Al Pescatore

For a truly special, celebratory meal in Bari, Italy, you have to book a table at Al Pescatore. This is one of the best restaurants in the city for an entire seafood spread, from start to finish, where the fish doesn’t get any fresher. It’s on the fancier side, so be prepared for it to be one of your more expensive dining options, but trust me when I say it is so, so worth it. A quick tip: if you don’t have a reservation, make sure you get there right when they open (which isn’t until 7 p.m., because this is Italy, after all!).

The menu is extensive, but one of the best ways to experience what Al Pescatore has to offer is through their set menus—they essentially have a “small” and a “large” option. Buckle up, because the amount of food it came with was simply incredible. Since the menu is in Italian, we misunderstood just what all it came with, but a great mistake because it was fantastic.

My husband went all in and chose the large set menu, which was more of a culinary marathon than a meal. First off, it came with a whole bottle of wine! Then the starters began to arrive. It was an amazing assortment of hot and cold dishes, including fresh oysters, grilled shrimp, baked mussels, crispy fried sardines with potato chips, two different and delicious octopus dishes, and even sashimi on toast. It was a spectacular parade of the sea’s best offerings. Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, the mains were served. He got a beautiful linguine in a white wine cream sauce with aged anchovies, a platter of assorted grilled fish, and a classic local dish called Tiella Barese, which is a savory bake of rice, potatoes, and mussels. And for the grand finale? Dessert was a thick, decadent slice of Nutella pie with a buttery crust, topped with fresh whipped cream. It was pure indulgence.

I opted to order a la carte, starting with fresh, creamy mozzarella and salty prosciutto. For my main, I chose a simple tomato orecchiette, which was absolutely stunning. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was luscious and rich. I also got a side of burrata, because when in Bari, you can never have enough! Luckily I ordered just a little and ended up taking most of the pasta to go because I enjoyed bites of my husband’s meal.

Seriously, our meal at Al Pescatore was incredible and absolutely fabulous. It was a true celebration of the fresh, beautiful seafood that makes this region so special. If you’re looking to splurge on one magnificent meal, this is the place to do it.