BonaSciana Caffè & Cucina — Restaurant in Lecce

An Unforgettable Taste of Lecce – and the Kindest People You’ll Meet

We wandered into the charming town of Lecce and were instantly drawn to a beautiful little shop called Golosità del Salento, filled with dried pastas, cookies, cured meats, and cheeses. The owner, Stefano, was nothing short of extraordinary—warm, generous, and genuinely passionate about sharing the flavors of his region. After we bought an armful of local delicacies (and I already regret not buying more—I need a second suitcase!), Stefano did something that truly touched us: he personally walked us to a nearby restaurant, after they had already closed, and asked the owner to let us in to try a traditional local dish.

That dish was Frisa—a thick, rustic bread that’s soaked in water and then topped with olive oil, oregano, sea salt, and the freshest homegrown tomatoes. Simple, authentic, and absolutely divine.

The kindness didn’t stop there—the restaurant owner and staff welcomed us so warmly, and the food and spirits were so delicious, I know I’ll be dreaming about them long after I return home. I’m even going to try to replicate the dish myself (though I know it will never compare to that magical moment in Lecce).

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in this part of the world, don’t miss Golosità del Salento and this sweet restaurant. Come with an open heart and an appetite—you’ll leave with so much more than just full hands. You’ll carry away the warmth of this place and its...

We had a truly pleasant experience at BonaSciana, located right in the heart of Lecce, just in front of the amphitheater. Despite being in a popular tourist area, the restaurant manages to maintain a genuine local atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.

The staff were friendly and attentive. I especially appreciated the waiter who kindly helped us when we were unexpectedly swarmed by wasps — a small but memorable act of kindness that made the evening even more enjoyable.

The food was outstanding. The burrata was rich and creamy, absolutely delicious. The swordfish (spada), which can be difficult to prepare well without drying out, was cooked perfectly — moist and flavorful. It’s clear that the kitchen takes great care in crafting their dishes.

The wine selection was good, featuring great local choices at reasonable prices. I was particularly happy to find a good Negroamaro on the menu. The combination of good food, great wine, and warm hospitality made for a wonderful dining experience.

One thing I noticed is that if you approach the staff with friendliness, they respond in kind — which made our visit even more enjoyable.

All in all, BonaSciana offers a lovely balance between tourist-friendly location and authentic local charm. I would definitely recommend it for anyone...

We came here a few days ago on a Monday afternoon. Never got to actually eat here because they ignored us for the 15 minutes we sat waiting for a server to come to our table. They dropped a menu down when we sat and then ignored us the entire remainder of the time, never even came by the table once. Instead, they cleaned all the tables around us that had already left and ignored us any time we tried to get their attention.

Update to the owner’s response: Look at your cameras from Monday afternoon around 3-4pm if you really want to check, it did not happen today.

Update #2: First of all 9 minutes and 50 seconds to not receive a waiter for even a drink order is an extremely long time, and if we had waited another 5 minutes I still don’t think anyone would have showed up. Secondly, the restaurant was NOT full. It was less than half full at best and as I said the servers were cleaning empty tables around us instead of taking our order, even when we signalled them. I removed my comment about the quality of the foods appearance since I did not end up eating. But maybe you should consider hiring additional staff and not argue with all your customers, sometimes the...