s accessible by QR code on the bar tables.
Visit Ostuni
Our Ostuni city guide - what to do and see, more places to eat and drink.
Take me to your beach - Ostuni beach guide.
