Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie: Between Food & Wine Excellence and Salento Traditions
Navigate the article:
- Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie: Street Food Elegance and Fine Cuisine in the Heart of Salento
- Maglie and its Historic Center: The Baroque Gem of Courtyards and Local Culture
- How to Choose Your Gourmet Experience: Guided Tasting Routes or Tradition Immersion?
- Book Your Stay at Corte dei Granai
Central Apulia and Salento are full of quiet wonders: Baroque piazzas, hidden courtyards, and the irresistible aromas of local cooking. When you stay in a historic Salento home, food and wine aren't just meals, they’re a huge part of how you experience the culture and rhythm of daily life.
Experiencing authentic Apulian food is all about knowing where to go. This summer highlight brings together two sides of local gastronomy: interactive tasting sessions with artisanal food stalls, set against the backdrop of a historic center steeped in culture and tradition.
Here is the guide to the Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie, the iconic culinary event that transforms the city into an open-air lounge every August.
Mercatino del Gusto in Maglie: Street Food Elegance and Fine Cuisine in the Heart of Salento
Winding through Maglie’s charming piazzas, the Mercatino del Gusto is the ultimate stop for tasting real Apulian food, a place where authentic flavors, farming traditions, and top-quality food take center stage.
Far from your average crowded food fair, this event does things a bit differently. It takes over the town with themed "streets" dedicated to olive oil, wine, cheeses, homemade pasta, and local pastries. As day turns to night, the mood shifts: late afternoon is perfect for a relaxed stroll through the stalls, while the evening brings historic courtyards to life with guided tastings, cooking demos, and live music.
The food and wine selection is the true highlight of the event: offerings range from traditional Salento recipes to gourmet street food created by top local artisans, paired with an extensive wine list highlighting the finest Apulian wineries, from Negroamaro to Primitivo.
For visitors staying nearby, Mercatino del Gusto is the ideal choice for an unforgettable evening of great food, where every bite is designed to showcase the very best of local culture.
Pro Tip: During the event days, booking workshops and tables in the historic courtyards well in advance is highly recommended.
Maglie and its Historic Center: The Baroque Gem of Courtyards and Local Culture
Walking through the streets of Maglie, you're constantly met with beautiful views around every corner. It really is one of Salento's most charming and well-preserved towns, rich in both culture and local trade. Characterized by elegant Baroque architecture, noble palaces, and historic courtyards, the city provides a stunning backdrop for a celebration of local land and produce.
What makes Mercatino del Gusto so special is how quiet its presence is. Rather than taking over, the festival simply becomes part of Maglie’s historic center. As you walk through, you're greeted by the rich scent of wild herbs, freshly baked bread, and roasting coffee—a gentle invitation to get lost in the alleys and experience Salento as the locals know it.
Beyond the food stalls, Maglie features artisan shops and artistic corners where you can buy handcrafted goods or enjoy a coffee in the piazza, just steps away from major historical landmarks.
For guests visiting Salento, Maglie and its Mercatino del Gusto are the ideal destination for an evening of culinary discovery, art, and strolls under the summer light displays.
How to Choose Your Gourmet Experience: Guided Tasting Routes or Tradition Immersion?
Mercatino del Gusto caters to different desires and holiday styles:
- Choose the taste routes and workshops if: you are looking for a guided experience led by sommeliers and experts, love discovering the nuances of Apulian oils and wines, and wish to sample gourmet dishes made from farm-to-table ingredients.
- Choose a stroll through the courtyards and food stalls if: you enjoy a festive atmosphere, want to taste traditional street food like bombette and pittule, and prefer to wander freely among tempting scents and live music.
Book Your Stay at Corte dei Granai
To best plan your experience at Mercatino del Gusto and enjoy an unforgettable stay in the heart of Salento, book your room at Corte dei Granai and indulge in a holiday filled with elegance, relaxation, and tradition.
To learn more about the event, visit the official Instagram page: @mercatinodelgusto.it.
The Ostuni Coast: Secret Coves, Private Lounges, and Life Outside the Estate
Browse the article:
- Coastal Life Outside the Estate
- Torre Pozzelle: Raw Beauty, Sheltered Waters
- Shäma Beach Lounge: Elevated Seaside Hospitality
- Designing Your Coastal Days
- Your Private Estate in Ostuni
For guests staying in an exclusive villa around Ostuni, a getaway extends far beyond the privacy of a personal pool or afternoons under historic olive trees. The Ostuni coastline is among the most appealing stretches of the Adriatic, and knowing where to go turns an ordinary day at the sea into a memorable highlight of the trip.
Different parts of the shoreline suit different moods. Some days call for open, unspoiled beaches; others call for direct service right by the water, curated cocktails, and spacious daybeds designed for long, relaxed afternoons.
Coastal Life Outside the Estate
Renting a countryside villa near Ostuni guarantees absolute privacy, but the nearby sea remains a central part of any stay. The coastline stretches for over twenty kilometers, moving from protected dune landscapes in the north to quiet, rocky coves further south.
For villa guests, a day by the water should feel like a seamless continuation of the comfort found back at the estate. That means simple access, generous personal space, high-caliber seafood, and an easy, stress-free day.
South of Rosa Marina and Costa Merlata lies one of the region's most authentic coastal stretches: a section of shoreline where thoughtful hospitality sits comfortably alongside a pristine natural setting.
Torre Pozzelle: Raw Beauty, Sheltered Waters
Heading south toward Brindisi brings you to Torre Pozzelle, a landmark area anchored by a 16th-century stone watchtower overlooking the Adriatic.
The main feature of Torre Pozzelle is its natural coastline: five sheltered coves set between low rock formations that protect the water from coastal winds. The sea here shifts from clear emerald to deep blue, offering calm, transparent water that is exceptional for open-water swimming and snorkeling.
Thanks to its preserved landscape, it offers a peaceful alternative when you want to step away from busy resort towns and enjoy a pristine coastal setting.
Shäma Beach Lounge: Elevated Seaside Hospitality
Located along one of the coves at Torre Pozzelle, Shäma Beach Lounge brings a refined balance to the wild setting. Rather than a crowded beach club, Shäma operates as a coastal lounge centered around space, privacy, and quiet comfort.
The layout respects the surrounding environment, using natural wood structures, neutral earth tones, and a generous floor plan that emphasizes breathing room over capacity.
What sets Shäma Beach Lounge apart:
- Comfort & Privacy: Widely spaced daybeds and private cabanas arranged to give guests complete personal space, even during the busiest summer weeks.
- Fresh Coastal Dining: The bistro offers a focused, high-caliber menu featuring local seafood, raw bar selections, and light seasonal lunches.
- Aperitivo & Sunsets: Late afternoons at Shäma are a highlight along the coast. Golden hour arrives with low-key background music and a cocktail list featuring local ingredients alongside classic drinks.
For guests residing near Ostuni or Carovigno, Shäma provides the ideal combination: clear swimming waters paired with dedicated, refined coastal hospitality.
Designing Your Coastal Days
Combining quiet mornings in the coves with relaxed afternoons at Shäma allows you to set your own pace each day.
To enjoy the coast at its best during peak summer, a little advance planning goes a long way. During July and August, prime cabanas and daybeds at Shäma are booked well in advance. For guests staying in a Raro Villas estate, beach reservations, private transport, and boat charters can be coordinated prior to arrival through our concierge team, so everything is ready the moment you arrive.
Your Private Estate in Ostuni
An exceptional stay in Puglia starts with selecting the right home base. Our private estates in the Ostuni countryside combine authentic local architecture, secluded pools, historic olive groves, and absolute privacy.
Our signature estates along the coast and countryside are secured early, often booked months prior to the season. Explore our Ostuni Villa Collection or contact our team to personalize your experience and secure your private estate for the coming season.
Food & Wine: where to eat in Puglia, the gourmet restaurants and masserias every exclusive villa guest should know
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- Due Camini, Borgo Egnazia (Savelletri di Fasano): the Michelin star born from the earth
- EVO, Alberobello: olive oil, territory and very few covers in the home of the trulli
- Cibus, Ceglie Messapica: the custodian of Pugliese gastronomic memory
- Masseria Il Frantoio, Ostuni: women's kitchen, absolute zero mile
- Restaurant 700, Ostuni: contemporary Pugliese cuisine at the Paragon Hotel
- Primo Restaurant, Lecce: Italy's youngest Michelin-starred chef and contemporary Salento
Pugliese cuisine is among the richest and most authentic in the Mediterranean. Ingredients of absolute quality, a gastronomic tradition spanning centuries and, in recent years, a new generation of chefs who have elevated that tradition to a level of technique and research rarely seen in southern Italy. The result is a restaurant scene today that owes nothing to the historically more celebrated Italian regions: eleven Michelin stars spread across the Valle d'Itria, Salento and the Adriatic coast, and a density of gourmet addresses that makes every stay in Puglia a gastronomic journey as much as a holiday.
For those staying in an exclusive villa in Puglia, these restaurants are not simply where you go for dinner: they are standalone experiences, capable of becoming the most memorable moment of an entire trip. Here is the Raro Villas selection: six verified addresses, distributed across the areas where our villas are present, from the Fasano coast to Salento, by way of Ostuni and the Valle d'Itria.
Due Camini, Borgo Egnazia (Savelletri di Fasano): the Michelin star born from the earth
Inside Borgo Egnazia, one of the most exclusive and luxurious resorts in the region, chef Domingo Schingaro celebrates and elevates what is perhaps the most typical and original soul of Pugliese cuisine: the vegetable. Due Camini is the most representative starred restaurant on the northern Adriatic coast of Puglia, a short drive from Raro Villas properties in the Fasano and Carovigno area.
Schingaro works with local growers in search of heritage botanical varieties, building dishes that use each ingredient across multiple preparations, honouring every part and minimising waste. The best-known tasting menu, "La Memoria della Puglia," is a journey across the five provinces of the region on a single table. When the Michelin star arrived in 2018, the chef described it as a recognition that comes from the land itself, from the values of the Mediterranean.
Reservations are recommended at least 3-4 weeks in advance during July and August. The restaurant opens for dinner Tuesday to Saturday.
Read also:Puglia or Sardinia? How to choose the right destination for your exclusive villa holiday
EVO, Alberobello: olive oil, territory and very few covers in the home of the trulli
In the historic centre of Alberobello, behind the Basilica of the Santi Medici, one of the most personal and identity-driven gourmet addresses in the Valle d'Itria awaits. EVO is now a true institution in the world capital of trulli: chef Gianvito Matarrese elevates territorial cooking through a sustainable evolution, anchored in the kitchen garden and a wine list sourced exclusively from small Pugliese producers.
The name is not incidental: EVO stands for Evolution, but is also the Italian acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the ingredient that threads through every dish on the menu. Matarrese promotes 25 different cultivars across 40 producers and 240 bottle references, used both as cooking ingredients and served as direct tasting experiences at the table. The menu offers a lighter option at lunch with two courses and an olive oil tasting, or a five-course selection (€65) or a seven-course chef's choice (€75).
Covers are very few (sixteen in summer with the garden gazebo): reservation is mandatory and often required weeks in advance. For those staying in a villa in the Valle d'Itria, EVO is reachable in under ten minutes.
Cibus, Ceglie Messapica: the custodian of Pugliese gastronomic memory
In Ceglie Messapica, an inland town of the Brindisi province declared "City of Art and Land of Gastronomy," one of the most authentic addresses in all of Pugliese gastronomy awaits. Cibus is far more than a restaurant: it is a project of gastronomic memory, where every dish tells the authentic story of Puglia. The setting is the interior of an ancient fifteenth-century convent, all stone walls and aromas drifting from the cellars where cheeses age and artisan fermentations slowly mature.
The menu tells the true essence of tradition through exceptional local produce: beef tartare with stracciatella, warm cow's milk ricotta with toasted almonds, sagnapenta pasta with braised roll ragù, strong ricotta and fried breadcrumbs. Then the territory's meats: horse rolls in ragù, free-range veal at the grill and donkey stew in terracotta. It closes with traditional sweets including the famous biscotto cegliese and fig ice cream paired with San Marzano elisir.
Cibus is the address to choose when you want to understand what Pugliese cuisine was before it became an international trend. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Masseria Il Frantoio, Ostuni: women's kitchen, absolute zero mile
Masseria Il Frantoio is one of the oldest masserias in Puglia, dating to 1500. Today it is a charming hotel and certified organic farm immersed in a timeless atmosphere, where culture and tradition meet research and contemporary quality. The restaurant welcomes external guests, and delivers one of the most distinctive gastronomic experiences in all of Puglia: not a starred chef, not a code-driven tasting menu, but something considerably rarer.
The kitchen is led by Rosalba, owner and self-taught restorer, who together with a team of local women produces simple, generous, balanced dishes based on certified organic ingredients (many of them Slow Food Presidia) grown and processed on the estate itself. Each dish is enhanced by the four extra-virgin olive oils produced from the masseria's centuries-old trees. The menu rotates across nearly 300 dishes according to season, and in summer the entire dining experience moves outdoors into the central courtyard: where, as one guest once said, "we are inside a painting."
For those staying at Raro Villas properties in Ostuni, Masseria Il Frantoio is reachable in under fifteen minutes. Reservation required.
Read also: Masseria weddings: the definitive guide to planning your perfect day in Puglia
Restaurant 700, Ostuni: contemporary Pugliese cuisine at the Paragon Hotel
For those seeking a high-level gourmet experience in the heart of Ostuni itself, with a modern setting and a carefully curated menu, Restaurant 700 inside the Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa is the right choice. Chef Pasquale Palermo leads the kitchen with creativity, celebrating local flavours from fresh burrata to beef bombette, with particular attention to seasonality and unique sensory experiences. The tasting menu pairs with selected wines, and the restaurant offers outdoor dining in its orange garden.
The register is contemporary but territorially rooted: dishes that start from canonical Pugliese ingredients (scallops, tomatoes, artichokes, Murgia lamb) and reinterpret them with modern technique and considered presentation. For guests arriving from an Ostuni villa, Restaurant 700 is one of the most immediate quality dining choices minutes from the White City.
Primo Restaurant, Lecce: Italy's youngest Michelin-starred chef and contemporary Salento
Primo Restaurant is where Solaika Marrocco, born in 1995 in Gallipoli, expresses her personality as a modern cook in dishes that are as beautiful to look at as they are to taste. Guests choose between a seven-course surprise menu, an eight-dish Pugliese tradition menu (often reimagined), and an à la carte selection of the restaurant's greatest hits since opening.
Self-taught, Solaika became the youngest member of the Associazione Ambasciatori del Gusto and the youngest Michelin-starred female chef in Italy, a record that still stands. The restaurant's iconic dishes include sweetbread glazed with orange and raw Gallipoli prawns, aubergine parmigiana with burnt wheat béchamel, and hand-cut tagliatella with octopus. The philosophy is clear: to create new memories of Puglia.
Fewer than twenty covers, a minimal setting in Lecce stone, reservations almost always necessary weeks in advance. For those staying in a Salento villa, Primo Restaurant is the essential gastronomic reference point for the region.