The Best Restaurants in Sicily
Food in Sicily
Food in Sicily is considered legendary by food bloggers because of the mixture of different cultural influences such as Arab, Spanish, and Greek and Italian cuisine.
Visit Sicily and immerse yourself in the tourism attractions, cultural activities and music but please don’t forget about the food in Sicily! You absolutely must taste the unique Sicily pasta to make it a memorable holiday because Sicilian cuisine is just so tasty. Can you tell we are beach loving foodies yet?!
One dish that is well known in the Sicilian region is the unique pasta prepared from spaghetti and urchins from the sea with spaghetti and sometimes sardines. The dish is known as Ricci di Mare.
Furthermore, the region is surrounded by sea and rarely snows, which means that you can find the freshest seafood ingredients on your plate. Each region of the island has a different specialty. However, Sicily pasta and kinds of seafood such as sardines, prawns, tuna, etc. seem to be always present in their menus. Moreover, it was said that Sicily gave birth to sorbetto and gelato, so you will not have any trouble finding authentic, mouth watering gelato here.
From Michelin starred to the simplest trattoria, we have chosen the best restaurants in Sicily for you to try. Don’t miss our article on the best hotels in Sicily so that you have somewhere to relax after a big day of eating.
Principe Cerami
The Principe Cerami is a much-loved Taormina restaurant that has two Michelin stars. The restaurant is known for the quality of food and breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea. The restaurant is part of the hotel San Domenico Palace also known as the Four Seasons Taormina, is built on a former 14th century Dominican convent.
The restaurant is headed by chef Massimo Mantarro, who grew up in the local area. The menu features several Sicilian cuisines such as anchovy’s tartare, ravioli with saffron and wild fennel. It also offers vegetable caponata stuffed in Mediterranean red mullet. The restaurant has two different sets of tasting menus: the ‘Mare Nostrum’ and ‘Principe Cerami’ both offering a divine eating experience.
Trattoria Piccolo Napoli
Trattoria Piccolo Napoli serves one of the best foods in Sicily. It has been operated by the Corona family since 1951 and is located in Palermo. Trattoria Piccolo Napoli became popular for both locals and visitors because their menu features fresh fish caught by local fishermen and is specially reserved for the restaurant.
Their interior also gives an authentic Italian vibe, plus the table full of antipasti, making it a perfect combination. The restaurant offers pasta with squid ink, fresh seafood prepped in olive and garlic oil, and Sicily’s national dish, which is pasta with fresh sardines, pine nuts, fennel, breadcrumbs, and raisins.
Hostaria San Pietro
Hostaria San Pietro brags about their perfectly cooked busiate, prawn, and tuna that complements authentic Italian cuisine. They also offer parfait and cannolis that visitors should never skip. Their meals are perfect when taken together with house wine or white wine and even with espresso, ristretto, or lemonade.
The location of Hostaria San Pietro is very strategic and is a convenient plus; all the staff is very accommodating that completes the restaurant’s nice ambiance. Most reviews for this restaurant state that the price is reasonable and their services are superb.
Ristolounge Elvezia
When you are visiting Isola Bella, Ristolounge Elvezia is a must place to dine in. They offer a wide range of Italian cuisine, including branzino prawns that are perfectly cooked together with cordial, michelada, or house wine that complements each other.
Furthermore, they offer good gelato, tiramisu, and parfait. The staff shows a very professional service, and they really show how much they care for their customers. The view of the sea is also a plus point for this restaurant which adds relaxation together with their homey décor and ambiance that makes each guest comfortable.
Gelateria Brioscia
During Sicily travel, one of the must-do’s is to taste the region’s gelato, which is dubbed as “the most authentic gelatos in the world.” Gelateria Brioscia is an artigianale ristorante located in Palermo. They offer the traditional gelato, which is called brioche con gelato. Gelato was stuffed in a fluffy, warm, and brioche bun, which the locals enjoy any time of the day.
However, gelato is quite more popular during the summer months for breakfast. Another must-try in their menu is their pistachio gelato, one of Palermo’s best gelatos.
La Contea
When traveling to Sicily, what makes a guest more excited isn’t just about Sicily’s beaches. But also, they are excited about who they will meet and when they will go home. The same excitement can be felt when dining with La Contea especially when people say that the restaurant is one of the best.
The restaurant is located in the heart of Modica and La Contea, wherein a flock of both tourists and locals are usually seen. The restaurant was also placed in a strategic location for both Modica and La Contea were surrounded by best hotels Sicily. They have an extensive choice in their menus, such as thin-crust pizza, wood-fired pizza, salads, antipasti, and pasti.
Osteria Rosso Divino
The term osteria means a place that serves local, simple food and wine. Hence, Italian osteria is a simple place that basically offers Sicilian cuisine. The place is located near many Taormina hotels, which also houses one of the best beaches in Sicily.
This restaurant just opened in 2012, marking its possible 9th anniversary this year. Osteria Rosso Divino offers a variety of food as well as wine for their guests to enjoy the night. The common choice on their menu is fresh seafood and meat, which usually changes daily because of the change of stock per day.
Ristorante Hotel Signum
Ristorante Hotel Signum is one of the famous hotels because of its proximity to the beaches Sicily. If you are a hotel guest, you can enjoy eating in their restaurant or even outside with a rustic canopy at your back. Their menu also depends on the number of shops that you guys were talking about.
In addition, they offer salty wild capers and shellfish pasta together with fruit whites and tiger milk. The whole ambiance of the restaurant shows a romantic type of evening, so if you are going on a date, think of it a hundred times even more.
Al Saraceno
Al Saraceno is located above Taormina, making it have an overlooking view of the place. It is also only a few steps away from the church of Madonna della Rocca. Visitors often comment about their great view and the price that the restaurant charges since some are shocked that it really cost less compared to others.
They also offer gluten-free cakes. Their size is very generous, so make sure that you are hungry when you eat in the traditional way of eating pasta.
Al Gelatone
Al Gelatone, yet another gelateria in the country is located in Palermo. They offer both brioche con gelato which is the traditional gelato. The owner of this gelateria started the business because of his girlfriend. He decided to open a shop, and then boom; everyone just loves gelato. This galleria offers a really wide choice of traditional and creative flavors by using only the raw and freshest ingredients, such as dairy-free and no sugar choices.
Which Restaurant will you Choose?
Now you have everything you need to eat your way through the best restaurants in Sicily. We hope you enjoy every bite of your culinary adventure and leave a comment below if your favourite restaurant in Sicily is missing from this list.
Ciao,
Alicia & Daniele.
