Puglia with the Region's Top Chef-Duo, Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì
Meet Puglia's Michelin-Starred Power Couple
The Relisher is the place where the world’s leading chefs reveal their favorite restaurants in their hometowns. This week, we met with the chef-duo Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Poti, of Michelin-starred Bros' in Puglia — hailed as one of the best fine-dining restaurants in the region.
Floriano and Isabella have honed their skills in some of the world's most prestigious kitchens. Floriano's experience includes stints at Noma and Spain's Mugaritz, while Isabella has worked at Copenhagen's Geranium and Mirazur in the south of France. Today, the husband-and-wife team not only runs Bros', but also owns Bros' Trattoria, a farm-to-table eatery featured in Condé Nast Traveller's list of best restaurants in Puglia.
On a personal level, (as you might know) I interview many chefs, and I must say that Floriano and Isabella are the most passionate chefs I've met to date. Hearing their recommendations made me want to immediately book a trip to Puglia. Below are the couple's favorite places in this major up-and-coming culinary city.
For us, as chefs, food is naturally our life. But what's interesting about Puglia is that food is like a religion for the people here. Because of this passion, you'll find incredible cuisine throughout the region.
The Best Burrata and Mozzarella in the World
If you want to understand what true burrata is, then you must visit Puglia and taste the burrata that comes from Altamura (a town in southern Puglia that’s actually famous for its bread made according to ancient traditions).
In my opinion, the cheese shop to experience the best burrata and mozzarella in the world is at Caseificio Dicecca — a fourth-generation cheese producing family regarded as one of Italy's top cheese producers. The milk sourced from the hills of the Altamura region is the secret ingredient that makes all the difference. Interestingly, the burrata here has a unique yellowish tint, unlike the typical white color, due to the specific characteristics of milk from this area.
Another must-try cheese at Dicecca is the fermented ricotta. It has a very strong flavor, and I often use it in many of the dishes at Bros' Trattoria. The blue cheese (Puglia style) that's coated and sprinkled with ingredients collected from the Dicecca brothers' travels, like coffee from Colombia or whiskey from Japan, is also very special and worth sampling.
Breakfast in Puglia: A Local’s Breakfast, Puglia’s Best Pastries, and Where to Sample Neapolitan Coffee
For an authentic local breakfast experience (Puglia style), head to Lungomare di Bari, the boardwalk in Bari — a fishing town in Puglia. Here, you can watch local fishermen at work and order crudo di mare from any of them. They serve fresh, raw little cuttlefish caught that very morning, which you can enjoy with crusty bread and a cold beer. This experience is better than any restaurant.
My current favorite breakfast spot in Lecce (the Puglian town where I live and where my restaurants are located) is the relatively new Delia Pasticceria. This charming pastry shop serves both Italian and French-style pastries. I typically order their croissants, which are simply magical — super airy and not too sweet. They're especially delicious when paired with fresh cream.
Most travelers don't know that espresso in Italy differs between the south and the north. Coffee in northern Italy tends to be more acidic, while in the south, we prefer a more bitter flavor. This is why I like to order a Neapolitan espresso at my favorite coffee shop, Caffè Cittadino in Lecce.
A special coffee you must try when visiting Puglia is called caffè alla Leccese. It's coffee served with ice and real almond milk. Puglia is renowned for its excellent almonds, particularly those from the town of Toritto, which give the drink its distinctive character. The almond milk used is so rich it's almost syrup-like in taste, giving the drink an incredible flavor. Caffè alla Leccese is one of the best culinary inventions to come out of the region.
Puglia's Must-Visit Restaurants: Southern Italian Seafood, Puglian Cuisine, and Traditional Italian with a Twist
Taverna Del Porto is a traditional Southern Italian seafood restaurant that stands out for its unique approach to classic dishes. For example, one of my favorite dishes is where the chef incorporates seafood to traditional spaghetti aglio e olio (classic garlic spaghetti), transforming it into an even better and more special dish.
Adding to the restaurant's charm is the owner, Alessandro, who is the best of the best in terms of hospitality. He makes every guest feel like family. This is why I like to call him the ‘ambassador of Salento’ (a sub-region in Puglia).
Another one of my favorites is Calvi Ristorante, located in Altamura. It's celebrated for its exceptional regional Puglian and Mediterranean cuisine with a contemporary twist. In Puglia, hospitality is akin to a religion (given its proximity to Greece), and Calvi exemplifies this with its warm welcome and truly outstanding food. When I have international friends or chefs visiting Puglia for the first time, both Taverna Del Porto and Calvi are my top recommended restaurants.
Close to my hometown of Lecce is Ristorante Lilith. What makes it special is its blend of traditional Italian cuisine with contemporary touches, served in an intimate garden setting. The family behind this restaurant is fantastic — they're the epitome of an Italian family where you can see and feel the unbelievable love and passion that they have for this restaurant.
My two favorite dishes at Lilith are the eggplant parmesan (Puglia style), which includes mozzarella and tomato — another must-try local dish when visiting Puglia. For dessert, I highly recommend their mille-feuille with cream.
Casual Restaurants: Pasta of Puglia and Seasonal Bruschetta
Semiserio, located in the heart of Lecce, is a classic traditional restaurant. It holds special importance for me as the chef, one of the best in Salento, serves as a mentor to the new generation of Italian chefs in the region. Don't miss their macaroni and the traditional Puglian dish of minchiareddhi (a pasta made with barley dough) served with meat and tomato sauce. The chef adds a Salento twist by sprinkling fermented ricotta on top.
Osteria Mamma Lupa, also in central Lecce, is known for their excellent, highly seasonal bruschetta. For me, the quality of ingredients matters more than technique, and here you can truly taste the freshness in every bite. I like to order the bruschetta with mozzarella and eggplant in the summer, and the one with garlic and turnips in the winter.
I like to visit both of these restaurants for a quick casual lunch.
Bring Home a Taste of Puglia: Charcuterie and Ceramics
For the absolute best charcuterie in Puglia, and arguably in all of southern Italy, look no further than Alberto. Everything from the cheeses to the cured meats is incredible; however, the must-try is the Capocollo di Martina Franca, a sweet, delicately smoked ham from Puglia.
For porcelain and beautiful ceramics, I love Fratelli Coli, which uses traditional techniques dating back hundreds of years to create pottery, yet with their own style and identity.
The Details
HERE is a Google Map with all of the places mentioned above.
Thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed this then please kindly hit the ❤️ button — it helps with visibility.
The link to the Google map isn’t working for me - I’ll try again later! I went to baby dicecca for lunch and it was a cheese experience of my dreams!!! 🧀
They both have amazing experiences at top kitchens.