Puglia is a region well known for its cuisine, not least because of its extremely high levels of agricultural production and abundant coastlines. Approximately 40% of the olive oil in Italy originates from Puglia, along with wheat, fava beans, fennel, endives, rapini, aubergines and many more fresh fruit and vegetables. Unsurprisingly Puglian cuisine makes the most of its natural bounty, with bread, seafood and pasta working their way into many of the dishes, which are often then garnished with a generous dash of Puglian olive oil. In terms of pasta you will find over two hundred varieties here, but orecchiette – a small ear-shaped pasta made from durum wheat flour – being the most typically Puglian, especially when served with the broccoli-like rapini (cime di rapa), tomato sauce or al ragù. Seafood is extremely common in Puglian cuisine, and it is not uncommon to find raw fish on restaurant menus.

This collection aims to highlight the best places to eat in Puglia. For a truly romantic Italian dining experience book a table at Già Sotto l'Arco, a Michelin-starred restaurant based in a 17th century castle in Carovigno. Here Teresa Buongiorno serves up beautifully crafted dishes, with a refreshing emphasis on vegetarian food.