L'Osteria di Chichibio — Restaurant in Polignano a Mare

Exquisite seafood with occasional service lapses We had a delightful dining experience at Chichibio, savoring some of the freshest and most flavorful seafood we've ever tasted. The fish was of impeccable quality, cooked to perfection, and bursting with flavor.

The standout dishes were the red sea bream carpaccio, a delicate and melt-in-your-mouth appetizer, and the whole grilled dorade, a beautifully presented and expertly prepared main course. While the food was truly exceptional, the service was a bit inconsistent. There were moments when our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable, but there were also periods when we were left waiting for extended periods or had to flag him down for assistance. These lapses were infrequent enough not to significantly detract from the overall dining experience, but they did warrant a mention. On a final note, we were taken aback by the price of the red sea bream carpaccio, which came in at a hefty €55. While the dish was undoubtedly delicious, we couldn't help but question whether the price was justified, especially considering the portion size. Additionally, we had some doubts about the accuracy of the weight indicated on the bill. Overall, Chichibio is a fantastic restaurant with exceptional seafood cuisine. However, diners should be prepared for occasional service hiccups and high price tags for some dishes. If you're seeking a memorable seafood experience and don't mind the occasional service lapses, Chichibio is definitely...

The interior and atmosphere of the restaurant is wonderful. Some of the dishes are fantastic (scallops au gratin, lobster with pasta) while others are average (grilled lobster was overcooked and fillet steak was under-seasoned.) Staff were very variable. One of the senior waitstaff (a woman) was wonderful: friendly and professional. Some of the male staff very very brusque and rude. For example, in asking for a snide or a fork, they would dismiss you with a sneering wave of the hand and the request was never actioned. I asked for the bill from 5 different people, 4 of whom nodded in an annoyed manner and never brought the bill. It was the wonderful female staff member who again actioned the request after I waited 30-40 minutes for the bill from the other staff. It was my wife’s 50th birthday so I was a bit disappointed with the experience as the wonderful female staff organised a cake for me beforehand but I could not get the male waiters to bring it. I wanted almost 30 minutes for that to be actioned so the moment was a little spoilt. If the service was better and food was more consistent, I would definitely recommend. The seafood is fresh. But given the prices and the experience I described, I’m...

We ate here for a special lunch on our last day of a trip to Puglia, having done some research beforehand. It was very, very disappointing. Being non-Italian, and so obviously tourists, we felt that we were completely unimportant to them. As a starter I ordered Cantabrian anchovies with croutons and beurre d’isigny at a cost of €20. I was very surprised to receive a plate on which was a tin of anchovies, some toasted bread and a butter portion (very nice butter but not Isigny butter). Not a lot of effort from the kitchen! My friends smoked salmon starter was nice but consisted of a tiny cube of salmon with minimal garnishes (I don’t remember the details). She wanted risotto as her main course which was only available for 2 people so we shared this. The best I can say is that it was ok. We had planned an indulgent meal, all courses, but in light of our experience so far decided against this and had ice cream and coffee at a cafe nearby who actually seemed happy to serve us. My advice to non-Italian tourists would be to avoid this restaurant. Our lunch the day before in Matero (Bacchus) was infinitely better. A disappointing end to...