Why go
Food offers a direct way to understand Bari’s ties to the surrounding farmland and sea. Orecchiette, tomato focaccia and rice baked with potatoes and mussels give you three distinct starting points. The contrast between simple snacks and substantial family dishes makes room for different appetites.
The full story
Wheat, olive oil and wine underpin Bari’s cooking, alongside the fruit and vegetables grown in Puglia. Handmade pasta comes in several shapes: orecchiette resemble little ears, while cavatelli and strascinate offer other ways to explore the local flour tradition. Chickpeas, broad beans, chicory and fennel also feature in soups, first courses and side dishes. Dough takes both savoury baked and fried forms. Calzoni may contain onions, anchovies, capers and olives; panzerotti have a mozzarella filling. Small savoury taralli offer another snack, while sgagliozze are fried slices of polenta. For a more substantial meal, pasta al forno brings together tubular pasta, tomato sauce, small meatballs, hard-boiled eggs and cheese beneath a crisp baked top. Recipes vary between families, and the dish has a history as Sunday food. Raw seafood is also part of Bari’s food tradition, with octopus, sea urchins and mussels featuring in its cooking. Meat dishes and ragù draw on lamb and pork. Primitivo, Castel del Monte and Moscato di Trani connect the table to Puglia’s wine country.