What to eat in Basilicata
The dishes to look out for on menus and the products protected by a European designation: 12 PDOs and PGIs, plus 6 wines.
Dishes to try
- Peperoni cruschi dried peppers, fried until crisp.
- Pane di Matera durum-wheat bread shaped like a horn.
- Crapiata a soup of pulses and grains for the August feast.
- Lucanica the sausage already mentioned by Latin authors.
- Caciocavallo podolico from grazing Podolica cows.
- Strascinati and orecchiette with fried breadcrumbs and peppers.
- Aglianico del Vulture Basilicata's great red wine.
PDO and PGI products
The official list of products registered in the European Union, under their registered (Italian) names. Tap a name for its production specification and register entry.
Cheese 3
- Caciocavallo Silano PDO also in other regions
- Canestrato di Moliterno PGI
- Pecorino di Filiano PDO
Cured meats and meat 1
Fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains 4
- Fagioli Bianchi di Rotonda PDO
- Fagiolo di Sarconi PGI
- Melanzana Rossa di Rotonda PDO
- Peperoni di Senise PGI
Extra virgin olive oils 2
- Olio lucano PGI
- Vulture PDO
Bread, pasta and sweets 1
- Pane di Matera PGI
Vinegars, honey, spices and more 1
Wines
5 designations of origin (DOC and DOCG, “PDO” in the European register) and 1 typical geographical indications (IGT, “PGI”).
DOC and DOCG 5
- Aglianico del Vulture PDO
- Aglianico del Vulture Superiore PDO
- Grottino di Roccanova PDO
- Matera PDO
- Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri PDO
IGT 1
- Basilicata PGI
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between PDO and PGI?
- PDO (Protected Designation of Origin, DOP in Italian) means that every stage, from the raw material to the finished product, takes place in the stated area and follows a production specification. PGI (Protected Geographical Indication, IGP in Italian) means that at least one stage takes place there and that the product owes its quality or reputation to that place.
- What about wines: DOC and DOCG?
- In the EU register all Italian DOC and DOCG wines are PDOs, while IGT wines correspond to PGIs. DOCG is the highest Italian classification, with stricter controls, and it is shown on the label.
- How do I recognise a PDO or PGI product?
- The label carries the registered name and the EU logo: red and yellow for PDO, blue and yellow for PGI. In Italy you will usually see the Italian abbreviations DOP and IGP. The protected name cannot be used by products from other areas or made by a different method.
Source: eAmbrosia, the European Commission's register of geographical indications, names registered as of 11 November 2026. Some products are protected in more than one region; TSGs (traditional specialities guaranteed) are not listed, as they are not tied to a territory.
In the other regions
- Aosta Valley6 PDOs and PGIs · 1 wines
- Piedmont22 PDOs and PGIs · 60 wines
- Liguria5 PDOs and PGIs · 13 wines
- Lombardy27 PDOs and PGIs · 41 wines
- Trentino-South Tyrol31 PDOs and PGIs · 13 wines
- Veneto31 PDOs and PGIs · 51 wines
- Friuli Venezia Giulia10 PDOs and PGIs · 19 wines
- Emilia-Romagna42 PDOs and PGIs · 30 wines
- Tuscany28 PDOs and PGIs · 56 wines
- Umbria7 PDOs and PGIs · 21 wines
- Marche8 PDOs and PGIs · 21 wines
- Lazio25 PDOs and PGIs · 35 wines
- Abruzzo7 PDOs and PGIs · 12 wines
- Molise2 PDOs and PGIs · 5 wines
- Campania29 PDOs and PGIs · 29 wines
- Puglia23 PDOs and PGIs · 38 wines
- Calabria22 PDOs and PGIs · 20 wines
- Sicily37 PDOs and PGIs · 31 wines
- Sardinia10 PDOs and PGIs · 33 wines