Antò Ristorante -- Cucina tipica pugliese -- Bari — Restaurant in Bari

Ristorante Antò in the heart of the old city of Bari is an absolute delight, and a true hidden gem that deserves all the recognition it can get. This family-owned Italian restaurant, led by the talented Antonio and his wife has captured our hearts and taste buds with their remarkable culinary skills and warm hospitality.

During our recent visit to Bari, we had the pleasure of dining at Antò’s not once, but twice. It is a testament to the quality of their food that we simply couldn't resist ordering the same dish on both occasions—the remarkable Spaghetti all’ assassina - the killer spaghetti! This traditional dish from Bari showcases Antonio's exceptional talent and his ability to bring out the true essence of Italian cuisine.

The spaghetti all’assassina prepared by Antonio is a marvel of simplicity and depth of flavor. The spaghetti is perfectly cooked and ‘burned’ directly in a vibrant spicy tomato sauce and it becomes crispy and al dente. And you wouldn’t know the unique way it’s prepared from the simple name on the menu, it also happens to be naturally vegan.

While many tourists flock to Bari for its picturesque streets and beautiful coastline, the true essence of the local cuisine can be found in dishes like the Spaghetti all’assassina at Antò’s. It is a dish that embodies the soul of Bari. It’s a real treasure that only a fortunate stumble upon.

Ristorante Antò excels not only in their cuisine but also in the warmth and sincerity with which they welcome their guests. The staff, including Antonio, his wife and their son, went above and beyond for us, and their passion for their craft shines through in every dish that is served.

The ambiance of the restaurant adds to the overall experience, with rustic decor and a cozy atmosphere that transports you to the heart of Italian tradition.

If you find yourself in the old city of Bari, do not miss the opportunity to dine at Antò’s. Indulge in the spaghetti all’assassina, a dish that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on your palate. This underrated gem deserves to be celebrated, and Antò’s Ristorante is undoubtedly a testament to the remarkable culinary prowess of Bari's local cuisine. Many thanks and hugs from Berlino to Antonio, his wonderful wife and their son!...

This was an awful tourist-trap experience at Anto. While the food was ok (we had the assassin’s spaghetti, the vongole and the stuffed mussels), the service was so inattentive that it completely ruined the meal. Firstly, we decided to dine inside the restaurant as it was quite hot outside - this proved to be a mistake. Not only was the interior was dark and felt unkempt, but we were often ignored by the servers, who were much more attentive to the diners outside eating al fresco. We had to talk to the gentleman behind the counter, who then flagged a waiter down - and we needed to do this three separate times! Secondly, when we wanted to pay for the bill, no one bothered to pay attention to us - when we spoke with the gentleman behind the counter, he told us to walk across the street to pay at the counter. We went to do so, and waiters were flowing in and out of the kitchen, with one man pouring drinks at the same counter - and no one paid any attention to us. How does one ignore two people who very clearly look like they want to leave, standing at your counter, with a credit card out? Thirdly, food was edible but it wasn’t anything to write home about - comparing the dishes cooked to the same ones we had later on our trip, the food here felt unnecessarily oily and focused more on quality rather than quantity. We were recommended to this location by a number of different bloggers but they must have received some sort of commission … There is simply no way anyone should think that the service experience here is worth anything other than a star. At the risk of receiving attention from the owner (who seems to be a lot more responsive here in the Google comments than in their own restaurant’s lacking attributes), I would dissuade any one with functioning tastebuds to eat at this...

Maybe the other people writing reviews went to a different restaurant than I did. Overcooked spaghetti served in Teflon pan🤔? I ate half of it because I hadn't eaten in 24 hours. The mussels were okay, but with yesterday's bread. When I saw a bottle of white negroamaro on the menu, I was excited: a blanc de noir from Puglia? It was served room temperature and the waiter tried to fix it by offering me ice to put in my glass! He then brought an ice bucket, but it was too late. The lady manager did try to make things right, but my mussels were already on the table. She insisted I should try the other white. How about don't serve me a warm bottle in the first place and then treat me like a difficult customer? It's a tourist place with mediocre food. It was packed! Good for them. Why should they train the staff when they already have more guests than they can handle? PS: What a response! Can you imagine. I know the difference between toasted bread and stale bread. I have been cooking for 40 years. I also worked in Italian restaurants and wine shops. Not Italian-American. I know about Assassina. Like every other Italian pasta, it should be served al dente. And you realize using metal utensils on Teflon is dangerous! The coating can come off and go into the food when people twirl their forks in the pasta! That's just stupid! And all the server had to do was tell me the wine wasn't available. Don't bring me a warm bottle 3 minutes before you serve me my food. He wanted to give me ice to put in the wine! Do you drink wine that way? Despite ordering a whole bottle for myself, you couldn't wait to get me out of that place BEFORE I started complaining. You're not touristy for making a mistake. Enjoy your success, but don't come down on legitimate...