Just some of my favorites when we visit the small town of Giovinazzo.
Giovinazzo is definitely not a tourist destination. It’s rather small, doesn’t have those souvenir shops that sell both tacky and traditional souvenirs and so you won’t find flocks of tourists walking around with their cameras. But it’s home and that’s what matters. The touristic side of Giovinazzo is getting better and although I’d like this little town to remain as my little Italian heaven, I still wanted to share some of the my favorites. Maybe you’ll want to drop by.
Giotti
Giotti has to be a go-to place for me. I’ve raved about their pastries for a very long time and I eventually met the chef and have became good friends. Nicola Giotti is one of the hardest working pastry chefs I have ever met. He’s always present, always coming up with new ideas, techniques and works and just so excited to talk about anything pastry. He was recently in Rimini showcasing his works on chocolate airbrush painting (which I had to miss because I was in Korea) and was also given a special medal from the local government for his dedication and work. So proud.
My favorite pastry is called the Zeppole, but anything from the shop is amazing. I’ve written more about the great chef and his work here.
For wine: Melabevo
Melabevo is a newcomer, and it’s really cool. Not really something you would find in Giovinazzo where everything is pretty easy and casual, but you need a bar with character once in a while. It’s located underground and the wines are stored in a cave where you can go and pick yourself. The food is simple; pinsas, bruschettas and for a bigger meal, burgers. The wines are more expensive than your everyday bar or restaurant around the area, but the overall atmosphere is excellent; cool interior, really nice and attentive staff, live DJ-ing, good music. It will even be better during the warmer months when you can sit outside right next to the seaside listening to the waves. Dreamy.
Two Pizza winners
To be honest, it’s pretty tricky to find a really good pizza or pasta place even in Italy. You would think it’s all the same (it’s Italy, right?), but it’s not. It takes a lot of time and dedication to perfect the recipe and I’ve had a lot more misses than hits. I can’t pick only one, so going with two: La Cucchiara Pizzeria and Pizzeria Pitta La Pizza Col Sorriso.
The first one used to be just an overall restaurant but they divided themselves into two; a trattoria and a pizzeria. I didn’t care for the trattoria to be honest, so stick to the pizzas. Traditional “Barese,” or “Bari style” which means the crust is thin and crunchy. Beautiful pizzas, really. The second place offers a more “Neapolitan” style, which means fluffy, fluffy and more fluffy. It’s like biting into a cloud. Two distinctive styles, but both equally delicious and heavenly.
Local cuisine
Osteria Scvnazz is a snazzy, little restaurant that offers everything you could possibly want to eat. The interior is interesting, eccentric and unique, and the food amazing. The only mistake we make every time is that we just order too much.
Their pastas are good, the appetizers excellent and like many good Italian restaurants, they have a catch of the day menu where it changes every evening. They almost always have traditional dishes that you can try as well. The owners don’t speak much English, but you can tell that they really try to help. And in the end, you get everything you need, which is what matters. A must for us every time we visit Giovinazzo.
Gelato
The gelato game is a bit weak in Giovinazzo, compared to other neighboring cities like Bari, Trani or Cisternino. Il Canaruto would be a local favorite, not only because the gelato is yummy but also because it’s located right over the harbor where you can see the small fishing boats gathered around. I almost always go for anything fig or even sometimes a fresh peach or apricot. You get two scoops as a default, so make sure you have room in your belly.
All photos by rachelsanghee.