The best street food in Matera: 5 places to try

Symbol of the city and ancient historical product, the bread of Matera is just one of the many gastronomic specialties to taste during a trip to Matera. With its panzerotti, focaccia and fried foods, the City of Sassi is a true bread lover's paradise. Here you can find many local bread variations, well-leavened and stuffed with local ingredients. Here are the must-visit places according to the guide to Street Food by Gambero Rosso.

The best street food places in Matera

Antica Ricetta Nonna Sesella

Antica Ricetta di Nonna Sesella

Perfect place to stop for a quick snack, choosing from the many baked goods available, from pizzas to focaccia, without forgetting the delectable pucce sandwiches. The place also serves also hot dishes, delicious bread and panzerotti, and also desserts and a wide range of traditional biscuits. Moreover, in the holiday period, there are plenty of cakes and traditional holiday bread products. In short, this is a place that can satisfy any need. Furthermore, this year the place was the recipient of the special regional award in our guide. Other branches in Genzano di Lucania and Venosa.

Antica Ricetta di Nonna Sesella – Matera – via T. Stigliani, 82 – www.sesella.com

Pane&Pace

Pane&Pace

One of the most famous bakeries in the city, owned by Lucia Perrone, where the famous bread of Matera IGP is the peak prodution. Bakedin a wood-fired oven, it has a brown and bitter crust with an unmistakable scent, and a sweeter straw yellow heart, and a homogeneous and compact crumb. At the base of everything, the triticum durum, local wheat variety used for over a century. There are also focaccias, taralli, friselle and tasty almond biscuits.

Pane&Pace – Matera – via Cererie, 49e – www.paneepace.it

Panificio Paoluccio

Old school bakery with simple decor and retro vibe, where you can taste one of the best traditional focaccias in Matera, made in several variations. There is the one with cherry tomatoes, fresh or peeled, and then the one with potatoes and zucchini, in addition to the classic plain, which is quite fragrant. Great also for buying typical "cornetto materano".

Panificio Paoluccio – Matera – via del Corso, 22

Quattroquarti Crosta e Mollica

Small eatery with few stools outside, offering a rich variety of local products and more. Try the puccia stuffed in various ways: laPezzente, with black lucano pork sausage, smoked provola, lettuce, mushrooms, peppers and Tropea onion; or the Montepeloso, filled with smoked provola, BBQ pork, eggplant, courgettes and sweet and sour Savoy cabbage. For vegetarians, there is also the possibility of tasting pucce sans meat.

Quattroquarti Crosta e Mollica – Matera – quattroquartimatera.it

Bar Sottozero

Not just baked focaccia and bread: in the City of Sassi dough can also be fried, with skill and precision. At Sottozero you come to taste golden, dry and pillowy panzerotti, stuffed with lots of good stringy mozzarella and tomato, to be enjoyed while walking along the snaking alleys of the centre. The arancini, filled sandwiches, potato croquettes and the pizzas are also excellent, as are the croissants, soft and well-leavened.

Bar Sottozero – via XX settembre, 51 - facebook.com/Bar-Sottozero-1044037878968092/

by Michela Becchi