Puglia has a rich food tradition, with distinct regional varieties, but one street food treat typical of its whole southern end is the bombetta pugliese, made from slices of pork wrapped around cheese, usually provolone, then roasted on a skewer over wood or charcoal. (Often the meat used is from pig crossed with wild boar, and it looks more like beef.) A bombetta can come with extra flavourings, such as mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes.

It’s thought that bombette pugliesi were born more than 40 years ago in a butcher’s shop, Macelleria Romanelli, in the town of Martina Franca in the Valle d’Itria, north-west of Brindisi. Since then, it has been served throughout the south of Puglia as a popular street food at carnivals and festivals, and straight from butcher’s shops that invested in their own charcoal oven. Today the town of Cisternino, about 10km away, is particularly famous for them. About 12 butcher’s shops have little restaurants serving bombette with rustic bread or in rolls. They have a few tables with gingham tablecloths outside, and wine comes in terracotta carafes – it’s all very rustic and charming.

But one of my favourite places for a good bombetta is Ristorante Pantagruel in Ostuni. The setting is medieval and atmospheric. There’s a counter with all the meat on display and they bring the skewers to the table straight from the oven. Best of all is Rosticceria L’Antico Borgo in Cisternino, which is so popular you need to book in advance, as it’s really popular. It’s a butcher’s shop too, and does four flavours of bombetta: try them with cardoncelli mushrooms. Owner Piero is larger than life, a proper character, and the food is delicious.

• Rob Claassen is the owner of new Puglian restaurant Ostuni in north London