Vitantonio Lombardo

Minimalist furnishings and lighting contrast with the unusual setting of this restaurant, which occupies a thousand-year-old cave in the centre of the Sasso Barisano district. Creative dishes feature on the menu alongside more regionally influenced options reinterpreted with a contemporary twist, as well as new recipes on a tasting menu of between five and twelve courses. Originally from Basilicata, owner-chef Vitantonio Lombardo has the distinction of holding the first Michelin star ever awarded in Matera, a long-held personal dream for him. “I’ve worked around the world,” he says, “and now that I’ve returned to cook in the place that holds so many childhood memories for me, I want to blend these global influences with regional traditions, while ensuring that this region remains the dominant character in my dishes”.