Italian Menu

Could it mean everyone at the table must order the same tasting menu to enhance the experience?

D'ya have a link?

I think it means that every guest at the table has to partake of either menu if it's selected....no "mix and match" with some people choosing a la carte dishes vs. others choosing the set menu. As far as "unbelievable prices"...it may be worthwhile to avoid hotel restaurants as sometimes they are much more expensive than local ones because they're catering either solely to foreign or business travelers (as opposed to a mix that includes locals).

Yes it is per person and everyone at the table must participate in the same tasting menu.

I have gone to a restaurant in Toledo OH (actually in Sylvania) that has the same "tasting menu" option. So it's not just a Eurothing. Probably involves wine pairings with each course.

It seems that a wannabe starred chef wants the all table to eat the same things at the same time.
Time is the problem, it's an "experience to share not just food".

In short, They don't want one customer to be eating the second dish of the 6 courses "Instinct" menu while the others, who just ordered a couple of dishes a la carte, are enjoying their espressos while looking at their watches.

The whole truth is that "before the star" probably those menus must be prepared either by the boss or by the sous chef and that they take a lot of time. They don't want to block a skilled person and a line for just one customer.

Out of curiosity, what prices are we talking about and where?

I've also seen this at many restaurants that offer tasting menus. The price is per person, but each person at the table has to be dining at the same pace. Occasionally, three people might order the regular tasting menu and one person order a vegetarian version with the same number of courses. A matching flight of wines is usually charged separately and each diner need not take it, as they've already opened those bottles for the whole room.

A popular price for the tasting menus that I've had (not in Italy) is roughly $10/€10/£10 per small course (making Britain a more expensive place to do this, and Scandinavia likely higher).

The restaurant is Grotta P

Sorry- The restaurant is Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare in Pulgia. If you click on the restaurant and then Book a menu- scroll down and you find the price . Also as to the Menu itself you can down load the menu.
After reading all you suggestions of what I agree that the table has to order the same menu for the price they indicate. Wine of course is optional.
Expensive but I think we will give it a go.

Wow, only about half of the TripAdvisor reviews are Very Good to Excellent, while the other half is Terrible to Average. I don't totally trust TripAdvisor because it suffers from overinflated reviews, but this is not a great distribution of reviews. For those prices (exclusive of alcohol no less), I'd pick a place that's much more skewed toward the top reviews. IMHO, you really don't have to spend a fortune to eat well in Italy.

I did read a lot of the reviews and noted the bad were in the summer months July, August and the good were in April, May. We will be there in May and will keep reading the reviews to see if this is where we want to indulge. We will be there for 2 nights and I am sure there are other restaurants but maybe not with the ambiance of this one.

Ahh, of course: "the" tourist trap. Starred prices and mediocre food.
It's just a snobbish restaurant in a cave that has a dress code, a 10 € per person cover charge but that can't guarantee fresh fish. Dissapore destroyed it s few months ago. My old Espresso guide is a series of "but". Nice view, but... but... but...
Have a drink to enjoy the view and, if you have money to spend, go to eat at the starred restaurant in Monopoli.
And please: ignore the reviews on tripadvisor, the Michelin app is free: use it.