Simple, refreshing and, if you come to the right place, fun: the gin and tonic it's the drink of the moment. Elementary and enjoyable, he has taken over the international drink lists. Even those who are fasting on mixology can prepare it at home. But be careful: the difference is all about the raw material. The perfect cocktail for summer evenings, gin and tonic is also the ideal candidate to accompany a light dinner, perhaps near the sea. Among the regions that are experiencing a real rise in the drink is the Puglia. Here is a map of the 10 best places to try to drink a perfectly made gin and tonic.

Province of Foggia

Gintoneria Uvarara (Troia)

La Gintoneria di Uvarara is located in Troia. It opened its doors on 9 August 2019, enriching its gin card with 70 references. Among these is the Gin from Puglia, created by Ettore Pacilli, Valentina Delli Carri and Pellegrino Riccio. To accompany the preparation of gin and tonic there is a list of 10 Italian tonics, including Orsini. Gin and tonic is served for dinner. The one prepared with Gin di Puglia, Orsini water, olive leaves and lemon thyme, is served with a tacos based on raw fish tartare.

Via Regina Margherita, 91 – Troia (FG)

Hostaria U’Vulesce

U’Vulesce di Cerignola is a must for anyone preparing to explore the province of Foggia. Here Rosario Didonna, in addition to the restaurant, has decided to create a kind of "toy shop" for gastronomy and gin and tonic enthusiasts. The trick? Take advantage of the family delicatessen for a creative aperitif. Throughout the summer, you can stop here and enjoy the highest quality blends. Gin tonic comes from the search for references capable of leaving their mark, such as Gin Brusco or Sabatini. Didonna selected 12. The philosophy that inspires this appointment is that of her father: "If it's good, eat it, if it's better, offer it." Gin and tonic can also be enjoyed in the restaurant.

Via Cesare Battisti, 3 – Cerignola (FG)

Province of Bari

To Beer, Corato

To Beer was born in May 2013 with the idea of ​​becoming a reference point in the world of craft beers. Then the soul of a mixologist who has always lived in Aldo Acella led him to put spirits and drinks on the paper. The bottle shop today is very impressive and To Beer has broadened the perspective. Today here you can eat ranging from burgers and bao tze, you can drink at the counter, choosing between craft beers and wine. The bottles intended for gin and tonic vary according to the inspiration of the moment, but they always remain on about 30 references. Among the most particular is the pink Malfy gin, which transfers its grapefruit aroma to the drink. Among the most famous German gins, a special mention for the Monkey 47. The tonics that accompany these spirits are the Fever Tree Indian and the Mediterrean, but even there the antennas are always straight to pick up new signals.

Piazza di Vagno, 23 – Corato (Ba)

Speakeasy, Bari

Enzo Mazzilli's Speaskeasy goes in a totally opposite direction compared to most of the places that celebrate gin and tonic in its thousand shades. The selection of gin is very classic because according to Mazzilli "the new generation gins no longer conform to the true taste of this distillate, they differ too much from it". This is why we do not go beyond 15 references, always combined with Fever Tree tonics. The key word is authenticity and balance, characteristics that Mazzilli finds in Japanese gins. At Speakeasy you can dine with different drinks. The gem: each recipe has the name of a TV series.

Largo Giordano Bruno, 32/34 – Bari

Province of Brindisi

CiPorti Cocktail & Soul, Torre Canne

Giorgio Baccaro has always been a great lover of gin. Thanks to his son, who works abroad, he managed to create an avant-garde of mixology in two places: in Fasano and in Torre Canne. Here you will find the CiPorti soul and cocktail. You can choose from around 40 references, including big names and small goodies such as gin A Muerte. For those who want to know what's in the future of gintoneria, CiPorti is the right place: here it is already possible to taste Tanqueray Ten with pink grapefruit and rosemary, which is not yet in Italy. Among the tonics, you can choose from all those of the Fever Tree line, plus some particular recipes such as Malafemmena. The pairing with the courses of the restaurant is possible on request.

Via Eroi del Mare, 109 – Torre Canne (Br)

Pharmacy Bar, Cisternino

To understand what kind of place the Pharmacy Bar in Cisternino is, you can start from World Cucumber Day. On June 14 Nicola Guarini and his team offered a gin and tonic grais to anyone who showed up at the counter with a cucumber. For gin and tonic enthusiasts there are 80 references to choose from. Among these can not miss the Pharmacy Gin, a recipe that combines the Polignano carrot and the Toritto almond with the distillate. There are also tonics in paper, including the Indian tonic by Fever tree and Aqua di Monaco. A Pharmacy tonic is also being studied. Covid permitting, it will soon see the light.

via San Quirico, 51 / a – Cisternino (Br)

Province of Taranto

Ginetto, Taranto

Ginetto was born from the idea of ​​two friends who have been bartenders for many years and who have become so passionate about gin that it has become the focal point of their business. Behind this project there is a lot of research, passion and dedication and the next step in the short future will be the creation of a gin that represents the history of the place. At the moment, 80 references embellish the gin card, to which 10 of tonic are added, destined to grow this winter. Gin and tonic and other drinks are accompanied with tapas, friselle and platters of cold cuts and cheeses.

Via Pitagora, 51 – Taranto

ANTO concept restaurant (Taranto)

Elegance, refinement, trend: these are the three coordinates to interpret the Anto concept restaurant project. Searching for fine wines, champagnes and spirits is the order of the day. To serve them next to the plates in the paper, the bartender Angelo De Luca. «With 150 gins, however, I always go in search of new gins, distillation techniques, Whitney nill botanicals (in addition to botanicals they use cedar peel and fruit, ed). I like the fragrant fruity gin, flowers. Tonics: 3 Indian Fever Tree, Fentimans, or the fever tree jasmine flavored which gives me space to play with other gins. I try to make pairing to dine wine with infusion of artichokes, sage, pure alcohol and red Tropea onion, paired with spiced gin gin mare or gin wasabi, with parmesan, pink pepper and mint .

Via Lucania, 72 – Taranto

Province of Lecce

How much is enough, Lecce

The 2015 BarAwards crowned the Quanto Basta in Lecce as the best cocktail bar in Italy, but this is not just a place for famous experiences. Among the 70 gins in paper, mostly of English origin, there is so much material to dream. The cocktail always gives different emotions thanks to the wide choice and the rotation of three tonics. No food pairing at Quanto Basta: the ideal place for hard and pure gin and tonic.

Via Paladini, 17 – Lecce

Roger65, Galatina

Carlo Liuzzi's Roger65 is a cocktail bar with a double soul. In the attached micro laboratory drinks and branded products are prepared that we use for the preparation of drinks. All final products are labeled in accordance with the law and made in full compliance with Haccp regulations. During the day it is produced behind closed doors. In the evening the place is transformed into a cocktail bar with very specific rules: only the products of the laboratory and quality spirits or liqueurs are used, made without aromas or synthetic dyes. No type of industrial concentrated juice is used. No drinks are served: «We only use them for serving great classics such as Cuba Libre, Moscow Mule and Gin Tonic. For these drinks we use the entire Fever Tree line and an Italian tonic, the Imperdibile . And here the fun begins. There are about twenty references available at Roger65, but carefully selected. Among these: Brooklyn, Ferdinand's, Glendalough, Sabatini, VL92, Marconi, Bobby's. There is no pairing because Roger65 does not serve food.

Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 17 – Galatina (Le)

Text by Stefania Leo