Trattoria del Caveoso — Restaurant in Matera

Worst experience we’ve had in Italy. The food was extremely overrated and not tasty at all. The pork was so bad we couldn’t even eat it. But honestly, the food wasn’t even the worst part. What really upset us and made us leave was the terrible service. The girls working there were rude, gave us attitude, ignored our requests, and didn’t even bring us plates until we asked multiple times. We felt completely unwelcome…

Replying to your comment about the smoking, I’d like to elaborate:

First of all, your staff was rude from the very beginning — even though we arrived exactly at the time you requested (7:30 PM), when the restaurant had just opened. So there was no excuse of being overworked or tired to justify the attitude we received. The service started poorly. Bread was thrown on the table without plates, oil, or cutlery. We had to ask for plates multiple times, and the response was passive at best — one plate arrived, no oil, although we were two people. We asked again, and another staff member brought just the plates. Ironically, the neighboring table — the ones who later complained about the cigarette — were the ones who made us feel welcome: they offered us salt from their table and smiled. That was the only gesture of kindness we experienced. The food was disappointing. We were recommended the pork, but it was so dry we couldn’t finish it. Still, we didn’t complain — we simply didn’t eat it. When the waiter asked why, we politely explained that it was too dry. Her response? A blunt, “That’s how pork is!” It felt rude and dismissive. Throughout the evening, the hostess was cold and unwelcoming. She snapped at us every time we asked about the dishes, making us feel like we were a burden. The general vibe was: just eat and leave. As for the cigarette — I was fine not smoking, even in an outdoor setting. But the way the waiter spoke to me was the final straw. The tone was rude, abrupt, and completely uncalled for. That was the moment I said, “Enough. Get...

Judging by the reviews and the number of customers each evening, this is one of the more popular places in Matera. I went there for dinner, aiming for 7:30 p.m. when it opens. A good decision, because 20 minutes after opening, the restaurant's spacious garden was already full. All the places inside had been reserved before they opened that evening (!). My order included a wonderful, local soup called crapiata which consists of various types of legumes and boiled cereal grains. This traditional dish from Matera and the surrounding area is, strangely, not widely available in local restaurants. I had a bit of trouble finding a place that serves it. For the second course, I took a portion of grilled meat which I regret a bit, considering the wide range of original pastas with interesting sauces (based on various Italian cheeses or fresh vegetables). Portions of meat were cut and served without any restaurant craftsmanship, so I had to fight with bones, cartilages, etc. A definite plus was the opportunity to try sheep organ meats which is rare wherever you eat. For me, however, this dish was a bit too heavy and simply difficult to eat. For a starter, I ordered very tasty oyster mushrooms. The whole thing cost 32 euros (two courses plus a starter), which I consider a...

We read about this place entirely by accident. The website is in Italian, of course, and we didn’t see a way to make a reservation and calling wasn’t an option as they were closed between service. We arrived after they opened and still sat us before they filled up.

Service was AMAZING. Of course, we are eating out many times a day as we are traveling and hitting many cities, this is the first time anyones explained the antipasti! Actually TWO people explained it. The Salumi and Formaggio were the best we’ve had yet. They even cure their own Longza. The Burrata was so fresh it spilled the most delicious cream when cut into, the Ricotta was so fresh it was quite literally butter. None of it wasn’t made locally.

Their house wine of course was amazing, this area is known for its Basilicata and Aglianico and I recommend you order one of each.

Her Ravioli was on point. Thin, Al Dente, filled with pancetta and smoked ricotta and finished in a squash sauce. I had the mixed meats which included some pancetta wrapped and grilled offal and it was a real delight to have!

We were so full we couldn’t fit the dessert we ordered into our stomachs. We wish we had more days in Matera so we could come back and try more.

Absolutely perfect. Thank you for...