Meraviglioso Osteria Moderna – Ristorante di pesce a Polignano a Mare

Beautifully presented delicious food! The turbot was our favorite dish, although the tomato terrine was a close second.

In September 2023, my husband and I dined at this beautifully located, Michelin-recommended restaurant. While the prices are on the higher side and the overall experience was okay, a few highlights stood out. We tried the redfish tube pasta, fish carpaccio, roasted octopus, and grilled lamb. The roasted octopus was excellent—crispy outside and tender inside—and the orange wine recommended by our waitress was delightful. While the other dishes didn’t impress us, we’d return for the wine and octopus alone, as they were truly memorable. The stunning view adds to the ambiance, though it does come at a premium.

Upscale restaurant with unbelievable views and very good food. Pros: The food is really good… not sure what others are complaining about “mixed” dishes. Had cooked tuna, raw appetizers, pasta, etc all were good or excellent. Views from outside are incredible and that’s what you’re ultimately paying for. Service was great in some ways (e.g., crumb sweeping) but maybe a little inattentive in others (e.g., I refilled my own wine). Really large wine/drink list and could have spent a long time sitting drinking here w/ that view. Bathroom really nice if you’re stopping in for a break during a long day. All servers and staff were very friendly to my baby as well Cons: Menu is small so if you don’t eat fish/shellfish, this is not the place for you. Prices are 2-3x the surrounding restaurants but still very reasonable if you’re used to Milan/NYC/Paris prices.

A truly underrated gem I almost hesitated before coming here because of the 4.1/5 rating and I’m so glad I didn’t let that stop me. Honestly, I can’t understand how a restaurant of this caliber doesn’t have a higher score. The dishes are complex and absolutely bursting with flavor. You can tell there’s real creativity and technique behind every plate. The service is exceptional : attentive, thoughtful, and exactly what you’d expect from a gastronomic restaurant. Every detail was taken care of with precision and genuine care. As for the prices, they’re more than fair considering the quality of the food, the level of service, and the stunning seaside location. I had read some of the negative reviews beforehand, and frankly, they make no sense. It feels like some people just didn’t understand what kind of experience they were walking into. If you’re looking for an elevated dining experience that delivers on all fronts cuisine, service, and atmosphere, don’t let the rating fool you. This place deserves far more recognition.

We went in for New Year's Eve lunch and left after over two hours of feasting. Delicious food, complemented by great wine, elegant and helpful service. A beautiful end to the year. Thank you.

EDIT: just wanted to update that we spent an entire night and still have an extreme food poisoning from eating at this restaurant. On top of that I have been harassed with text (to my personal phone number) with threats of suing me for leaving this review. As you see all you can expect from this restaurant is terrible customer service from the moment you walk in through the night of food poisoning up to harassment the next day. I think that this restaurant’s response to my comment tells you everything you need to know about they approach to customers. I do not usually leave reviews but I feel like people should be warned about this place. The absolute worst food I had on our entire trip through Italy. The place aspires to be fancy and upscale but in reality is just stuck up with nothing to show for it. They serve fish and shrimp raw (which is not listed as raw on the menu) and the worst of it all: it is NOT fresh. The seafood smell and taste is just offputting, and the stuff does not react when you comment on it. The only reply I got when complaining about every single thing that I got was that I can order something else instead (and pay extra for it of course). We left the place asap (after playing a big bill) and minutes after leaving my boyfriend literally threw up! In the middle of the street which is not really an ideal place to get food poisoning... Do yourself a favor and avoid this restaurant at any cost.

We had a fantastic experience here! The food was cooked to perfection and served with great attention to detail. The service was extremely friendly (we were served by Angela, but everyone else was super lovely too). Beautiful view of the sea too!

Very, very good, one of the best fish carpaccios we have tried. Great wine list, great atmosphere, beautiful open kitchen. Please be advised that it is fine dining, it is a bit more upscale than the rest of the restaurants around, but they deliver.