City Sessions

The dining and cocktail series at Palazzo Presta welcomes ALTO Rooftop from Cervia for its third edition on 7 November, continuing a journey through Italy’s regional food and drink cultures.

In the historic centre of Gallipoli, on the Ionian coast of southern Italy, restaurant and cocktail bar Lazzaro & Caterina is bringing together chefs and bartenders from across the country through City Sessions, a series of collaborative dinners dedicated to contemporary Italian gastronomy and mixology.

Hosted at Palazzo Presta, a boutique hotel housed in a restored 17th-century building, the project explores the identities, flavours and creative approaches of different Italian cities. Each edition invites a guest chef and bartender to work alongside the resident team, creating an exclusive four-course dinner with cocktail pairings.

Rather than simply presenting dishes and drinks from different venues, City Sessions encourages collaboration between the visiting and hosting teams. Each menu is developed through a shared creative process, with food and cocktails conceived together as part of a single dining experience.

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A Journey Through Italian Cities

Launched in September 2026, City Sessions began with an evening dedicated to Rome, welcoming chef Antonio Cosmai and bartender Mario Lorusso from Pastificio San Lorenzo.

The second edition, held in October, turned its attention to Bari. Chef Celso Laforgia of Urban Assassineria joined bartender Vincenzo Mazzilli of Speakeasy Bari, bringing together two different interpretations of Puglia’s gastronomic and cocktail traditions.

The third edition, scheduled for Saturday, 7 November 2026, will welcome ALTO Rooftop from Cervia, on the Adriatic coast of Emilia-Romagna.

Chef Leonardo D’Ingeo and Niccolò Amadori, who will oversee the drinks, will join Lazzaro & Caterina’s chef Vincenzo Stifani and bartender Mirko Quarta for a four-course dinner with cocktail pairings.

ALTO Rooftop will contribute three courses and their accompanying drinks, while the hosting team will create the fourth course and pairing. The menu will be developed collaboratively, bringing together the culinary perspectives of Cervia and Gallipoli.

The evening will connect the Adriatic coast of Romagna with the Ionian coast of Salento, continuing the series’ exploration of regional identities through food and cocktails.

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Pernod Ricard Italia Joins as Official Spirits Partner

Pernod Ricard Italia supports City Sessions as its official spirits partner, providing a selection of international brands for the cocktail pairings.

Participating bartenders can choose from Beefeater Gin, Del Maguey Mezcal, Altos Tequila and Mumm Champagne, developing drinks to complement the dishes created for each event.

The partnership places cocktails at the centre of the dining experience, allowing bartenders to explore different spirits and flavour combinations in collaboration with the chefs.

Each City Sessions evening also includes a DJ set at Palazzo Presta, extending the experience beyond dinner through music, drinks and social interaction.

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Palazzo Presta: Contemporary Hospitality in Historic Gallipoli

City Sessions takes place at Palazzo Presta, a boutique hotel located in the heart of Gallipoli’s historic centre.

Set within a restored 17th-century palazzo, the property combines historic architecture with contemporary interiors and a hospitality concept inspired by international travel.

The hotel features 15 individually designed rooms and suites, each drawing inspiration from different cultures and destinations around the world. Conceived as a “Globetrotter’s House”, Palazzo Presta aims to offer travellers an intimate setting that connects international influences with the traditions of southern Italy.

The property was founded by Antonio Tundo and Eugenia Inguscio, partners in both life and business, who began their entrepreneurial journey in 2016.

Their approach focuses on transforming historic buildings into distinctive hospitality destinations while preserving their architectural character and connection to local culture.

Alongside Palazzo Presta, the couple have developed two additional boutique hotels in Gallipoli: Palazzo Flora, with 11 rooms, and Palazzo Colombo, with four rooms.

Together, the properties form a small collection of hospitality experiences celebrating the architecture, gastronomy and cultural heritage of Salento.

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Lazzaro & Caterina: A Contemporary Interpretation of Salento Cuisine

Located within Palazzo Presta, Lazzaro & Caterina is a restaurant and cocktail bar that celebrates the culinary traditions of southern Italy through a contemporary approach.

Led by chef Vincenzo Stifani, the restaurant focuses on seasonal ingredients, local produce and creative cooking techniques.

Born in Salento in 1990, Stifani developed his passion for cooking through the traditional dishes prepared by his grandmother and mother. Largely self-taught, he built his culinary experience through practical work and travels in search of new ingredients, flavours and gastronomic traditions.

His philosophy is rooted in the belief that every dish tells a story and that cooking should express passion and emotion.

A long-time friend of Antonio Tundo, Stifani was invited to lead the culinary project at Lazzaro & Caterina, where he continues to reinterpret the flavours of his native region.

The restaurant’s menu highlights local seafood, with dishes including Gallipoli purple prawn carpaccio, linguine with purple prawn tartare, friggitelli peppers and salted Isigny butter, and glazed squid.

Combining regional ingredients with contemporary techniques, Lazzaro & Caterina offers a dining experience that reflects both the culinary heritage of Salento and a broader international perspective.

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Terrazza Presta: Cocktails Above the Rooftops of Gallipoli

The hotel's rooftop cocktail bar, Terrazza Presta, overlooks the historic rooftops of Gallipoli and the Ionian Sea.

Designed as a destination for sunset aperitivo and evening drinks, the terrace combines panoramic views with a cocktail programme led by head bartender Mirko Quarta.

Born in 1999 in Acaya, near Lecce, Quarta began working in hospitality at the age of 18. After gaining experience in several cocktail bars in Lecce’s historic centre, he joined Palazzo Presta, where he continued developing his approach to mixology.

His cocktail menu features original creations including Casablanca, Monet and Koyasan, alongside a selection of wines, Champagne and small plates.

Through its restaurant and rooftop bar, Palazzo Presta brings together two complementary expressions of hospitality: contemporary regional cuisine and creative cocktail culture.

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Connecting Gastronomy, Mixology and Regional Identity

With City Sessions, Lazzaro & Caterina extends this philosophy beyond its own kitchen and bar, inviting professionals from different parts of Italy to exchange ideas and explore new culinary possibilities.

The series offers an opportunity to discover how regional traditions, contemporary cooking and cocktail creativity can come together through collaboration.

Following editions dedicated to Rome and Bari, the upcoming evening with ALTO Rooftop will continue this journey, bringing the flavours and perspectives of Cervia to the historic setting of Gallipoli.

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City Sessions – Third Edition

Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026
Venue: Lazzaro & Caterina, Palazzo Presta
Location: Gallipoli, Puglia, Italy
Guest: ALTO Rooftop, Cervia
Official Spirits Partner: Pernod Ricard Italia

For further information: Palazzo Presta / Lazzaro & Caterina

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