Gravina's cooking follows Puglia's rule of simple ingredients treated well. Orecchiette with cime di rapa — the slightly bitter turnip tops that are a Pugliese staple — is the dish to order at lunch. Focaccia barese, baked thick and dimpled and doused in olive oil, appears everywhere and is the correct snack to eat while wandering the old town.
The local DOC wine is Gravina Bianco, made from Greco and Malvasia grapes grown on the limestone plateau above the town. It's a dry, aromatic white that pairs well with the local seafood-light, vegetable-heavy cooking. Look for it on wine lists throughout the area. The restaurants around the old town are mostly small and family-run; quality is generally reliable and prices are lower than in the coastal tourist towns.