Restaurants in Lecce
Osteria Da Angiulino
Address- Via Principi di Savoia, 24
Phone- +39 0832 245146
Hours-Open every day for lunch and dinner except closed on Sunday
Price- Low-Middle Range
Reservations- By phone
Very near to the now unfortunately closed, Hosteria alle Bombarde (RIP), you will find Osteria Da Angiulino. This restaurant is known as an ‘institution’ in Lecce and the cuisine is also perfectly representational of the regional specialities.
Recommended Dishes
Antipasto- Not on offer
Primo- Fave and cicoria (mashed fava beans and bitter chicory) or Ciceri e tria (chickpeas and tagliatelle) or a choice of Orecchiette al Pomodoro listed at the top of the menu
Secondo- The second course special in this restaurant is ‘cavallo’ (horse meat). Horse meat in the form of polpette (meatballs) and steaks are popular throughout the region of Puglia.
Pasticceria Natale
Address- Via Salvatore Trinchese 7
Phone- +39 0832 256060
Hours- 10 AM-9 PM every day except closed on Monday
Price- Low Range
Reservations- Not necessary, though it is a very popular spot, especially after dinner, so there might be a line
When you are ready for a sweet treat, head to Pasticceria Natale. They offer over 45 flavors of fresh artisanal gelato and flavors change depending on the season.
On return, I would try the following two restaurants. It has been quite a few years since I visited the Salento area of Puglia; thus, I want to be transparent about this. I also explore the most recent reviews for restaurants I recommend, as I did with the previous two recommended restaurants. In revisiting the food scene in Lecce, albeit virtually, I would recommend the following restaurants and plan to try them on my next trip. Do let me know what you think, if you make it there before I do!
Tabisca
Tabisca is a food and wine shop serving regional products in a bright, contemporary looking space. They offer ‘percorsi’ (tasting menus) and the reviews are consistently high. This restaurant would be a good companion to Osteria Da Angiulino which offers more of the local ‘Cucina Casareccia’ (home-style cuisine) dining experiences in Lecce. Explore their website for more info!
Trattoria Le Zie
If you do some flirting with Google over restaurants in Lecce, you will find Trattoria Le Zie recommended quite frequently. It is featured in a Conde Nast Travel article, Lonely Planet and Fodor’s. Reviews are quite consistently positive and I like the feminist theme as ‘zie’ means ‘aunts’ and it seems to be a ‘ladies only’ operation.
I also like to consult the current Michelin recommended restaurants for a city. If you are looking for a more upscale restaurant to celebrate a special occasion Bros’ has even received a Michelin star.
As mentioned in the Introduction post, my mom travelled to Lecce in 2023. She ate at Terra Lecce and was very pleased with the quality of the food and a cute interior courtyard as well. She has impeccable taste, so I highly trust her judgement!