Restaurants in Lecce

Italy

Lecce is rather renowned for its pastries, best sampled at the central Pasticceria Caffe Alvino, Piazza S. Oronzo 30 (tel. +39-0832-247-435). However, for a special treat visit the TK suore.

★ Tratoria Le Zie (a.k.a. Cucina Casareccia) - Concettina Cantoro makes coming to this spare, humble osteria like coming home for dinner. The place doesn't even have a name, just a sign that says "home cooking," but Concettina's culinary fame has spread—she's gone to Boston and New York to cook typical Pugliese dishes for top chefs. Concettina is a surrogate Leccese mamma to all her clients, from local regulars—some of whom are literally daily patrons—to the few lucky tourists who make it here. Let her take charge of your meal, offering a menu strong on local specialties such as purée of fava beans with wild chicory, lots of veggies, a potato-mussels-and-zucchini salad, polpette meatballs, and sagna 'ncannulata (tagliatelle rolled into rough spirals under a tomato and ricotta forte sauce). After dinner, try the glowing green shockingly bitter alloro (bay-leaf) liqueur.
Via Col. Costadura 19, tel. +39-0832-245-178. www.lezie.it.

Guido e Figli. - The low stone vaulting is atmospheric enough, but most patrons head straight back to sit under giant umbrellas on an untrafficked, pine-shaded piazza out back. The orecchiette alla Guido (Lecce's large whole wheat orecchiette in a tomato sauce with teensy meatballs, eggplant, and parmigiano) isn't bad, nor are the fusili gran gusto (pasta spirals with shrimp and salmon) or parmigiana di melanzane (a tomato, eggplant, and cheese casserole). Secondi include polpette e messicane (two types of meatballs, one stuffed with prosciutto and cheese, in a tomato and pepper sauce), pollo al forno con patate (oven-roasted chicken with roast potatoes), or lumache (snails) cooked however you like them (assuming you like them). Service is friendly, but can drag. Their popular tavola calda (a cafeteria sort of place) branch around the corner at Via S. Trinchese 10 (tel. 0832-300-802) also has outdoor tables on a pedestrian street off the main Piazza S. Oronzo. They serve prepared pastas and good meat dishes , along with fine gelato.
Via XXV Luglio 14, tel. +39-0832-305-868, www.guidoefigli.it/ristorante.html, Reservations recommended.

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