The Super Mago del Gelo Mario Campanella — Restaurant in Polignano a Mare

It's 1974. It's hot. You're hot. You're young. You're tanned. Abba's "Waterloo" plays on tinny speakers on an Italian village square. You've just finished dinner, and you're in search of a digestivo. The square is filled with people, young and old, fleeing from stifling apartments where they've slept away the afternoon. You walk into a neon cafe where the attendants dressed in white dole out colourful gelato, and amaretto spiked coffees. All while a disco ball throws light across the room. You don't speak Italian, but you feel Italian. The kind of Italian you see on vintage disco albums. Big hair and dark skin. This, my friends, is Super Mago. It's open all hours. A time capsule to a place you don't remember, but you'll...

we came to polignano a mare to eat, apparently. first stop of our “polignano food tour” was this coffee shop. my friends told me i absolutely had to try their “special coffee.” i asked multiple times what it was, but they just said, “you’ll see.”

so i ordered it. we got three, one each, and somehow managed to grab a booth in the middle of the very busy café. clearly this “special coffee” is their thing.

i finally tried it and i have to say, i was surprised. if i remember correctly, it’s made with coffee, whipped cream, amaretto, and lemon juice. sounds weird, right? but the combo actually works. creamy, bitter, sweet, and acidic all at once. hard to describe, but definitely worth trying if you’re ever...

This spot is an excellent choice for indulging in desserts and ice cream treats. Although it tends to get quite crowded, the service is impressively quick, ensuring you won’t have to wait long to satisfy your sweet tooth. The prices are reasonable, offering great value for what you get.

While the atmosphere may feel somewhat geared toward tourists, it still has a charming appeal that makes it worthwhile. The menu features a variety of options that, while occasionally on the greasy side, are undeniably flavorful and satisfying. I wouldn’t hesitate to return to explore more of...