Il Polpo — Restaurant in Gallipoli

WARNING. If you are offered fresh fish, make sure you agree a price before you order “off menu”. Otherwise they’ll think up a price they think they’ll get away with. We were in Puglia for three weeks in lots of places and luckily this was the only bad experience we had, anywhere. For example two meager antipasti whose price, when the bill came, they like to defend by calling it a sort of amazing sushi. Was kind of our own fault for not asking a price but when all the dishes on the menu cost between €10-€20 then you don’t expect to be presented with a bill for €289 for four people, normal eaters. The €75 for the dorado for two people I could live with, kind of, and it was nice, but the rest was just daylight robbery. Managed to get €30 knocked off the price but it put a proper damper on the evening and we felt tricked/conned/robbed. They need to make money, fair enough, but they don’t realize, or don’t care that they are being petty and it’s actually an embarrassment for them and Gallipoli town. Why not just say about how much it will cost instead of constantly going down this route? From other reviews I’ve read, we’re not the first and probably not the last to walk out of their place with a bad taste in their mouths, especially if they continue with their petty, embarrassing little “con job”. Whatever extra they earn on this little trick they certainly don’t invest it in their grotty premises or on presentable work apparel. Room for improvement...

Yesterday, while wandering around Gallipoli, I searched for a restaurant for lunch. I came upon Il Polpo. It was a beautiful spring day and the restaurant was nearly fully booked but they found me a seat. Despite being very busy the staff were all friendly and accommodating. There were two dishes I really wanted to taste and knowing that I couldn't really eat both of them, I ordered them anyway. I am so glad I did!

I started with Polpette di Polpo (Octopus Meatballs). They were revelatory: perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. I was very surprised with the use of cheese, Pecorino I think, in a seafood dish but the flavors worked really well together. REALLY well.

For my next dish, I had ordered Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams). A short while later Mario, my waiter, came dashing out of the kitchen to tell me that they had run out of clams and to ask if it would be OK to use mussels. I like mussels even more than clams, so it was an easy sell. The mussels were tiny and very fresh. They had been removed from their shells to make eating easier. I can't explain why but this was THE BEST SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS (OR CLAMS FOR THAT MATTER) THAT I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! (Remember, I went to culinary school in a seaside town in Calabria so I've eaten lots of pasta with seafood.)

I am returning to Puglia in July and I will definitely make the trip to Gallipoli to eat at Il...

Avoid at All Costs A Tourist Trap Disguised as a Fish Restaurant

This was by far the worst fish restaurant experience we’ve ever had. My partner’s soup was completely inedible—old, foul-smelling, and genuinely nauseating. We couldn’t risk eating it out of fear of food poisoning.

The staff aggressively pushed the “fish of the day,” which, given the state of the food we received, we were fortunate to decline. The octopus dish was clearly past its prime—rubbery and excessively seasoned, likely an attempt to mask its lack of freshness.

We ordered a tartare that arrived discoloured and unappetizing. To their credit, the staff did replace it with a slightly better version, but the damage was already done.

This place is not a genuine seafood restaurant—it’s a tourist trap, pure and simple. The food is of questionable quality, and the pricing feels like a scam considering what’s served. Steer clear if you care about fresh, safe, and properly...