Osteria delle Travi

Osteria delle Travi exists in a Norman archway in the heart of Bari Vecchia, minutes from the Basilica di San Nicola. The beamed ceiling is original medieval; the handwritten menu changes with the day's produce; the wine comes from unlabelled bottles from someone's cousin's vineyard. This is not theatre — this is simply how Bari eats when it isn't trying to impress anyone.

The kitchen operates with the confident narrowness of a place that knows exactly what it does. Orecchiette alle cime di rapa is made with pasta rolled that morning. The focaccia barese — thick, spongy, scattered with cherry tomatoes and olives — arrives without asking. Tiella, the traditional rice-potato-mussel casserole, takes advance ordering and rewards the foresight magnificently.

Solo diners are treated as honoured guests. Bar seating along the open kitchen allows genuine interaction with the cooks, who take visible pleasure in explaining each dish. Budget for two courses and local wine; the entire meal will cost less than a mediocre pasta in a tourist restaurant in Rome.

The open kitchen counter seats make this the ideal solo dining destination in Bari — eat with purpose, drink the house wine, watch the cooks work. The democratic atmosphere removes any self-consciousness about eating alone.