Where to eat in Bari vecchia, the best restaurants

Regardless of the media success, if you are not yet familiar with Bari, we highly recommend a visit to the city, a seaside destination with an interesting history, a cultural vibrancy and a youthful ferment that fascinates and surprises.

The best 13 addresses of Bari vecchia

Antò Cucina e Sapori Tipici

Trattoria. A proposal that satisfies all tastes, under the banner of simplicity and substance. This is the main feature of Antò, a family-run address about 200 metres from the Church of San Nicola. Popular are the generously garnished focaccias, mixed platters, orecchiette with turnip tops or with chops sauce, potatoes, rice and mussels, spaghetti with seafood or all'assassina, meatballs with sauce, and stuffed mussels. House wine to accompany everything.

Antò Cucina e Sapori Tipici – strada Palazzo di Città, 14 – 080 9148367 – Facebook

La Cantina dello Zio

Trattoria. There is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere in this Bari vecchia eatery, with outdoor tables and well-kept surroundings. The undisputed queen of the culinary offering is the legendary tiella patate riso e cozze served in the crock, a triumph of colours, aromas and flavours. Alternatively, the ever-present orecchiette with various condiments. To continue, nothing better than a tender barbecued octopus or the tasty stewed mussels or even the mixed grill of fish. There is no shortage of good bottles.

La Cantina dello Zio – strada Palazzo di Città, 51 – 329 2299403 – Facebook

La Cecchina

Restaurant. The ambience is beautiful, in a historic building with exposed stonework and vaulted ceilings; when the weather is mild it is outdoors. The cuisine emphasises mostly local ingredients and stands out from the average for creativity and flavour. Some examples: octopus tentacles with pumpkin cream and fried black olives, mashed broad beans and chicory with friggitelli and Laterza bread chips, tuna cutlet with vegetable giardiniera. The wine selection is carefully curated, ranging from Puglia to the rest of Italy, with particular attention to natural wines and small regional productions.

La Cecchina – piazza Mercantile, 31 – 080 5214147 – ristorantebarivecchialacecchina.it

Panificio Fiore

Street Food. It is one of the longest-running bakeries in the city, set in an old church, with over a century of activity behind it and always under the management of the Fiore family. Here the (wood-fired) oven is always on, 24 hours a day, ready to welcome the amazing focaccia, (called 'hot wheel'), crispy on the base and soft on top. To get it, customers know they will have to queue patiently and wait their turn, but the wait is worth it. Also on sale are pasta, taralli in several variations, freselle, bread and pastries.

Panificio Fiore – strada Palazzo di Città, 38 – 080 5236290

Gentile

Gelateria. The Gentile family has been running this historic shop for three generations, more precisely since 1880. There is great attention to the processing of fruit, which in summer is transformed both into sorbets (also without milk) and into cremolates and granitas. Creamy, silky and enveloping are the milk-based flavours, from the classics to the most imaginative, to be enjoyed in cone, cup or in brioche con il tuppo. Coffee affogati, ice cream cups, mini cones, pralines and the amusing ice cream bombette, an invention of the house, complete the offer.

Gentile – piazza Federico II di Svevia, 33 – 080 5282779 – gelateriagentile.com

Panzeropoli by Benny

Street Food. A sign dedicated to what is considered a classic Bari street food, the panzerotto. Here there is great attention to the dough, in addition to the classic there are four other variants with different cereal flours, but there is also great attention to cooking, you can choose between frying or baking, for those who want to be lighter. The fillings range from traditional to more whimsical, with some options suitable for vegans and vegetarians. There are also 'cold' fillings and sweet pancakes.

Panzeropoli by Benny – piazza Mercantile, 35 – 080 7988934 – panzeropolibybenny.it

Al Pescatore

Restaurant. It is a piece of the city's restaurant history. The restaurant has clean, essential lines, the counter with fresh fish on display and the outdoor area with a view of the Swabian Castle are the eye-catchers. Menu to discover the sea: imperial crudo (cuttlefish tagliatelle, oysters, sea truffles, mussels and urchins), orecchiette with octopus ragout, fried paranza, potatoes, rice and mussels. Then fish cooked at will on the grill or in filleted versions, to enhance its natural flavours. Choice of wines to match, comfortable b&b.

Al Pescatore – piazza Federico II di Svevia, 6 – alpescatorebari.com

La Puccia

Street Food. Puccia is a typical Apulian bread with lots of crumbs that can be filled in many ways. Here, in the busy shop of Angelo and his father Nicola, the friendly managers, it is celebrated properly, with always fresh ingredients and without skimping on the amount of filling. The most popular ones are with octopus or cuttlefish, but the 'land' ones are no less popular. There are also panzerotti (from the classic tomato and mozzarella to one with chops in sauce) and a few first courses. It ends on a sweet note with the typical creamy “sporcamuss”.

La Puccia – piazza Mercantile, 74 – 327 4083610

Panificio Santa Rita

Street Food. A sign with a very old history, dating as far back as 1921, now run by brothers Peppino and Massimo Bolumetto. It is easily recognisable by the long queue of patrons that forms in front of the entrance and which is fortunately cleared in reasonable time. The focacce, slightly smaller in diameter than the average, are cooked and stuffed to perfection, tasty and light at the same time, so much so that you feel like doing an encore. Bread and baked delicacies are also sold, taralli in primis.

Panificio Santa Rita – strada dei Bianchi Dottula, 8 – 346 6169152

Lo Sfizio del Borgo Antico

Street Food. Take note of this address, ideal for a fast-break or an 'alternative' meal, for a modest outlay of about a handful of euros, depending on your appetite. If the octopus sandwich is considered the 'must' of the house, the rest of the offer is by no means to be underestimated, ranging from the typical, well-stuffed panzerotti to the classic puccia and rustici, not to mention the mouth-watering range of fried food (arancini, crocchette and company). Under the festive season, don't miss the scarcelle, traditional sweets.

Lo Sfizio del Borgo Antico – strada Vallisa, 53 – 351 6161735 – Facebook 

La Tana del Polpo

Trattoria. An invaluable address for fans of seafood cuisine, the genuine kind, which makes the most of the always-fresh fish purchased daily. No flights of fancy, then, but perfumes, flavours and concreteness in well-made and satisfying dishes. A few examples? The legendary roast octopus sandwich, the octopus trio (salad, grilled and fried), the spaghetti all'assassina with octopus, the fragrant mixed fried fish, the sumptuous grilled fish. At number 41 is the 'pesceria' with outdoor seating area, at number 48 the take-away.

La Tana del Polpo – strada Vallisa, 50 – 080 9753338 – Facebook

Tuccio Cucina e Caffè

Bistrot. Born in 2020, open non-stop from morning to late evening, it has quickly become one of the most popular addresses in Bari vecchia. Modern spaces, an open kitchen, outdoor tables and an offer that focuses above all on typical Apulian products. To begin with, a rich assortment of cold meats, cheeses, dairy products and tarallini. To follow, spaghetti with clams, 'ciceri e tria', seared tuna, chops with sauce. In the finale, an original version of tiramisu with Altamura bread. Drink well.

Tuccio Cucina e Caffè – piazza G. Massari, 13 – 342 7988613 – tuccio.biz

La Uascèzze

Trattoria. Take a seat at one of the wooden tables on a stuffed chair - or in the delightful outdoor seating area - and enjoy a variety of 'local' delicacies: pickles, taralli, focaccia, cold meats, dairy products and cheeses, as well as tasty dishes such as potatoes, rice and mussels, broad beans and chicory, donkey bites with sauce, stuffed mussels...  The enjoyment of the palate is assured. To accompany, mostly regional wines, craft beers and cocktails. Shop for gourmet souvenirs, own bed and breakfast.

La Uascèzze – corte Sant’Agostino, 2 – 080 5236023-320 6284295 – lauascezze.com