Osteria Dentro Le Mura is exactly the kind of restaurant its name suggests: a small, family-run seafood osteria tucked into Termoli’s old town, beside the Castello Svevo and overlooking the Adriatic. Antonio Terzano opened the business in 1999 after working in established restaurants, and today runs it with his wife Lina, who is also the sommelier. Their philosophy has remained deliberately uncomplicated: few tables, informal but knowledgeable hospitality, local products and fresh Adriatic fish selected according to the day’s catch. The restaurant has held Slow Food’s Chiocciola recognition since 2007 and has appeared in the Michelin and Espresso guides.

The place was extremely busy when we visited, with some tables apparently turning two or even three times during the evening. Yet it never felt like a restaurant trying to become something bigger or more sophisticated than it is. It remains a very friendly, solid family operation, and that is much of its charm.

We started with scampi alla menta su melone grigliato, perhaps the most contemporary dish of the evening. The sweetness of the scampi and grilled melon worked nicely together, with the mint bringing freshness.

More traditional was u’ scëcill con le cozze, one of the characteristic dishes of the area: bread-and-cheese dumplings served with mussels. It is precisely the sort of inexpensive, deeply local cooking that makes an osteria like this interesting.

The spaghetto quadrato allo scoglio was generous and straightforward, driven by the flavour of the seafood rather than unnecessary technique. We finished with the brodetto alla termolese, the local Adriatic fish stew and one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. It was rustic, rich and satisfying, with the flavour of the different fish coming together in the broth. Both u’ scëcill and the brodetto are repeatedly singled out by other diners as house specialties.

Nothing here was trying to surprise us. Everything was simply solid and tasty, based on good seafood and a clear understanding of the cooking traditions of Termoli. Friendly service, a bustling atmosphere and an obviously successful family business made this a very enjoyable evening.

A very good, authentic local osteria — exactly what we were hoping to find in Termoli.