Essenza in Province of Brindisi

"Cozy restaurant, set in an old renovated oil mill, with high vaulted ceilings and a good distance between the tables. The only flaw I find is that the walls are pretty naked, a little bit to minimal. The atmosphere is cured, but informal, the staff is really helpful and try it's best to make the customers feel at home. The kitchen is at the same level of the service, local dishes with a gourmet touch, high quality local ingredients and the portions are adequate. They serve the absolute best raw fish I've ever tried, pure lust! The menu in general is cured and polished in the fine details, a few dishes for course, prepared with great mastery and top class ingredients. The price is balanced, that kind of quality has a price and the check fully worths the effort. Listen to me: try it ;-)"

"Excellent seafood and crudi! Been here many times and will go every summer!"

"Quiet, wide area in the countryside. Beautiful entrance gate. Screaming children in front of and in the restaurant. Not from the guests, but from the staff or the owner. Although the quality of the dishes was good, we were not able to relax and enjoy it. The service was OK."

"Good Central location. Very very clean and well presented. Amazing staff always eager to answer your questions and very knowledgeable about the ingredients of all the menu. The food is extraordinary. Amazing. We always think of this restaurant when wanting a special meal out and somewhere to take our friends who love a fishy menu. Looking forward to our next visit."

"Fantastic seafood meal dinner here tonight. Lovely warm service and fantastic meal. Very genuine and reasonably priced. A must do if you are in Puglia."

"A top recommended place, all is fresh and prepered with knowledge and experience. The row fish and the warm starters are spectacular, we went several times in 3 weeks and we tried more or less all the menu. Everithing is absolutely delicious. We definitely came back as soon as we are in Salento"

"This place was so beautiful and amazing that words can’t begin to describe this gastronomical experience we went through last night at Essenza Ristorante. The owner greeted us and showed us to Lucky table #12. It was set aback a lovely display and the heater. We were served a glass of Prosecco and water within a minute of being seated. When the rest of our party arrived the evening was on. We had warm freshly baked bread brought to us. The first dish was an array of seafood (grilled, baked, fried and raw). The second was baked oysters topped with truffles. Next came the raw seafood bed with eight types of fresh seafood. Then came the amazing pasta dish that was mixed with ricatta and parmesan cheese topped with truffles. After this dish, we still offered the next two more dishes but we were all satisfied and filled. So they brought out the desserts of a bread pudding with four different types of sauce. And the best was the various types of sorbet (passion fruit, orange, strawberry and peanut). The ambience was prefect and had a luxurious winter atmosphere to this former olive oil processing plant. The decor was very modern and bespoke. The part that too me away was the restroom, it was very clean and comfortable and they had spa music playing, which made this restaurant extraordinary."

"A fabulous restaurant. Full on a stormy Thursday evening. Imaginative and beautifully cooked and presented seafood. It felt like a classy but still personal locals haunt. We were welcomed, menu fully translated by the waiter, and the prices were incredibly reasonable."