Già Sotto l’Arco

What a wonderful and incredible experience. The food was divine. And the service - nothing short of enchanting. I am so blown away by this beautiful restaurant. The hospitality was the best I experienced so far in all of Italy. The food, the wine, everything was magical. Not enough beautiful things to say about this wonderful place. We were seated in the balcony overseeing the piazza - book this experience for sure. What a magical evening. Grazie mille per l’esperienza!!!

Theo and his family are absolutely charming and made our experience for our family so memorable and delicious! It is not pretentious at all and the atmosphere is very elegant, but also very comfortable and inviting. The food is delicious and very beautiful! This is a lovely place to experience some elevated cuisine of the area!

Our experience at Già Sotto l'Arco was nothing short of disappointing. We ordered beef filet for three people. Two of us received the correct dish, while the third was served veal instead of beef. When we pointed this out, the staff casually brushed it off, claiming it was “the same thing,” which was both dismissive and unprofessional. Later, we ordered soufflé, which arrived completely melted and barely cooked. When we brought this to their attention, instead of addressing the issue properly, they handed us €40 in cash as a “refund.” This gesture was not requested nor appreciated—it felt condescending, as though they assumed we were desperate for the money. We left the cash behind for them to keep as their own “tip,” as the lack of professionalism and basic courtesy spoke volumes. The restaurant attempts to present itself as chic and high-quality, but the service was far from it. The staff were uneducated in proper hospitality, rude, and downright impolite. It’s a shame that such behavior is tolerated in a place that claims to offer fine dining. I wouldn’t recommend Già Sotto l'Arco to anyone. The experience was one of the worst I’ve ever had due to their impolite and disrespectful staff. Avoid this place at all costs.

I wanted to like this place because the setting and interior were lovely. However, it was very disappointing and I'd recommend you avoid this place. We were a group of 4 and went for the 4 course tasting menu. It was a 'surprise' menu, and I think had we seen details of the 4 courses we ended up having, we absolutely would not have bothered ordering it (we would have gone for a la carte dishes instead - some of which sounded very nice indeed.) The menu was a surprise for sure - a bad one. It was pretty much the 4 worst dishes from the a la carte menu - not a showcase of any talent. It started off OK with a pumpkin soup, although I didn't feel like I was eating Michelin star standard food at any point - there did not seem to be any skill used for any of the dishes. The first 2 courses were slimey and basic. (An eggy mess and a risotto.) There wasn't really any variety of flavour or texture, they were just 2 bowls of creamy, salty gloup that were bordering on being inedible. The next course, a beef dish was far too salty without any other notable flavours, and 1 portion was full of gristle and sinew (we complained but it was not really acknowledged. The service was average at best.) Dessert was the best course. Also the wine was good, with a decent enough selection. However, I would not recommend this place.

Offering a "surprise" tasting menu and then just serving dishes from the a la carte menu is unforgivable. Not sure what's happened with this restaurant. Is theresa even still here? Same old dishes from 2 years ago, lacklustre service, and frankly average 4 course menu left us wondering what 80 euros a head was spent on. First course of the tasting menu also on the antipasti menu of parmentier. Broth nice, egg awful, and made a lumpy porridge style soup when mixed together. 2nd course risotto.. more soft food in a bowl. Risotto cooked well but no contrast whatsoever with the first course. Again this was also on the primi menu. 3rd course steak.. on the secondi course but downgraded from veal for whatever reason. Very salty, not much flavour beyond beef. 4th was a cream based dessert which was quite nice. went to pay mentioned not particularly impressed with one of the beef courses and then fact the surprise menu was a rehash of the a la carte. 9 euro discount offered which was insulting. It was never about the money more the completely lacklustre effort from the kitchen. AVOID AVOID AVOID. such a shame as theresa has a great back story and we were looking forward to coming here. Something is seriously wrong with the kitchen at the moment. No passion, no thought, no regional influence.

Excellent Michelin Star experience in an unassuming location. The food is very tasty, as is to be expected from a Michelin star restaurant, and the service is absolutely fantastic! So much so even, that they opened the restaurant for us, even though they would have been closed normally. The food is a reinterpretation of traditional dishes or traditional ingredients and really takes you on a journey through Puglia

Made a last minute reservation here during the off season, and I am so glad we did! This restaurant is such a gem- attentive service, delicious and creative food, and peaceful atmosphere (we sat in the balcony table overlooking the square and loved it, very romantic). We did the 6 course tasting menu and it was fantastic and also quite a bit of food- recommend going easy on the bread! Recommend the detour off the beaten path.

Absolutely dreamy experience. We went there for lunch on a Friday during COVID times and we were the only ones there. Carovigno is a cute little Italian town and the ristorante is in a wonderful classic building. Our table was on the balcony so needless to say the view was wonderful. We took the 4 course menu with corresponding wine paring and it was perfect, given that it was pretty hot that day. Most if not all ingredients, wine and olive oil are local. We especially loved the burrata as anti pasti. Service is great and price is okay for such a fine cuisine restaurant. Totally recommended, it lives up to its reputation.

This was an amazing restaurant from the decor to the service to the food it was all exceptional. I have been 3 times in the last year and every experience was equally superb.

A spectacular experience in a delightful setting! We enjoyed the balcony experience, with the 6 plate tasting menu and wine pairing. Every morsel of the beautifully presented for was delicious, complemented by lovely wines. The service was attentive (and informative) but never intrusive. Very highly recommended 5* Mario and Susan (visiting from Oxford, UK)

The place is beautiful and the decor is simple yet elegant. The service was exceptional and the food was amazing. We chose the "surprise" four course journey and each course was delightful and original. The only drawback to the experience was the constant smell of cigarette smoke from two diners sitting on their balcony, which was technically "outdoors" I suppose, but the breeze blew the heavy smoke back into the restaurant all evening. This "delightful" couple also ended the evening by taking a phone call on speakerphone. Not the restaurant's fault, but I would recommend not allowing diners to smoke within the proximity of other tables.

Absolutely fantastic. Best meal in Italy so far. Third generation familia, do a fantastic job. The amuse bouche of tuna with wasabi was a playful way to start a serious Italian meal. Beet risotto was full of fragrant beets and locally produced Gorgonzola cooked perfectly. Grilled filet of pony was exquisite, like a beef filet, only a little stronger. Grilled veal was awesome, also ravioli with eggplant was amazing, we started the meal with fresh local burrata nested in katufi filo dough with an amazing fresh tomato sauce. The service was warm and attentive, but not over-bearing. The restaurant itself was in immaculate condition, down to every detail. Spotless, well appointed bathrooms, reminded me of a low key four seasons hotel. This little gem was tipped to us from a friend, and we were very lucky indeed. Worth the trip!

This restaurant was incredible! Amazing town that is not very well know to tourist like myself. The restaurant is in this beautifully restored 17th century home. Food was perfectly prepared. Each course is a work of art. The menu is special, yet traditional. Osteria Sotto dell Arco is worth the drive. Try their family wines too!