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Grotta Palazzese

2.7 (82 reviews)
Ultra High-EndItalian

Grotta Palazzese Photos

GROTTA PALAZZESE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Good for kids
Formal (Jacket Required)
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Grotta Palazzese

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Reviews With Photos

Restaurant floor
Sergio L.

Our very personal opinion is that restaurant is a one heck of an experience! I been wanting to come eat in here and surprised my wife which she was amazed just like me; not only the views but the attention and the food! We were greatly happy that we had this experience and to US it was worth it. Very romantic with amazing views of the water coast.

Empty restaurant!!!
Colette G.

We went to this restaurant tonight to celebrate my husband's birthday. We knew it was expensive, (minimum set course was 195 per person, not including water, wine, or coffee,) but we thought it was worth the splurge being that it was this amazing cave restaurant. It was absolutely not worth the splurge! Our food came cold, second course was so salty. My husband could not even eat it and never once were we offered a cup of coffee with dessert or anybody coming to our table to ask how our dinner was. The restaurant was mostly empty on a Sunday night (I can understand why being the food is so under par)! If you are looking for a beautiful restaurant, this is the place, if you are looking for a good meal, this is not a good choice!

Just part of the view!
Rosa P.

Ok so let's be real... the price for the dinner is definitely for the price of the view. Which is worth it in my opinion to go once, because the food is also great. We were visiting on vacation with a group of 8 and they sat us right by the water -- the view was spectacular. It set the tone for a romantic setting... which ended up in me getting engaged! The 4 stars is because I expected another course or two for the price you're paying and especially with smaller portions. I would recommend coming here at least once in your lifetime, especially if you're a tourist. When are you gonna get this million dollar view again?

Ashley S.

I went to Polignano A Mare specifically to eat in the Grotta (Cave) Restaurant. Unfortunately, due to bad weather the restaurant was closed for the season. The hotel itself was nice. The room I stayed in was great, it had a sea view. If you don't have a sea view I would say the cost wouldn't be worth it. The Sea lounge restaurant was terrible. They were still serving the same menu for the Grotta and the same prices (90 euro per person) which was ridiculous because the restaurant itself was mediocre and the food was terrible in comparison the the price, not the mention how poor the service was. A birthday note was on the reservation and we did not get treated very well in the restaurant. They served raw shrimp for the first course... I could do that myself, and that's not very safe in my opinion. The served a mediocre ravioli stuffed with crab for the 2nd course. The 3rd course was seared Tuna, and 1/2 of the plate was spoiled and tasted like old, fishy, tuna. Fresh tuna should NEVER taste fishy especially at 90 euro per person. The dessert was a disgusting custard with melted cream on top. My husband was furious and complained to the manager so they brought a plate of desserts with a candle and a bottle of prosecco to the room. That was a the only plus to that dinner experience. My recommendation, see the cave, it's great but don't waste your money eating at the restaurants. If I ever get the chance I'd like to go back during lunch in the summer. I've heard the lunch is a better experience and when the cave is open for seating, the view is like not other.

Jen L.

Ignore the negative reviews! They made me a bit nervous for no reason! We celebrated my husband's 60th birthday here last night and it was an experience that will not be forgotten! If you reserved a table here, all of the policies are very clear on the website. You are definitely paying for the ambiance which is understandable as there's no place like this! The staff was efficient and friendly enough and they even remembered we had a birthday. The saxophone player was a great touch. The food was above average and honestly better than I expected. We had an amazing one of a kind, once in a lifetime evening so don't hesitate-GO!

Breathtaking views!
Toma T.

This place is a dream- no wonder it's considered one of the best restaurants in the world. The view is absolutely breathtaking. It's like a dinner and a show. We enjoyed the free shuttle from their designated parking lot. The service was amazing and the food was really something out of this world. My husband and I both opted for the Seafare Tasting Menu, which was a lot of food. Every dish was elevated and exquisite. This place is top notch.

Menu on July 10.
Corissa L.

This was the priciest meal (and not necessarily the best with regards to food) that we had in the entire Puglia region. However, it's not always about the price or the food, it's about the entire experience! I have dined in many fantastic places in the world, but I have never dined in a cave. Actually, the thought of eating in most caves would be repulsive, as they are dark, dank and full of bat guano. However, this cave is a stunning place to dine. We got there just after sunset, as it's difficult to get a reservation during sunset, but I can imagine that the lighting and views would have been spectacular. We had pretty low expectations for the food, so we were pleasantly surprised when everything was actually pretty tasty, especially the Bon Bon filled with mousse for dessert. The other dishes were good, but made to appeal to lots of different palates. For example, in the pasta with monkfish, the monkfish was totally over powered by the added bacon and pecorino. Both the bacon and cheese were actually unnecessary to the dish, but everything is better with bacon and cheese, right? Overall, it's a dining experience that I'm glad I had and would recommend that everyone who has the opportunity, to do it once.

The restaurant

The location is amazing, the ambience is good except for all the photoshoots going on; the food is okay (but definitely not for that price range), and the service is a poor man's idea of high-end, which is also valid for the experience as a whole.

We sat right next to the Adriatic Sea

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9 months ago

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2 years ago

Don't waste your time. This is a tourist trap with food that tastes like rotten baby food.

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

My husband made reservations to celebrate my birthday and everything was Amazing! Amazing saxophonist with an Amazing view! Very Romantic

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4 years ago

Absolutely the worst food in Italy...rent a boat to see the cave it will save you money and any stomach challenges.

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Grotta Palazzese Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Grotta Palazzese

We were lucky enough to have a seat on the railing by the water, there was a saxophone player (talk about romantic mood!).

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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Grotta Ardito

Grotta Ardito

4.4(5 reviews)
0.1 km

I went here because I have heard terrible things about the Grotta Palazzese food and price. This…read moreplace is toward the east of there and is quite understated from the front. I had a seat upstairs where there was plenty of seating area, plus 2 other floors below. There were fantastic views from the upstairs balcony, but a little windy. Unfortunately the food isn't as good as the views. While not bad, I would rate the food as about average. Service was below average. I was eating my appetizer and had to remind him that I ordered wine. Very unlike an Italian restaurant not to serve you the wine first! I think he was upset that I didn't order water. The only size they had was .75L and it was in a glass bottle, meaning I couldn't take it with me if I didn't finish it. No thank you. Anyway, the calamita was ok and the rest of the experience was about average.

This was a lovely find when looking for a place with a view not far from the masseria we stayed at…read morein Monopoli. It seems nondescript and in an average neighborhood - i.e. not a tourist in site- except for the fact that you have a front row seat on the balcony to the Adriatic. Very low key, all locals, perfect. Great seafood, loved the orecchiette in squid ink with mussels, clams, and squid, and the zucchini flan appetizer was so good we had it twice. Serene evening on the water, great to also watch the sunset in the summer.

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Grotta Ardito
Grotta Ardito
Grotta Ardito - Grilled vegetable appetizer

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Grilled vegetable appetizer

Antiche Mura - Half lobster & pasta

Antiche Mura

4.7(26 reviews)
0.1 km
€€€

Beautiful restaurant with stone arches and ceilings…read more We did the tasting menu. Which was excellent. The tuna tartare was so fresh. The rice and mussels were tasty, however the mussels were tiny. We shared 3 pasta dishes, I really liked the pasta and prawns. We all had the fish special which is cooked with olive oil, zucchini and potatoes and olives. Yumm We were so full that we took dessert home. The service is very good. I highly recommend this restaurant.

We are staying at the Grotta Palazzese, which is the highest end hotel of the region with two…read morereputedly fabulous restaurants. However, other than our breakfasts at the hotel, which we paid to have included with our rooms, we are not likely having dinners here. While their menus will astound many, as well as the views of the caves, which is why many come to dine and visit, we have been seeking less extravagant dinners while here, given our suite is over $1,500 a night at the present Euro conversion. So we consulted YELP for the best rated restaurants in town and that led us here. It was all 4 and 5 ratings, save for a single rating of 1, which was based on a disgruntled patron who never even ate here. They just were declined at the door - due to no reservations, which are recommended - in a manner they deemed obnoxious. It's easy to see why so many though rated this a 5. However, we felt it fell just short in some respects that brought it down to a 4. That said, we are sure many will enjoy a 5 experience. We had a few glasses of local primovito by the glass, which like most places we've dined in Puglia was absurdly reasonable by our local NYC metro area standards. These were poured after complimentary glasses of Prosecco and a lovely small potato soup. We ordered the house special antipasto, which were 5 different small seafood dishes (baked scallops, fried cod, mussels with rice, potatoes, and tomatoes, octopus salad, and yellowfin tuna tartare). This is a must have introduction to any meal. My wife then had one of the catches of the day offerings and I the half lobster with tagliatelle. It's an all seafood restaurant, so if you are looking for something other than that, you'll need to look elsewhere. However, if seafood is your thing, of which there is quite a lot in this town, this restaurant deserves your patronage.

Photos
Antiche Mura - The interior

The interior

Antiche Mura - Amuse Boucher, soup

Amuse Boucher, soup

Antiche Mura - Table

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Table

Grotta Palazzese - italian - Updated May 2026

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