4 Best Restaurants in Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria, Italy

Run by genial Giuseppe, this family-run trattoria serves classic seafood dishes in a relaxed, modern dining room. Freshly netted catch are heaped on hearty plates, like insalata di mare (seafood salad), seafood cavatelli pasta, and grilled gamberoni (prawns).

With an open kitchen and a veranda—so you can keep an eye on both the chef and the azure waters of the Golfo di Policastro—there's always something to see at this family-run seafood restaurant. Even better: it serves some of the freshest catches in town, with specialties like linguine con nero di seppia (with cuttlefish ink sauce), grilled squid, and grigliata mista (mixed grilled fish and seafood).

Don't be put off by its nondescript modernist street location, as Opera delivers a well-crafted menu of superb-value seafood dishes, from sushi-style antipasti to beautifully prepared fillets of sea bream. The always innovative food is served on arty tableware in the smart yet welcoming contemporary space or on the street-side terrace outside.