Bari Ristorante e Enoteca

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Heel of the Boot, in Midtown Memphis

Bari Ristorante e Enoteca holds a singular position in Memphis: it is the city's only Southeastern Italian restaurant and wine bar. Rooted in the regional cuisine of Puglia — that sun-drenched stretch at the heel of Italy's boot — the restaurant has been a fixture in Midtown for over two decades, celebrating its 23rd anniversary in November 2025.

Chef Jason Severs and the Food of His Family

The kitchen is guided by Chef Jason Severs, whose connection to this Italian cuisine is personal rather than academic. The menu draws directly from his family's culinary heritage, translating the simplicity and freshness of Puglia into dishes that include antipasto, salads, meats and seafood, homemade pasta, bread, and desserts. One of the more distinctive features of the restaurant is its all-Italian cheese menu, spanning more than 50 varieties — a commitment to regional specificity that sets Bari apart from broader Italian concepts.

Diners are encouraged to eat as they would in Italy: a leisurely multi-course progression, or just one or two dishes shared over a good glass of wine. Neither approach is wrong here.

A Wine Program Worth the Recognition

The wine list at Bari is as considered as the food. In 2023, Wine Spectator honored the restaurant with its Award of Excellence — a recognition the team received with evident pride. The Italian wine selection is the backbone of the enoteca side of the house, and the restaurant regularly hosts wine dinners that bring producers directly to the table. Winemaker Sara Vezza of Josetta Saffirio joined for a 23rd anniversary dinner; earlier events have featured producers from across Italy, paired course by course with the kitchen's output.

Bartender Hunter Coleman was named Best Bartender in Memphis by Memphis Magazine in 2025, a nod to the bar program that complements the broader Italian dining experience.

A Place That Has Earned Its Years

What emerges from more than two decades on South Cooper Street is a restaurant that knows exactly what it is. The Italian cuisine here is specific, regional, and made with care — antipasto and homemade pasta rooted in Puglia, a cheese selection with genuine depth, and a wine program recognized at a national level. For Memphis, that combination remains genuinely rare.