194 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

Here's a novelty for Palermo in the form of a superb modern restaurant located within a museum dedicated to Steve Jobs and Apple products, a surprisingly successful combination; you not only have the ability to revisit ancient IT devices and learn about the history of the tech company, but the food is pretty excellent. Each of the dishes is a revelation, from the pumpkin with miso and fermented black garlic to the ravioli with stewed veal cheek and pigeon with red-wine scented quince. Vegetarian options are as good as any that Palermo has to offer—best sampled in a set tasting menu. The elevated prices are commensurate with the sophisticated cuisine . The venue is also extraordinary as the restaurant is housed within the Palazzo Castrone, one of the city's finest old palaces, just steps away from the Cathedral and entered through a beautiful courtyard.

There's a regular trickle of locals to this gelateria conveniently located opposite the hydrofoil port. Most opt for the local favorite: ice cream in a brioche with a couple of wafer biscuits poking out. But it's not just the creamy and tangy ice creams that pull in the crowds, there are also delicious granitas, cakes, and desserts on offer, like the semifreddo cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries or blueberries. There's limited seating outside, and it stays open late.

In a fantastic spot by the now-drained river in Scicli, you'll need to book ahead here to enjoy a meal since it's quite popular with locals. That's thanks to the menu and the fact that you can enjoy a variety of dining options, from a simple aperitivo to a full-blown meal from the ever-changing seasonal menu. Choose a wine from the exceptional wine list to accompany your meal and listen to the owner or his staff tell you with pride how everything is produced locally or organically. If you want a reminder of your meal, you can buy some ingredients from the small display at the back of the restaurant.

Located in the Ognina port, the little Nitto empire has exploded: what began as a mobile market in the 1960s (from the back of a Piaggio Ape) is now a standing fresh fish market and series of restaurants. Locals line up outside the little market to get their daily catch, while next door the fast-casual restaurant serves some of the best-prepared seafood in the area, including squid ink pastas, skewers of grilled fish, and raw seafood platters.

There's no better (or easier) place on the island to watch its fiery explosions than from the terrace of Osservatorio. The diverse menu offers everything from pizza (dinner only) and locally caught fish to pastas and roasted meats. It's a lovely 45-minute passeggiata from the port (about 3 miles), winding up a flora-rich path, to this look-out point with prime views of the area's volcanic activity (in total, about 20 minutes from Piscità). Alternatively, if you call ahead, they can arrange a shuttle service for you. During the day, you'll see the plume of smoke emitting from the crater and get spectacular sea views. At night, it's all about the fireworks show.

This welcoming osteria near the train station makes a perfect lunch stop. With friendly staff and an appealing modern interior—red-tiled floor, chic basket lampshades, and rows of hanging wine bottles—it serves up inexpensive but expertly prepared dishes of local specialties such as risotto with prawns and artichoke cream, and baccalà su macco de fave (salted cod on a bean and fennel stew). The house wine is delicious, and the desserts are also worth sampling.

Chef Danilo Conti started with a passion for wine and subsequently grew deeper respect for the soil of his home territory. The dishes at his osteria just steps from the port in Lipari are clean and balanced—the opposite of fussy—but primarily celebrate the fishing and agricultural traditions of the island; think lime-scented carpaccio of swordfish and pasta with anchovies, wild fennel, and orange zest. The dedication to his producer partners goes so deep that they are called out by name on the menu (a rarity in Italy). In addition to the osteria, Danilo operates a wine shop (San Bartolo Vineria e Dispensa) just a few doors down. There you'll find expressions of his own wines, plus a robust selection from natural wine producers around Sicily and a small (but excellent) selection of salumi and cheeses. 

Set on a big square in Piazza Armerina that hosts the town’s weekly market, this is one of the very few pasticcerias that continue to make their own cornetti—light, delicious, and filled to order with custard cream, ricotta, jam, or chocolate. Other delights include iris (a deep-fried doughnut ball filled with chocolate) and krapfen (a doughnut ring filled with custard cream). There is a small covered terrace outside.

In the picture-perfect medieval town of Randazzo, high on the northern side of Etna, this generations-old bakery sits at the foot of the basilica in Piazza Santa Maria. Now run by Giovanna, the daughter of Santo, the pasticceria is especially known for its exceptional gelato and granita, which are made with all natural products, with no artificial bases, colors, or flavorings. Look for an upgrade to the tastes you already know and love, such as rich and creamy pistachio gelato studded with orange zest and candied pistachios. Or try a seasonal granita with flavors informed by the wares of local farmers, such as wild mulberry, yellow raspberry, apricot, or prickly pear.

In the Sicilian food world, the name Giuseppe Arena is synonymous with sweets. He's a maestro gelatiere (master gelato maker) who specializes in artisanal gelato, sorbet, and granita, working with fresh fruits of the season and products from the region, such as hazelnuts from the nearby Nebrodi mountains. He made his first granita at age seven with his grandfather, and through a series of competitions has been called one of the best gelato makers in Italy.

Inside this rustic osteria, where there's not an inch of wall space spared from decor, the larger-than-life Grasso Rosario holds court as he bounces from table to table offering opinions and insight on his Slow Food--focused menu. Drawing upon the abundance of the region, the menu highlights the black hog from the Nebrodi mountains, a local cultivar of kohlrabi (in arancini and as a pasta), porcini mushrooms, and perfectly grilled and roasted meats (think pork knuckle, ribs, veal, and lamb). The Sicily-heavy wine list is a sommelier's dream.

Palazzolo Acreide has become a bit of a food town in recent years, and this blink-and-you-miss-it spot, housed in an ancient grotto off the main street, is a big part of that. The family-run restaurant offers house antipasti big enough to share (like the unique Mortadella mousse) and a short menu of high-quality entrées including a black lentil risotto. For dessert, don't miss the grape granita: two frozen berries and a lemon semifreddo.

Considered by many as one of Noto's best restaurants, getting to Crocifisso is a bit of a hike as it's in the upper town. Most walking routes involve long flights of steps, although you could also take a car or taxi up around the edge of town. It is one of the Baroque town's finest restaurants, serving traditional dishes presented in a contemporary style in a beautiful modern dining room. With a wonderful wine list that includes many Sicilian natural wines, a meal here is truly one to remember.

The plain exterior here gives no hint of the sleek, cool design inside this welcoming restaurant just off of Noto's main street where all of the dishes—from fresh pastas to creative seafood and exceptional daily specials—shine a light on local premium ingredients. Although the small outdoor patio allows for great people-watching, it's inside that the restaurant really shines; the chic multilevel dining area highlights modern art, a stylish complement to the restaurant's thoroughly modern food.

This local institution, now located in the town's trendy port area, serves gourmet Italian classics. It's a little more pricey than other places in town, but it's worth it for the fresh seafood, exceptional wine list, and beautiful location.

The philosophy of this contemporary restaurant is to combine modern culinary techniques with the best seasonal products, and chef Salvo Campagna creates plates that are just that: modern, elegant, and fresh. The menu is strictly seasonal and includes a fascinating percorso, a seven-course tasting menu created by the chef from the best ingredients for €60.

This seaside pub focuses on craft and artisan beers alongside light meals like antipasto tasting plates, open-faced sandwiches, and gourmet panini. It's a very trendy place for a night out or a late-night drink.

In the heart of the fish market, you'll find the best fritto misto in the area. Walk up to the little counter on the stone balcony overlooking the action and place your order for a paper cone of fried seafood made with the lightest and crispiest batter. They even offer the choice of an all-vegetable option or "no spines" (senza spine) if you prefer your order not to have the small whole fried fish. Give them your name and find a spot at one of the nearby standing tables while you wait.

You might not expect to find a thoroughly contemporary restaurant on the slopes of Mount Etna, but Shalai, in the boutique hotel of the same name, is truly a modern oasis, where young chef Giovanni Santoro prepares updated and beautifully presented versions of Sicilian classics. For the full Michelin-starred experience, choose from the six-course meat or fish tasting menus; to finish, the deconstructed cannoli are a true delight. Wine pairings skew heavily toward Etna producers.

Vegetarians and vegans will find their options can be somewhat limited when dining in Sicily, so they will be delighted to find Singola, a restaurant that focuses on organic vegetarian and vegan food with Sicilian flare. It’s a little outside of town, but it's set within a lovely garden.

People from all walks of life, from winemakers and hotel owners to local families, all speak with affection about this comfortable trattoria and its delicious Sicilian dishes. The menu is filled with wonderful pasta dishes with generous use of local ingredients like ricotta, pistachios, and fresh vegetables. It is also known for its lamb dishes and small outside terrace for summertime dining.

Just behind the public beach in Mazzarò Bay, this intimate little terrace restaurant is shrouded by an enormous old grapevine and looks out onto postcard-perfect views of paradise. Since 1981, the family-owned trattoria has been serving pristine seafood to discerning locals and in-the-know tourists.   

In a town where life still has a small town village feel, locals fill the outside tables of this trattoria in the central piazza at the base of the castle. The menu is full of seafood specialties—all excellent—but your best best is to ask the server what the chef is suggesting that day. They'll guide you to the best fish brought in that morning. 

This refreshingly atypical spot raises simple Sicilian street food to new gastronomic heights. The exuberant owner, Rosario Umbriaco, has won national prizes for his arancini; try the version with two strata of rice and melted saffron Piacentino Ennese cheese to find out why. He also makes what may be the most divine cannoli in Sicily, frying the tubular wafer in olive oil, rather than lard, and filling to order with cool, fresh, just-sweetened ricotta and candied orange from Noto’s famous Caffè Sicilia. In summer there are tables outside.

The brainchild of La Madia chef Pino Cuttaio, Uovo di Seppia is a combination kitchen, cooking school, shop, and bar where you can buy exquisite fresh and stuffed pasta, hand-made bottled sauces, biscuits, cakes, and other gastronomic goodies to take away. Saturday night is arancino and champagne night, kicking off at 6 pm. Check the website for other events.

Street food meets small plates at this ode to the flavors of Sicily. Located on a foot traffic-only street below a rainbow of colored streamers, this compact bistro serves chef-style iterations of the island's greatest "fast food" hits. And they make arguably the best arancini in the region: full of meaty ragu and saffron rice, fried to-order, with a crunchy crust that crackles as you break into it. 

Though this Michelin-starred restaurant is part of the Zash Country Boutique Hotel, it's worth a visit all on its own. Chef Giuseppe Raciti highlights the traditions and flavors of the area with a repertoire of elegant riffs that delight and surprise without overwhelming you with gimmicks. Located in a restored wine palmento, the traditional winemaking structure of Etna, the stone dining room looks over the surrounding citrus orchards whose scent wafts through the open windows. The owners, the Maugeri family, are winemakers, and naturally, you'll find their bottles on the wine list. But they are also wine lovers, and the roughly 70-page tome reflects that.  

This restaurant in Favignana's main square is a must for seafood-lovers. The short, daily changing menu is constructed around the catch of the day, from the grand portions of antipasti to the main courses, and all ingredients are strictly seasonal. The choices may vary, but the kitchen's approach to such dishes as polpette alla ricciola (roulades of amberjack) and calamaro ripieno (stuffed squid) is always creative and original. Choose between dining within the wood-covered interior space or in the terrace garden, which backs onto the town's church. You might finish off your meal with a glass of alloro (laurel) liqueur. The restaurant's name recalls the chant of fishermen during the annual Mattanza tuna catch.

This restaurant is located within a local vineyard between Patti and Tindari near the stunning Gulf of Patti, the lakes of Marinello, and  Santuario di Tindari. With its extensive terrace views over the vines and olive groves, this place is a beautiful place to stop and savor good food, great wine, and local hospitality.

This popular restaurant on the pedestrianized Corso Vittorio Emanuele occupies some former stables, though the modern art on the walls and its candlelit tables evoke far more romantic associations. Dishes are predominantly local and sea-based, like a delicious fish couscous, ghiotta di pesce misto (mixed seafood in a rich sauce of tomatoes, olives, and capers), and swordfish involtini (roulades) served with orange. If you want a change from seafood, try the caserecce al pesto trapanese e melanzane fritte, a variant of the famous local pasta dish made with almonds and tomato and topped with fried eggplant. In summer, you can dine at outdoor tables.