Now, after an entire week in the Gargano I could not write an entire post about food. It goes without saying that everything was delicious everywhere we went, choosing always local products and typical dishes, which in this area ranges from fish to inland products. Oil, dried tomatoes, orecchiette, frise, burrata, fresh fish, panzerotti and many other delicious things: it's totally impossible to go wrong in these places. But let's go into detail and talk about specific restaurants! Here are the ones we tried personally and, in my opinion, the best you can go for:
We came across some oh these by chance following an inspiration by the moment, others we took the advice of friends who had already been in the area.
Osteria al Duomo - Vieste
Osteria al Duomo is a very characteristic restaurant located in the historic center of Vieste, in its maze of white streets. It was recommended by my mum and we had it on the list of places to try, but the first night we found ourselves there by chance and only once we sat down at the table we realized it was one of those we had on our list.
The food here is a combination of traditional typical flavors revisited in an innovative way, but always with attention to quality and local ingredients. The dishes are excellent, we tried some really delicious shrimps' and eggplant's rolls' we liked so much that we tried to replicate the recipe even when we went back home! A really nice, rustic location, in line with the architecture of the area, perfectly reflecting the idea you have of a tavern. We ate outside, in the alley, truly wonderful! Absolutely to try, super recommended!
Carpenter Wine Bar Vieste - Vieste
We came across this one by chance as we were exploring the maze of alleys in the historic center, ending up on a terrace with a breathtaking view. We stopped for some appetiser at sunset, and we weren't disappointed at all. Service perhaps a little slow, but with that view everything is forgiven. They also brought us some snacks with drinks: taralli, olives and a couple of bruschetta with cherry tomatoes! This is also absolutely recommended, much more for the view than the food, but still worth it!
Il grottino Vieste - Vieste Centro Storico
This is the other restaurant my mum talked us about and I must say she didn't miss a beat! Wonderful location, overlooking the sea, with a spectacular view of the Piccola Marina. We were lucky enough to grab a table along the way, very nice! Super friendly staff, typical cuisine with local products of land and sea, if you want they also make a good pizza! We chose the stuffed cuttlefish, baked potatoes, parmigiana, grilled octopus and mashed broad beans. What to say? Everything was excellent! Can't really miss it, you won't be disappointed.
Caffè Bramanthe Pasticceria Gelateria - Manfredonia
Pastry and ice cream shop near the seafront of Manfredonia we found out during our walk. A very nice, huge place, with outdoors tables, where you can enjoy the thousand delights they offer! Very good ice cream, many flavors to choose from, as well as a lot of variety of typical sweets. We tasted two Cremoso, super fresh typical Apulian sweets!
Brezza - Marina Piccola di Vieste
After days of passing this lounge bar right in the middle of the Marina Piccola on the way to the parking lot, we decided to stop at sunset to grab something before dinner. Outdoor tables with a spectacular view of the sea and the historic center of Vieste. Excellent prices, and with drinks they. served some typical snacks, such as taralli and olives.
Le sciccherie - Vieste Centro Storico
No doubt this one was our favorite place in the center of Vieste: we went there almost every night to get a dessert after dinner. An excellent patisserie, open only in the evening, family-run, with also some typical traditional desserts, all prepared by hand by the mother. Super nice staff, you can see they put their heart into it and you can feel it in the various preparations. An amazing choice of wonderful desserts, really yummy! If you pass by, you cannot try the pasticciotti!
Al Trabucco da Mimi - Peschici
Our favorite in this list, for sure, but you have probably heard of it, being the winner of the episode of 4 Restaurants by Alessandro Borghese from the Gargano area. He certainly deserved the victory. Spectacular location, on a traditional, intimate and super-refined trebucco. The delicious cuisine, fish extremely fresh and of good quality, with traditional preparations but with an innovative touch. Value for money certainly appropriate. We took the Crudo di Mare of the day, as an appetizer to share (Enrico said it was super good, I don't give you my opinion because I don't like it in general, so I'm not the right person to judge), pasta with raw prawns, cooked whites and rosemary bisque (really really yummy) and the DIY fish soup, which we had seen on TV.
This restaurant is located in the Peschici, but it is outside the town, so you will have to reach it by car! If you are close to this you cannot miss it, both for the location and for the food, you won't regret it, trust me. Remember to book early!
Camavitè - Peschici
Second stop on our 4 Restaurants tour, and what can I say? I literally fell in love with this. place. This lounge-bar restaurant on the bay of Menacore definitely lives up to its fame. You will eat by the sea, with an unforgettable view. We wanted to go for dinner, but despite having tried to book a month before, there was only room for an appetizer. We settled for it, but in the end it was much better this way. We enjoyed a wonderful view at sunset, which definitely enhances the place. Although the intention was to have just have appetizers and then move to the center of Peschici for dinner, we ate so much that we practically made dinner. We chose a super-seasoned Apulian focaccia, gigantic and very good, and a burrata on a bed of cherry tomatoes and anchovies that was the end of the world! Fantastic wine. This place also cannot be missed in your food and wine tour of the Gargano. Book comfortably from the super website in advance, I recommend!
Kraken Street Food Fish - Vieste Centro Storico
This very is. a very friendly little place with a few tables, located in the square in front of the Old Town. I saw it every morning while going for a run and I liked it so much, so we went there on the last night, having finished our list of must in the area. We were absolutely not disappointed. We dined at the tables outside, a very simple but nice location. We chose two tuna and salmon tartare as an appetizer, fresh fish of excellent quality, and following two sandwiches with raw fish, truffle and burrata. Literally divine. Excellent value for money. If you are in the mood for a quick and simple dinner, this is ideal, even to take away.
I know it has nothing to do with the Gargano, but I could not tell you about this place, which for me is a must on the return trip. I always go there with my dad on the way home when we come back from the Tremiti Islands, and I absolutely had to try it out in Enri. Super convenient, being just a few kilometers from the Chieti motorway, it is a simple restaurant but where you can eat divinely. They specialize in meat, but the pizza is also delicious. The main dish is the arrosticini, it's the only place I eat them, because I don't like sheep meat, yet when I'm here I eat tons of it. If you are passing through, take a detour and stop even without booking, you will not be disappointed!
To find out more about the Gargano and organize your trip to this land, click here.