La Grotta Nei Sassi - MATERA

First of all I really don 't like writing bad reviews because myself and my group have loved Matera. I decided to book this restaurant due to the amazing view from the terrace. When I arranged our menu I was given a menu for 32 Euros which I was advised would include a) A Selection of different starters b) A pasta course featuring spaghetti with anchovies and tomatoes c) A main course 'In memory of my grandmother with lamb ragout as stated in their menu. d) Lemon Sorbet Water and service included. The evening before the planned meal I came back to the restaurant to ask if we could sit inside as the weather had turned chillier and rain was forecast. They said if we came at 7 pm we could have a table inside as they had another group coming at 9 pm. No problem. I also discussed the menu again. We arrive at 7 pm and have a nice but cramped space. We have to really press for a wine list so we could see the prices!! Selection of Starters follows, pasta course with anchovies and tomatoes followed but no main course!! Suddenly waiters advise me I have misunderstood and no main course with lamb. We go right onto the Lemon Sorbet dessert. I am very disgusted with this for my group. I wanted to do them a favour with an amazing view but in the end they have a bad lasting impression of Matera. I paid the money for the menu as I wanted no more aggravation. When I returned to our hotel I spoke to our receptionist who advised me that this restaurant has a very bad reputation. So the moral of this story is stay away and ask your hotel to recommend a restaurant!!

This restaurant prides itself on its location in the Sassi area and indeed, it was appealing. However, the service wasn 't great, with untrained junior staff. My pasta with vongole had no real flavour and my partner 's 'mama cooked ' meat pasta dish lacked taste and was dry. There are probably better restaurants in Matera, where you inevitably pay higher prices in a touristy place.

Mistakenly we went here based on the view, however, part way through the meal we were told cash only as the wifi wasn’t working. We were the only table told at the time as apparently the only English people in the restaurant at the time. No one was being told as they entered the restaurant that it was cash only. Despite the card machine clearly displaying that it could also connect via phone signal, the manager was adamant it didn’t work. Something really was not adding up and we ended up not only feeling very uncomfortable but also I had to sit alone whilst my husband had to search for the nearest cash machine accompanied by a waitress. All round a really disappointing evening. Food was not great at all and it felt like just a tourist trap. Not the way we wanted to spend our evening at all. Very, very different experience the night before at Crialoss in Matera. Much better view, much better food and much better experience. All in all, I would strongly advise to avoid.

We let ourselves be guided by the opinions in tripadvisor and, given the proximity to the place where we stay, we chose this elegant restaurant for a dinner with typical specialities of the area. We have a lot of decoration, service (the good tips to choose the dishes, in particular the antipasti, and their speed,) the authenticity of the dishes we choose and their drip. correct price, in line with the general quality of the restaurant (about 28 euros per person).

Really nice environment, especially in summer on the terrace view rocks. the flavors are still to be refined, I would say that it does not distinguish well any goto within each dish. very salty price, more than you can expect. little transparency also on the account: do not give a receipt with the price and the relative voice of each dish, this very serious. attentive service but not too present. I'd say you could do much better. perhaps the best dish is the meatballs of bread and beans and chicory both appetizers. I'd say there's better.