Lecce
Il Bacaro

Il Bacaro

Via Parini , 14, Lecce, Italy, 73100

Pasta • Bisteccheria • Senza Glutine • Ristoranti Di Carne


"Me and my wife arrived without reservations at 08:00pm and were told that all the outdoor tables are booked. After some nodding and hand signals we were told that we could sit outside, but had to vacate the table at 09:30. Fine with us. This...turned out to be most interesting, as no other guests showed up before 09:30pm and the whole wait staff and chefs attended to us. Service very relaxed and informal, although at times I felt they where rushing us a bit. My wine selection was not a big hit with the waiter, and he selected for me a different bottle, and discounted it down to the price of my original choice. His selection tasted better. We ordered the 2 person entrée for EUR 22. Be aware, these are 10 different courses that feed a minimum of 4 people. It was excellent, and we did our best but could not finish half of it. The wife ordered a small filet mignon and I went for the Wagyu beef. Filet looked and tasted good, but a little over cooked (we where never asked how we wanted the meat cooked , the Wagyu was excellent, but served in very thin slices. When I cook Wagyu I do it like a normal steak. Perhaps my ignorance? Meat was served on a funky wood platter with four sauces, well three sauces and Dijon Mustard. This came with a side order of two different types of potatoes. Pretty good pan fried potatoes, and crazy good deep fried potato wedges. I don 't think we even ordered them I think the staff is so proud of the food the restaurant serves, that they just serve it to their guest, without the guest asking : Of course, after the starter, we had difficulties finishing the steaks. How the Italians do it, I will never know. We finish our meal promptly at 09:30pm. Waiter brings us the bill and a complimentary and very tasty sorbet. Bill is EUR 110.00 for two people, I think that is a reasonable vacation rate, and pay the guy. When he comes back, then he gives us a bottle of red, with the name of the restaurant on it (Bacaro . Wow, thanks man. Well worth a visit."

Via Cairoli

Via Cairoli

Via Benedetto Cairoli, 4, 73100, Lecce, Italy

Cibo • Vino • Pasta • Istituzione


"This place is a little off the beaten path (if that is possible in little Lecce) and was recommended by the owner of my apartment as well as a few artists in a local art gallery. I sat outside so did not have the distraction of the inside TV (complained of by other Tripadvisor contributors), and I ate well. I tried three dishes, all pugliese I think and bearing little resemblance to the tuscan foods I am far more familiar with. La cucina povera--or at least what I ordered--is simpler, less fried, less green vegetables. 0n the recommendation of the NY Times travel section, I tried ceci e tria (short fat pasta pieces mixed with garbanzos) in a thin tomato and olive oil based sauce that I liked very much, especially when dipped with the local grain-based bread that was my favorite part of the meal! then a piping hot bubbling mozzarella topped with prosciutto or speck which, by itself would have been all I needed. It was, as expected, salty and filling. Thank god for the white wine that was recommended (I asked for and received a glass, not bottle, though admittedly I asked in Italian) and got a local wine that I loved. Perfect for the dinner. I ordered--but it turned out did not NEED--a total of three dishes and powered on through the final course of fresh, not frozen, prawns. Ending with a very strong disgestivo bearing a disconcerting resemblance to mercurochrome. Perfect! The waiter was helpful though a man of few words--I liked my experience there and lumbered home to sleep for 13 hours."