Nuovo Bar Riviera Review: A Delicious Breakfast By The Sea

Our Nuovo Bar Riviera review was a chance to enjoy a warm and comforting breakfast with the seabreeze and sun on our heads for an amazing start to the day.

Nuovo Bar Riviera Review - SAICAF Cappuccino

One of the first things that you will need to keep clear is the actual name of this restaurant. Based on Google Maps, the name is Nuovo Bar Riviera. However, if you look at their Facebook page, you will also see it listed as Riviera Lounge Bar. Finally, if you base it on the signage out in front of the bar, you will see it named: Gran Caffè Riviera. Let’s just stick with Nuovo Bar Riviera because it seems to be the consensus.

We decided to check out their breakfast options after a walk along the seawall the morning before. It is a large bar that overlooks the Adriatic with a heavily windowed front wall. The view was perfect for someone like me who loves the seabreeze and finds the lapping of the waves to be relaxing, if not actually sleep inducing.

Introduction Nuovo Bar Riviera

Despite the name changes, this is much more than your typical bar. After breakfast the restaurant turns more into a bistro serving a deep menu of Italian and Barese favorites with definite attention to seafood.

My needs were more breakfast oriented, so we were excited to get an early start to our walk along the sea with breakfast available at 7:00AM most days. We stopped in not long after it opened and grabbed a seat by the windows.

Atmosphere At Nuovo Bar Riviera

The ambiance was definitely different from what you normally would experience at an Italian bar in the morning. When we entered, the staff of maybe 10 people really seemed like they wanted to serve us. It was a little overwhelming, but their friendly demeanor was disarming and professional.

There were a few different seating options. There was a narrow row of tables on the second floor, but since it was empty, I didn’t want to go upstairs. Also, I wasn’t able to see any stairs going up to it, so that puzzle will remain unsolved.

There were some outdoor tables on the sidewalk that were covered in plastic. Normally I would choose this option, but I was dressed for a bit of exercise and I was concerned about the cool onshore breeze. For this reason, I chose to eat indoors by the windows with an unobstructed view of the sea.

The appeal of this bar/bistro/restaurant is the view. For me, a stormy morning with the waves crashing into the seawall can hold my attention for hours. This morning, however, was tranquil and calm. Also not a bad way to start your morning.

Nuovo Bar Riviera Menu Highlights

There are two menu highlights that I want to make note of, but before I do, I want to mention their food. The selection of pastries was typical and of high quality. I ordered a pastry I’ve had before and wasn’t looking to be surprised. When it arrived I was taken aback.

The pastry had been heated, which doesn’t happen in a typical bar. I spent most of the meal debating to anyone who would listen (nobody) if it was put in a microwave or an oven. I was leaning towards an oven because of how the sugar topping became crunchy, like on a crème brulée. That little extra effort made the meal that much more enjoyable.

For coffee, they proudly (or contractually) display the Saicaf name everywhere. This was a good thing for me because it is my favorite coffee roaster when I’m in Puglia and they didn’t disappoint. My cappuccino was well made and affordable at €2.00. The pastries were equally well-priced at €1.60 each.

The most noteworthy thing was the fresh squeezed orange juice (spremuta d’arancia). It was from blood oranges and was so sweet that it tasted like there was added sugar, but there wasn’t. It was also in a fairly large glass which is why the price was so surprising. This entire glass only cost €4.00, which is pretty low from our experiences. More commonly, freshly squeezed juice can cost €6-8 in Italy, and don’t even ask what it is in the US.

Information For Tourists

I think this restaurant is used to dealing with foreigners, so even though I wouldn’t recommend that you expect to be able to order in English, if your language skills aren’t quite there, you’ll probably be able to get by without too much trouble.

The bar is located on the Lungomare, at: Lungomare Nazario Sauro, 17/21, 70121 Bari BA, Italy. Get there early and seating and service won’t be a problem. Given their heavy staffing, I suspect it fills up quickly.