Eating out in Puglia and Rome– Italy Part 1

I’m back from Italy, and now it’s time to share the amazing meals we had. After a long day of travel, it’s no wonder I forgot to bring the camera to our first dinner at Alberosole in Bari. You’ll have to take my word for it, it was delicious and we feasted. The next day, we were off to some more towns in Puglia, and lunch was at Il Fornello da Ricci. It was an incredible lunch and we didn’t hold back even though we were probably still full from dinner the night before.

We started with the antipasto, which was as decadent and delicious as advertised. Then we moved on to pasta, which included a squid ink pasta with pea pesto and these ricotta gnocchi with truffle shavings. Then there was some lamb and a millefoglie. I was definitely ready for a nap after this one, but it was worth it.

We had many other wonderful meals in Puglia, but I didn’t bring the camera for all of them. The one that I would recommend if you’re ever in the area is the Restaurant at Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare. The food may not stand out, but it’s a truly unique experience because you eat in a beautiful grotto with the waves crashing all around and the candles flickering on the cave walls.

While in Puglia, we visited two wonderful wineries that were gracious enough to give us tours of their facilities. The Cantele Winery outside Lecce gave us a tour of their property, showing us the entire production line. It’s worth trying their wines if you can find them.

We also made it to the I Pastini Vineyard after getting lost countless times. Their vineyards were incredible and they showed us the trulli (a traditional home from Alberobello and nearby) on their property. I can recommend their whites and their Fiano in particular.

Our last dinner in Rome was at Roscioli, a fabulous restaurant where I had such trouble deciding what to get because everything sounded incredible. I ended up starting with the artichoke salad and the salumi (the best salumi I’ve ever had, by the way). And of course, I had to have the carbonara because…When in Rome…

We stayed near the Campo de Fiori, and what better place to go food shopping! I brought back a new ravioli cutter and gnocchi board, so stay tuned for their debut!