Top Matera Dining Experiences

This excursion was called Matera: Cheese Tasting with a Cheese Maker. That title is a very brief description of the event. It is given by a beautiful, very personable husband, wife and son that have been making cheese for generations for over 55 years. The husband was very skilled, showing us how to use hot water, yeast and curd to make the different cheeses which varied by different heat of water and different timing in the processes, also salt is used in different ways for different cheeses. He even had my wife and I stand up and Kneading the Mozzarella, tying it in knots, pinching it to make shapes. We both finished the excursion after two plus hours and had eaten a lot of cheese being very satisfied. The event was a spectacular experience that I would rank second to none and highly recommend.

I highly recommend booking this if you’re in Matera, it was the highlight of our trip. We had such a lovely time, full of laughter and very tasty food. Lorenzo and Cosimo were the best. When we arrived, they gave us a tour of the cave and taught us a bit about the history of Matera and the rejuvenation of the cave we were in. We felt like we got way more out of the experience than anticipated, you could see their genuine passion and love for Matera and it’s history. After that, they taught us how to make a typical tomato sauce and pasta of the southern region of Italy/Matera area (without eggs and garlic). Their knowledge and passion was inspiring and really lovely to experience, they take a lot of pride in their culture, it was a pleasure to learn all about it. Outside of the cooking experience itself, more so on a personal level, we are so grateful to have met such a lovely duo in Lorenzo and Cosimo. They have undoubtedly left a strong impression on us and our experience in Matera.

My mom and I took a class with Filomena on our first night in Matera and absolutely loved it! The kitchen space was so cute and we got to eat out on her terrace which was just beautiful and such a great way to watch the sunset. Overall the class was incredibly informative and run just beautifully. We made ravioli from scratch, two sauces, and tiramisu which were all incredibly delicious. All of the ingredients were fresh from her own garden and the meat was from a local butcher. She even made her own olive oil from her own olive trees and we got to try her homemade limoncello. She also gave us wine made locally that was probably the best wine I have ever had. Through the class she explained techniques very well, and even had her daughter there to help with English to Italian translations for when it was necessary, but she spoke very good English herself. I have made pasta from scratch a few times at home and found her class to help a lot with some of the smaller technical details, so even if you already know how to make pasta or you are completely new to it this class is still perfect for you! It was also so fun to sit down with people in Italy and have a family dinner and learn about their lives and share about ours. She also took photos of us through the class and sent them to me immediately afterwards as well as the written out recipes. She texted me beforehand to make sure I knew how to get there so she is fantastic at making sure you are set to get there and can answer all of your questions. Overall the experience was phenomenal and not to be missed for a visit to matera. It was one of the best parts of my trip and a memory I will cherish forever.

This was a fantastic experience. Nicola shared his 50 years of cheese making knowledge in a really interesting and informative way that was truly fun. Grazia was a special host and made us feel very welcome. And we ate so much cheese! Highly recommended.

We had a great time in the house. Filomena and her daughter have received us very welcoming! We made pasta and sauce. It was super fun! We drank local wine and tasted her homemade limoncello! Highly recommended! Very nice evening thanks to Filomena and her daughter! Highly recommended!👌🏻🇮🇹

We drove from Matera approx 75 mins. Last km typically Italian single lane track. Totally worth it once you arrive at Mantenera. Spectacular views as you get guided through the olive grove by the lovely Elena. Oil tasting and a wonderful lunch followed. Thanks to Andreas for sharing!! Highly recommend this experience. Take your walking shoes and don’t forget to buy some of their olive oil to take home.

Greg picked us up near our hotel. It was a pleasant drive to the agriturismo. We learned about the family history of the farm and the evolution of the olive, lemon, and orange orchards. We tasted sugared fresh lemon slices along our tour. Greg introduced us to his lovely wife Silvia. She taught us how to make pasta and sauces for our lunch. The meal and wine were delicious finishing with their homemade limoncello. The whole afternoon was entertaining and informative. We highly recommend this class not only for the cooking lessons but, to see another side of Matera and Basilicata.

Greg and Silvia provided us an amazing culinary experience on their Agricultural property l’Assiolo. We not only learned so much about their Olive grove, it’s history, the process of producing some delicious extra virgin olive oil, and the Lucano food and wine, but we gained some invaluable cooking tips and methods of Italian cuisine. More importantly the food we learned how to cook, hands down the best meal we had while in Puglia.

Fantastic experience. Cossimo and Lorenzo were fantastic and very informative. The pasta was wonderful and learned much about the history of Matera from their personal experiences with their families. I would absolutely recommend this experience.

This experience is a MUST!! What a wonderful experience that should not be missed. We traveled from Matera to Tricarico for a tour and lunch excursion at Azienda Agricola Mantenera. What a beautiful drive it was to Elana and Adrea's grove. I love that this is part II of their life...with their knowledge of olive trees, the process of making olive oil and the deliciousness of their oil, you would never know they were not born into this profession. We had never been to an olive grove before and Elana welcomed all questions and explained answers clearly while walking us through the grove. After our tour, we were treated with tastings of their oil (delicious), a charcuterie of meats, cheeses and the most delicious eggplant in olive oil. Elana is a professional chef and the lunch she and Andrea prepared for us was excellent. Oh, but it did not stop there..Andrea brought out his homemade liqueur. My favorite was the pomegranate they made from the fruit on their property and my husband loved the other - that was made from fruit grown in Sardinia. If you are looking for an intimate tour, please chose this grove. We cannot thank Elena and Andrea enough for their hospitality. I wish we had more time there. Grazie mille Elena e Andrea! Siete stati entrambi molto gentili e accoglienti e ci siamo divertiti moltissimo. Cercateci se venite a New York!

This was a fantastic one-on-one experience with a local /retired professor. My husband and I learned a few helpful tips on preparing meals. We made 3 different types of pizza and for dessert we made a sponge cake with apricot sauce, apricots, and cream with cherries on top. Great experience and would highly recommend

Beautiful experience thanks to the welcome of the owner Patrizia and the professor who told us many anecdotes, taking us into Lucanian history and local traditions. Super bread and pizzas!

An amazing experience, thank you so much Brunella and Franchesco you were so friendly and polite. It was an absolute pleasure for us to meeting you, we are waiting for you in Greece. 100% recommended. We learned about pizza/focaccia tiramisu and pasta ravioli and tagliatelle. You were so generous, and your lovely home was so warm. Big Hug and big thank you for everything. Hope to see you soon.

We spent some nice hours together! We started with a very fresh and light aperitif, before immediately getting to work: we made pasta together, which we then ate with a sauce of basil tomatoes and caciocavallo podolico. In the meantime we have divided the tasks and we have also prepared the other dishes. The wines were very delicate and tasty. We had a lot of fun and learned so much not only about the cuisine but also about the history of Matera.

My husband and I had a great time. It was just the 2 of us, Filamena and her sweet daughter. We learned several pasta shapes, 2 sauces, bruschetta, and the most delicious tiramisu. She grows her own herbs, olive oil,the wheat was recently harvested and everything was fresh. She also provided a sampling of fresh local made cheese, meat and red table wine. She told us about the area with love. It was really good. Meeting them and sharing a meal on her terrace was a highlight

We had a wonderful time with Filomena Cotugno at her cooking class at her lovely home. She was a patient & fun teacher. We made tiramisu & pasta for two dishes. Her daughter was there to help with any language issues & was very sweet. She also provided appetizers & drinks! All of the food we made was excellent & we enjoyed it immensely. Her husband joined us for the meal so it could be a family affair. She shared with us some of her homemade olive oil & limoncello! She even took the time to show us around her beautiful hometown & helped with transportation getting to her house. We would highly recommend Filomena & the Cesarine cooking classes!!