Ladies Cafe - MARTINA FRANCA

Unfortunately we found this place on the last day of our 9 day stay in the area. We would have been here multiple times a day, everyday! What a great place! I only had coffee and fresh pastries, but I want to recommend this place to everyone passing through. The market has all essentials food and housewares. They have local food products and packaged food and drinks it’s a one stop shop like a NYC bodega but even better!

We were staying in a Trulli about 5 mins walk away from this cafe. It looks just like a petrol station at first but take another look and it’s a shop, a bar , a cafe , a restaurant and a takeaway! The coffee is lovely , the food so fresh and local and the service is so friendly and helpful. We ended up visiting everyday either for a few groceries and a coffee or for lunch or breakfast on our last day. If you are staying in this area pop in and you will definitely find something tasty to eat and a friendly family to greet you. I wish we had the Ladies cafe in my village at home in England.

So it looks like a Q8 gas station, and then you go inside and it looks like a convenience store, until you realize that through another doorway is this super busy lunch stop with absolutely knock-your-socks-off food. It's a family affair, and the father grows all of the vegetables around the property's perimeter, which mom prepares in every style for the daily lunch menu. It does not get fresher than this. They are all so friendly and helpful, and the food is truly amazing. If you're lucky you'll get in on some of mama's marinated seafood salad. I can't wait to go back!

This is in the Q8 perol station. Pastries are very nice and vary from day to day. In addition to small bites, coffees and sweets, they also have a little market place where you can pick up basics such as water, bread, eggs and some other items. Staff know English and are very friendly. The prices are very reasonable too.