I dined in a famous seaside cave at the Grotta Palazzese restaurant in Italy

When planning my recent group trip to Italy, my friend suggested we make a reservation at Grotta Palazzese in Polignano al Mare. I’d heard of the restaurant before — it’s famous for its stunning Mediterranean views, decadent menu, and one-of–a-kind location inside a grotta, or cliffside cave. 

But dining at Grotta Palazzese is no casual experience. It’s a fancy and expensive one. But after some thought, we realized, when and where else will we be able to have a dining experience like this one while we’re all together? 

It’s a bucket list thing to do. And so, we made a reservation. 

The Location: Nestled into a Cliff on the Mediterranean Sea

Grotta Palazzese’s location is, without a doubt, its X factor. The dining terrace is built into a stunning limestone grotta where the waves gently crash below and you can enjoy bright blue, neverending sea views while you dine. 

It’s the kind of place where you’d expect proposals to happen (which one did!) and special occasion dinners to take place. The views are dreamy and the atmosphere makes you feel like you’re in a movie. 

The restaurant itself is part of Hotel Grotta Palazzese, which is located in the charming small town of Polignano a Mare in Southern Italy’s Puglia region. 

It’s specifically situated in part of Polignano’s Old Town, which is made up of honey-hued stone buildings, charming alleyways, and numerous spots to take in views of the sea and landscape. It’s just a stunning destination to visit all around. 

The Food: 4-Course Fixed Menus

I opted for the Istinto fixed menu for my meal at Grotta Palazzese. This set menu focused on mainly seafood, which I thought was a great choice considering Polignano’s coastal location. I wasn’t disappointed. 

Before any of the dishes arrived, our servers brought out a bread platter to snack on before any of our actual food came out. It came with olive oil for dipping. 

As for the actual meal, each dish came out one at a time and it felt like ample time was given to enjoy each course before a server would come by and ask if you were finished. In total, we spent around 2 hours at the restaurant. 

First Course: Scallops with Sour Cream & Truffle

I’m not the biggest fan of scallops, but I enjoyed my first course considering this fact. The scallops were fresh and didn’t taste too fishy or rubbery. They were plated on top of a light bed of sour cream foam. Overall, the first course was light and focused on the fresh taste and quality of the scallops. 

Second Course: Cacio e Pepe Ravioli with Red Prawn

My second course was cacio e pepe ravioli topped with truffle and fresh red prawn. This was extremely rich and a bit salty. It was a stark contrast compared to the lightness of the first course. This dish was one of my favorites, though. 

The ravioli was perfectly cooked and the cacio e pepe sauce was rich, creamy, and indulgent. The red prawn helped freshen things up a bit. I’m also just a pasta-lover, so this was bound to be a favorite anyway. 

Third Course: Sea Bass with Spinach

My third course was sea bass plated over a bed of spinach. The black sauce (on the left) seemed to be a kind of balsamic reduction. My fish was fresh and perfectly cooked. It was a nice savory dish to finish off my other main plates. Similar to what I mentioned above, the fish was a nice contrast to the previous two courses. 

Fourth Course: Tiramisu

I’m a sucker for tiramisu, and so this was probably my favorite part of the whole meal. The tiramisu came in a thin white chocolate shell. Once I gave it a light tap with my spoon, the shell cracked open to reveal a classic tiramisu inside. 

What I noticed most about this dessert was just how light and not-too-sweet the mascarpone cream was. It was a sweet, yet light and indulgent ending to an all-around impressive meal.  

The Ambiance: Lighting, Live Music, & More

The ambiance of Grotta Palazzese was elegant and romantic, yet lively. A live musician played saxophone for the majority of the night while waves rolled in below and dinner chatter lightly echoed around the cave. 

Lamps illuminated the grotta’s terrace while the changing natural light added to the ambiance. I really enjoyed the fact that about every 20 minutes or so as the sun went down, the lighting of the entire restaurant would shift. The scenery was already beautiful, but to watch the light fade and gently change colors felt special. 

The Value: 4.5 Out of 5 Stars

I’d rate my experience dining at Grotta Palazzese 4.5 out of 5 stars. The food was tasty and extremely fresh, the ambiance was lovely, and the location just couldn’t be beat. 

Three out of four fixed menus were priced at €195, or around $210 per — not including wine or water. Although high, the rates made sense considering that the restaurant has a one-of-a-kind location, a high reputation, and fine-dining-level food. 

The only downside I noticed with Grotta Palazzese is the fact that their menu is a little rigid. 

The menu listed an option to create your own 3 to 5-course menu from the dishes in the fixed menus. However, when my friend tried to choose this option, she was told that she could only choose a customized menu if everyone at the table did as well. So basically, since two of us opted for a fixed menu, my friend couldn’t create her own. 

The other thing worth mentioning is that you aren’t guaranteed a table directly overlooking the water. The best tables are reserved for hotel guests (which makes sense). All the tables on the terrace offer sea views so there aren’t bad tables per se, but just be aware that you might not get the exact table you want. 

A Memorable Experience

Overall, my experience at Grotta Palazzese was one I won’t forget. This is partially because it was a special dinner spent with two of my closest friends in a country that means a lot to us. But also, because the restaurant itself is truly one-of-a-kind. 

The food was fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and definitely delicious. My Istinto fixed menu meal had a through-line theme of Italian cuisine but the fresh ingredients and local seafood really shined. I’ll also probably be dreaming about the tiramisu for a while. 

The waitstaff was attentive and friendly. I particularly liked that our servers treated us kindly and lightheartedly, even cracking a couple of jokes throughout the evening. It helped make the experience more fun and less stuffy, as I worried it might be because of the cost and reputation of the place. 

The ambiance and views were the real gems of the evening, making Grotta Palazzese the perfect place to celebrate something special or treat yourself to a truly unforgettable experience. 

Want More? Listen to My Italy Podcast Episode!

If you liked this post, you’ll love my Italy episode on the Travel Lemming Podcast. It’s available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts (just search “Travel Lemming Italy”). 

The host, Betty, and I discuss places to visit in Italy (07:04), the best things to do in Italy (16:15), how to get around Italy (23:36), Italy travel tips and etiquette (27:20), why more people should visit Italy (03:56) and all the other common questions about travel to Italy.

Download now and remember to listen to the entire episode before you arrive in Italy.

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Looking for more unique activities in Italy? Check out this article about my experience hiking an active volcano in Sicily next.