Our story
Established in 2019
There is no love sincerer than the love of food
Bistrò Salentino was born in the heart of Quadraro from the deep love for their homeland and traditions shared by two cousins from Brindisi, Francesca and Federica. In 2022, management passed into the skilled hands of Mario Martinelli, who breathed fresh new life into it: a true journey through the authentic flavors of Puglia, where tradition and creativity intertwine to sweep you away like a pristine white beach in the heart of winter. All that’s left is to come visit us.
Mario
HOST AND SOUL OF THE BISTRÒ
Mario Martinelli was born in Mesagne, in the heart of the Brindisi area, carrying Salento
in his soul even before knowing how to tell its story. After his studies, he set off: first a season in Cortina, then off to England, where in less than ten years he honed his craft across luxury hotels and restaurants in Surrey, Dorset, and Buckinghamshire, rising to Restaurant Manager and sommelier in multi-award-winning establishments (in 2015, he was ranked among the top three restaurant managers in the UK, luxury boutique hotel category). Australia followed, then Amsterdam, where he refined his passion amidst the elegant dining rooms of Soho House and Cecconi’s.
Twenty years spent in dining rooms, wine cellars, and kitchens all over the world, and yet the greatest challenge arrived when he decided to return: not to a European capital, but to Rome, to share the story of his land through a bistrò. Because after serving every kind of international excellence, testing himself with the true authenticity of Salento, in a city that leaves no room for shortcuts, was the most heartfelt bet he could make.
