In the heart of Matera, a traditional osteria where you can savor the finest Lucanian flavors in a typical cave, once an ancient tuff cistern, which also houses a small cinema for enjoying after-dinner drinks in the company of the greatest movies filmed in the city.
La Lopa is one of the restaurants that has best embodied the spirit of the Lucanian region since 2016. It is one of its finest osterias, intended not only as a place to savor traditional dishes but also as a social and cultural hub for the city.
Housed in one of the ancient cisterns, thanks to which, along with the ingenious water collection system, the city was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Lopa owes its name to an ancient wrought-iron tool used for dredging wells, a perfect metaphor for this “home” in the heart of the Sassi di Matera.
Our cuisine is traditional, authentic, and full of flavors, an expression of the culture and history of Matera and Lucania.
La Lopa was born from the love of Antonella Passione, nomen omen, and her husband Emanuele. Despite their backgrounds being completely different, they have always loved good food and conviviality and, so, happily took the opportunity to transform this abandoned place into a restaurant offering traditional Lucanian cuisine.
Great attention is paid to sourcing the finest ingredients from local producers who share the same values and passion for good food, and everything is homemade using traditional methods.
The menu is a celebration of all the typical Lucanian dishes, from the selection of artisanal cured meats and cheeses, to first courses like orecchiette with Sunday ragù or Crapiata Materana, and second courses like Lucanian black pig cheek or local eggs from “happy hens.”
The venue is truly evocative, as you descend through multiple levels of caves from a beautiful, flower-filled courtyard to a romantic, candle-lit staircase that leads to the osteria’s true secret gem: a small cinema where a 20-minute short film featuring all the major ones shot in Matera is shown on a loop.
This is where the real magic happens: descend the stairs, perhaps with a local amaro in hand, sit in one of the vintage chairs decorating the cinema, and watch the opening scenes of No Time to Die, when James Bond arrives in Matera in style…What a treat.
And if you want to enjoy an aperitivo before stopping at La Lopa, right next door, Antonella has opened Retrobottega Matera, a wine bar where you can taste the best of the local production.
For the rest, Antonella’s smile awaits you at La Lopa, one of the most iconic places of splendid Matera.
The Secret
Many films have been shot in Matera, including “The Passion of the Christ,” “Ben-Hur,” and “Wonder Woman.” In 2018 alone, the city hosted 53 productions, including 8 feature films, a television series, 7 short films, 9 documentaries, 9 television programs, and commercials.
Useful Info
La Lopa
Via Bruno Buozzi 13
75100 Matera
Tel. +39 0835 1651370
Appetizers: from 10 euros
First courses: from 12 euros
Second courses: from 15 euros
Tasting menu: from 65 euros
