When people think about food in Southern Italy, they usually imagine grilled meat dishes, cheese everywhere and endless plates of pasta with seafood. And yes, that side exists.
But if you are visiting Matera as a vegan, you might be surprised to discover that this territory has always had a deeply plant-based soul too. Not because of trends, not because someone invented a “healthy concept”, but simply because our land naturally grows incredible things. Vegetables, legumes, herbs, grains, olives.
For centuries, people in Basilicata built their everyday cooking around what the land offered season after season. And if you know where to look, you can still taste that culture today.
The vegetable culture of Basilicata
One thing you might not immediately realize as a visitor is how important vegetables are in traditional Lucanian and Southern Italian cuisine. A true local table is never just about meat or pasta. There are always greens, legumes, seasonal vegetables cooked in different ways.
And, if you ask us, the simplest dishes are often the most memorable.
The countryside around Matera, especially the Murgia plateau, is full of spontaneous herbs and wild plants that have shaped local cooking for generations:
- wild fennel
- chicory
- thyme
- cardoons
- broad beans
Each season changes the landscape, and traditionally the kitchen changes with it. This is why eating vegan in Matera can actually feel surprisingly natural when you find food places – like us at Materia Prima Bistrot – that stay connected to the territory.
Traditional ingredients and dishes that are vegan by default
Did you know that some of the most iconic products from Basilicata are naturally plant-based?
Take peperone crusco, for example. These famous local dried sweet peppers are briefly fried until crispy, making them one of the region’s most addictive snacks. Smoky, crunchy, slightly sweet – and completely vegan.
Or consider friselle: rustic dried bread traditionally softened with water and topped with tomatoes, olive oil and herbs.
Then there are legumes, a cornerstone of Southern Italian cuisine for centuries: chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, beans cooked slowly with herbs and olive oil and so on. Simple ingredients, but full of (plant-based) character.
Matera as a vegan is not impossible anymore
For a long time, vegan travelers in Matera often had to adapt. Ordering side dishes, removing cheese from salads or pasta, asking for modifications to meet their needs.
And while some traditional restaurants still approach vegan cuisine that way, the new generation of food places is slowly changing the perspective and beginning to treat vegetables as central ingredients rather than secondary options.
Vegan does not mean “food without meat”. Just good food, plant-based.
Seasonal food makes all the difference
If you ask us, one of the best things about eating in Matera is how strongly the cuisine follows the seasons. Spring tastes completely different from autumn. Summer feels lighter, fresher, more vegetable-driven. This seasonality naturally creates space for vegetable-based dishes that don’t feel forced.
Fresh tomatoes.
Courgettes.
Eggplants.
Wild herbs.
Local strawberries.
Excellent olive oil everywhere.
And because ingredients are often so flavorful on their own, dishes rarely need complicated techniques to work.
Our approach at Materia Prima Bistrot
At Materia Prima Bistrot, this connection to vegetables and seasonal ingredients comes naturally. We are not strictly vegan, but we genuinely love this side of Mediterranean cuisine ourselves.
Many dishes on our menu happen to be vegan or vegetarian simply because that is how they make the most sense.
Some examples?
Our whole-grain turmeric focaccia with sundried tomato pesto and courgette cream has become an all-time favorite (and not just for vegans!).
We prepare different hummus variations that include chickpea, beetroot and fresh broad bean versions.
We serve grain friselle with tomato and basil emulsion, vegetable croquettes with fresh tomato cream and turmeric mayonnaise, oven-baked potatoes with their skin, and large seasonal salads with local ingredients – like Candonga strawberries and toasted almonds, or beetroots and walnuts.
Soon, we’ll also introduce our version of cialledda: a fresh Southern Italian dish made with friselle, barattiere melon, tomato, green apple and plenty of extra virgin olive oil.
These are our local roots, interpreted in a lighter, vegan-friendly and contemporary way.
This said, allow us to make a brief disclaimer: Materia Prima is not a fully vegan restaurant in Matera, and we don’t try to present it as one. But we do believe vegan travelers deserve more than generic side dishes or uninspired pasta with tomato sauce. That’s why our plant-based options are designed with the same attention as everything else on the menu: they are not compromises nor obligations – they are just part of our broad idea of good food.
Matera vegan: where to eat beyond the obvious
If you are vegan and visiting Matera, our advice is simple: look for places that understand ingredients, not just dietary labels. Places where vegetables already belong naturally to the culture. Places that work with seasons instead of fixed tourist menus. Just like us, Materia Prima Bistrot.
We promise you a vegan experience truly connected to the land you’re visiting. To its olive oil. To the herbs growing on the Murgia. To humble ingredients transformed slowly and thoughtfully. That’s where the real flavor of Basilicata lives.
And that’s also where the best memories usually begin.
Come explore the vegan side of Matera with us – unconventional by nature.
P.S.: you can also find us on HappyCow!
