Salento is a land that tells its story at the table. Every dish is a story made of simplicity, passion and memory, every ingredient speaks of its origin, of the intense aromas of the Mediterranean and of the culture of a people who have made cooking an art form. If you are planning a trip between Lecce and the Salento coast, prepare yourself for an authentic gastronomic experience, capable of involving all the senses.

Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli: Where Taste Meets Tradition

To truly immerse yourself in the flavors of the area, there is a particularly characteristic place: Tenuta Rocci Cerasoli. Located in an ancient historic building, the restaurant “il Torrino” is surrounded by olive trees and prickly pears: a suggestive landscape that literally enters the room through large windows, transforming every meal into a spectacle for the eyes. In the summer, dinner moves outdoors: in the back garden, between stone seats and the enveloping silence of the Salento countryside, time slows down and every dish becomes part of an intimate and special experience.

Salento Delights and Experiences: Between Rustico and Pasticciotto

Among the most beloved specialties of Salento, two true protagonists of the local gastronomic tradition stand out. The rustico leccese, with its golden and crunchy puff pastry shell, holds a delicious filling of béchamel, mozzarella and tomato: a perfect snack at any time of the day. On the sweet front, the pasticciotto is an authentic icon of Salento pastry – a fragrant shortcrust pastry that encloses a warm heart of custard. In summer, it is traditional to enjoy it with an iced coffee with almond milk, perhaps while strolling through the evocative baroque streets of cities like Lecce.

Flavours of Tradition: Cheeses and Pasta from the Masserie Salentine

In the Salento farmhouses, the art of cheesemaking is proudly passed down, where cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata, caciocavallo and pecorino bring the authentic taste of the territory to the table, often accompanied by durum wheat bread, homemade preserves and a drizzle of local extra virgin olive oil. Similarly, handmade pasta is a true family ritual: orecchiette with turnip tops tell the simplicity of peasant cuisine, sagne ‘ncannulate – hand-rolled – are paired with rich sauce and strong ricotta, while ciceri e tria, with chickpeas and fried pasta, express all the refined rusticity of the Salento tradition.

The Taste of the Sea: Tradition, Wine and Street Food of Salento

With two coasts overlooking the Adriatic and Ionian, Salento brings the sea directly to the plate with a simple but intense cuisine. Among the most emblematic recipes stands out the octopus alla pignata, slowly cooked in a terracotta pot with tomato and spices, together with mussels au gratin, mixed fried food and roasted fish, essential dishes that contain all the flavor of the Mediterranean. To complete the experience, local wines such as Negroamaro, full-bodied and ideal with meats and aged cheeses, and Primitivo, warm and fruity, which pairs with the strong flavors of tradition. Walking between markets and seafronts, Salento street food conquers with its authenticity: true taste, to be savored with a view of the sea and a glass in hand, in the sunny and generous setting of an enchanting land.

Salento in the Heart (and in the Palate)

Salento is not just a place to visit: you live it, you taste it, you remember it. In every dish there is the soul of a generous land, the scent of a cuisine that tastes of home and celebration.

If you are looking for a place where all this takes shape in every detail, Tenuta Rocci Cersoli is an unmissable stop: a place where nature, authenticity and taste blend together in an experience that stays in the heart — and in the taste buds — much longer than a holiday.