Bari city guide for wine lovers: Where to eat and drink in the capital of Puglia

Bari Vecchia: Like walking through a film set

Bari, capital of southern Italy’s Puglia region, is a seamless blend of ancient and contemporary, with a vibrant buzz.

The medieval old town, Bari Vecchia, is an astonishing maze of white stone alleys and arches, pristine and well lit.

Strolling around Bari Vecchia is like walking through a film set. At regular intervals, the narrow alleys open onto spacious piazzas with soaring monuments such as the Basilica di San Nicola and the Romanesque cathedral, which features a fascinating underground archaeological area including ancient mosaics that largely date as far back as the sixth century.

There are plenty of outdoor tables from which you can enjoy the atmosphere, along with local wines: perhaps a refreshing white Verdeca frizzante or the increasingly popular, aromatic Minutolo, accompanied by olives or crunchy taralli snacks (traditional Pugliese savoury bites).

The old town neatly fills a rounded peninsula, edged west and east by a 12th- to 13th-century castle and wide city walls that overlook the glittering Adriatic.

A short promenade stroll away is Molo San Nicola, a historic pier where fish is sold fresh from the boats each morning and Bari-style breakfasts of sea urchins and other raw seafood are prepared by the fishermen.

Local heroes: Food and wines to try

Bari is a gastronomic gem

Like the rest of Puglia, Bari is decidedly food-centric and there’s an abundance of street food spots and bakeries selling fragrant speciality focaccia drenched in luscious local olive oil.

On the celebrated Via delle Orecchiette, women make and sell orecchiette pasta outside their homes; try it with ragù or the winter classic, cime di rapa greens.

Bari’s most popular pasta, however, is spaghetti all’assassina, cooked until deliciously charred in a spicy tomato sauce; a local rosé pairs perfectly.

Bari's wines: Reds and rosés

Bari is one of Italy’s top rosé wine areas and all of Puglia’s favourite native red grapes (Primitivo, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia and Susumaniello) are used for fruit-filled rosatos, along with rich, velvety red wines.

Bombino Nero, a red variety here made only as rosé, has a dedicated DOCG around the striking Castel del Monte castle, west of Bari near Andria city, which is also home to creamy burrata.

Meanwhile, PDO-certified mozzarella is the star cheese of the town of Gioia del Colle, about 35km south of Bari, at the heart of Puglia’s vast Murgia plateau, where some of the city’s favourite Primitivo wines are made.

Bari wine tour: Two nearby wineries to visit

I Parieti estate

Matteo Santoiemma’s small I Parieti estate, named for the area’s characteristic dry-stone walls, lies at 400m with stony soils and constant breezes and stronger winds.

Coming from a commercial career with a number of top-tier wineries, Santoiemma has brought a fresh and experimental outlook to his wines. Tastings under the olive trees are memorable, surrounded by wild flowers, herbs and rocks, and overlooking trulli (distinctive, circular dry-stone dwellings typical of nearby Alberobello).

Along with skin-contact Minutolo, perfect with cheese, his wines include a mineral-infused rosé and an elegant red, both from 67-year-old alberello-trained Primitivo vines.

Tenute Chiaromonte

Nearby at Acquaviva delle Fonti, former equestrian pro Nicola Chiaromonte runs Tenute Chiaromonte, having picked up skills from his winemaker mother and olive oil-producing father.

Classical music plays all day at the gleaming white winery, where bedrooms, a restaurant, pool and labyrinthine underground cellars are due for completion in time for the 2026 bicentenary celebrations.

Chiaromonte’s diverse wines range from an exuberant Chardonnay-Minutolo spumante to intense Primitivos with soaring alcohol levels, including award-winning cru Muro Sant’Angelo Contrada Barbatto.

Bari address book: Where to eat, drink and stay in the city

Accommodation

Palazzo Calò

With contemporary design complemented by centuries-old stone, this stylish hotel has 12 spacious bedrooms. Coffee machines and kettles are standard, and some also feature kitchens and balconies. The stunning rooftop bistro is open to non-guests for drinks and dinner, with a menu that features Asian and local specialities.

Eat and drink

Deli delights

Visit Casa.Ro early to watch mozzarella and burrata being made, then book a cheesemaking workshop or enjoy a tasty lunchtime treat. In Bari Vecchia, Nicola Lapesara serves platters of charcuterie and cheeses at his historic Antica Salumeria deli.

Enoteca del Centro

Gianluca De Napoli favours small producers for the 700-plus labels at his wine bar-shop among the smart stores of Bari’s newer centre. The evening menu has gourmet bites such as seafood carpaccio and braised beef.

La Uascezze

An atmospheric corner of Bari Vecchia with stone arches outside and in; the name – dialect for ‘convivial cheer’ – sums up the vibe. The menu features pulses, stews and traditional classics such as potato, rice and mussels. Wines, all from Puglia, include a softly sweet Primitivo amabile – an ideal way to finish your meal.

Mostofiore

An enoteca with an appealing bottle-lined interior, specialising in natural wines. Order what’s available by the glass or ask to try something different. Food includes oysters and slow-cooked artichoke with fried basil.

PerBacco

A member of the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, so quality ingredients are fundamental here. Choose from a selection of olive oils and enjoy dishes including twice-cooked octopus and burnt-wheat pasta. The restaurant interior is charming, with doily settings on wooden tables designed by the owner, architect Beppe Schino, who also selects the wines.

Visit

Gioia del Colle

While transport or a guide (try Puglia To Be) is needed to reach the wineries, Gioia del Colle itself is well connected by train. Its castle has superb archaeological finds from nearby Monte Sannace. Bar-restaurant Trattoria Pugliese, opposite the castle, is run by Vittoria, sister of Matteo Santoiemma of I Parieti (see p107) and her chef husband.

Insider's tip: Visiting the beach

Although central Bari is located by the sea, the nearest beach, the oddly named Pane e Pomodoro (‘Bread and Tomato’), is a half-hour seafront stroll away. Facilities are scarce there, so pick up some focaccia from Panificio Fiore and wine to go with it from Enoteca Cucumazzo.

For picturesque seaside scenery, the town of Polignano a Mare is roughly 30 minutes by train.