La Cambusa - MINERVINO DI LECCE

Family business. Very welcoming atmosphere with excellent local authentic food. We came here to celebrate our friend's bridal shower party and we had a great time. For sure we will come back!! :-D

Every once in a while you come across something you consider special. My wife and I were touring around the local vicinity and came across La Cambusa. This is a family run bar come trattoria, headed up by Ruggero in front of house and his delightful wife Angela, the maestro in the kitchen. She is assisted by her mother who makes the most spectacular tomato passata, the basis of the very many homemade pastas on the menu. Before we visited we found some excellent reviews on TripAdvisor but they were all Italian, with one in Dutch and one in French; not one English review. So here is the first review in English. On our 1st visit (we ate here 3 times) Ruggero suggested the house Anti Pasti; well what a feast with 10 different tasting plates of various seafood and other local speciality dishes. Plenty for 2 and only €16! It was so filling and tasty we could eat no more. At the end of the meal with no room for desert Ruggero offered a choice of a digestivo, Limoncello and homemade grappa on the house . Not just a small shot but left the bottles on the table to help yourself. We revisited for Sunday Lunch and again had a wonderful meal surrounded by locals and their families having a good time. On the last evening before leaving Puglia we returned and had a wonderful Sea-Bass baked in salt, which was cooked perfectly. Ruggero offer us a really great bottle of wine from his family as a gift. If you are looking for traditional, home cooked and extremely fresh ingredients then look no further. This is not a tourist place with pictures of the food to choose from. This is exactly what my wife and I like to find and enjoy when we travel around. There are good inexpensive house wines by the carafe, and also a varied choice of Pugliese wines. Not expensive since Italian restaurants do not mark up 3 x or more. Bring a BIG appetite with you and if there are 4 or more try the mixed grilled meat platter if you are into meat. All of the seafood is fresh and perfectly cooked. We just wish it was near where we live since it would be our regular go to place to eat. It is a bit of a hassle finding it because of all the one way streets in Cucomola, so Google Maps or a SatNav would be of great help. We hope that this review has enthused you to visit if you are in the area; you will not be sorry! Enjoy both the great hospitality and wonderfully prepared food as we did! We started as visiting tourists and left as friends.

The cambusa is a certainty: excellent food, plentiful portions and extreme courtesy of rough and nicola waiter. exceptional above all the antipasto land noscia, a mix of flavors of the unmissable territory.

Very pleasant owner experience available with football game included. great super food also recommended as price

Family-run restaurant where professionalism and attention to the customer are the master. excellent quality of food and abundant and delicious portions. excellent value for money. at the end of the meal, the owner does not forget his kindness offend a digestive. super recommended!