Bar Trattoria Quaranta — Restaurant in Grottole

Tucked away in the heart of Grottole, Bar Trattoria Quaranta is an absolute gem!! It is a bar in the front with games and the BEST restaurant is in the back! I've been to Italy a couple of times but this is TOP.

Mrs. Elena is a true culinary artist. She suggested dishes but I really wanted carbonara. Even though that is not what she suggested, she was able to make it and it was the BEST carbonara that I had in my LIFE! After that, we couldn't wait to come back the next day.

We started our meal with fresh, local bread, olives, and something else that I do not know the name of that is a local specialty...  For the first course we had various, homemade pasta and I had the BEST carbonara. Next, the meatballs were tender and seasoned to perfection (also the BEST of my life), the veal was incredible, and the salad was amazing.  Dessert, coffee, and drinks were also great!

What sets Bar Trattoria Quaranta apart is not just the quality of the food, but the genuine hospitality of the owners. They take the time to chat with their guests. This personal touch and cool artwork adds a special dimension to the dining experience, making it more than just a meal but a memorable occasion.

Bar Trattoria Quaranta will always stand out in my mind as an example of the beauty and authenticity. I promise you, that if you want good food, this is the place to go! I suggest skipping the touristy restaurants that are all the same in big cities and choose one off the beaten path. Did I mention that is was great for my kids? We enjoyed playing Foosball as a family while waiting for...

The attention was mostly good, and the food was ok. What I disliked was that when we said we came for lunch, rather than bringing us a menu, they simply started bringing plates. We were hungry & thirsty and saw many people (locals) eating there, so we didn't bother on insisting. We paid nearly 60€ for 2 menus 😲 which surprised us very much when we got the bill. The rest of the people were locals, having the same food and my feeling was that they were being charged as "menu of the day, kind of 10€/each". I didn't complain then, because my fault was not asking again for the (written) menu, but I hope that by leaving this comment, I'll help other tourists (to not...

Stopped for lunch in Grottole on our way from Altavilla Silencia to Matera. This unassuming trattoria surprised us with very solid home cooking and friendly service even with a slight language barrier. A friendly patron at a nearby table helped us out with a couple of translations, while the reat of the meal we managed with a few months worth of Duolingo. No menu, only a couple of options for primi piatti so we had one of each. The servings were on the large side even for Italy, so once we finished our meatballs and pepper pastas we were soon on...