221 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

Seafood is the cuisine of choice in Mondello, and while the quality on offer at many of the seafront restaurants can be patchy, to say the least, you'll find no complaints at this family-run trattoria steps from the seafront. With a smart, modern interior and an outdoor terrace, it has an upbeat ambience and a helpful English-speaking staff. Don't get too distracted by the long list of antipasti, good as they are, for there's a rich choice of pastas and mains to choose from. If available, you can't go wrong with the fettuccine with pistachio cream and prawns, or perhaps a steaming pile of spaghetti with clams and mussels, followed by the catch of the day (which really has been caught on the day). You'll find a good choice of Sicilian wines, too.

This salumeria and enoteca with outdoor tables is a great choice for a midday snack of cold cuts, perhaps accompanied by a glass of cool white wine chosen from the formidable wine list. Your tagliere (tray) might include various hunks of local cheeses, a selection of salamis and hams, and a bowl of olives. Pane cunzato (seasoned bread topped with tomato, onion, anchovies, and capers) and craft beers are also served.

A quite subdued place, La Bettola has walls with wooden shelves full of Sicilian wine, white linen tablecloths, elegant cutlery, and service imbued with the ease of tradition. The focus, inevitably, is on local fish, including swordfish and anchovies, with seafood pasta and other seafood main courses, several featuring the red prawns for which Mazara is known. It is largely frequented by locals, although in the summer travelers will be attracted to the outdoor terrace. 

Another of the island's hidden gems is the lovely restaurant at La Canna, a casual dining option that offers down-home cooking, a homey environment, and spectacular sea views. There is no menu as chef and hotel owner Grazia decides on a whim what she feels like cooking that particular day (based on what is seasonal and fresh) but whatever that ends up being is guaranteed to be packed full of flavor, as everything used is either from their very own garden on the premises or from local vendors from surrounding islands and in Sicily. It's open to nonguests.

This family-run place cooks very rustic yet satisfying meals, including hearty pasta, filling antipasti, and wood-fire pizzas. It isn't a fancy place, but the service is amicable, prices are reasonable, and servings are generous.

La Locanda di Postino’s hotel restaurant offers traditional Aeolian and Sicilian cuisine in two serene settings—their quaint courtyard garden or their panoramic terrace overlooking the sea. Serving the freshest fish and seasonal vegetables with locally sourced products and ingredients, each tasty dish by chef and owner Amelia combines tradition and innovation with a respect for raw materials from sea and land—all paired perfectly with their hand selected wines available by the glass and the bottle. Open every day for lunch and dinner.

Sheltered from the city's hustle and bustle, this elegant little eatery exudes a mood of relaxed sophistication, serving classic dishes such as linguine with clams and fresh grilled fish in a cozy courtyard. The outdoor tables are the best place to enjoy the food and the friendly, informal service, but there is also a modest white-walled dining room.

Named for a historic structure that was used to store Malvasia grapes at night after sitting in the sun all day (the pinnata), this restaurant consistently delivers the exact flavors you want to eat on a Mediterranean island. Diners linger late into the evening over raw seafood, roasted fish, grilled octopus, and pastas dressed with wild fennel, caper pesto, fresh ricotta, or rich cuttlefish ink. Dine alfresco on the massive terrace overlooking vineyards and the sea from Malfa's southern edge.

Brothers Salvo and Vito La Rosa serve memorable seafood and meat dishes, exquisite homemade desserts, and a wide choice of wines at this old-school Catania eatery a 3-km (2-mile) taxi ride north of the city center. The restaurant specializes in the ancient dish ripiddu nivicatu (risotto with cuttlefish ink and fresh ricotta cheese), as well as sarde a beccafico (stuffed sardines) and calamari ripieni alla griglia (stuffed and grilled).

To complement its stone-clad dining room walls and lovely outside terrace, this intimate, family-run spot has a fab menu of selected pizzas, pasta dishes, and mains featuring the freshest Sicilian seasonal ingredients from land and sea. Service is warm, friendly, and very accommodating of children.

For really big plates of meat and a wine cellar full of red wine, head to this little "wolf's lair" that looks exactly how you want a Sicilian steak house to look (stone walls, exposed wooden rafters, and arched alcoves packed with wine). The portions are ample, so it's best to go with a group and share.

If it's seafood you're looking for, you'll feel at home at this harborside fish restaurant, where the day's catch is displayed in a chiller at the front. Couscous features among the starters, as does the outstanding busiate con gambero, pistacchio e bottarga (pasta with prawns, chopped pistachios, and tuna roe); mains change daily, but tuna cooked in citrus and the grilled swordfish are usually on the menu. The interior is modern, with small tables and a large glass front, and there's also a terrace for eating al fresco by the water.

Steps away from the Duomo's exquisitely patterned apse, this backstreet wine bar, restaurant, and deli is enticing. You won't be disappointed thanks to the top-quality fare, whether you order a bulging panino, a tagliere (tray) of cold meats, cheeses, and preserves, or a more substantial dish of veal or pork involtini (roulades) or fennel-flavored sausages. Accompany your meal with a glass of wine, a beer, or a cocktail. The interior decor is warm and inviting, the stone walls are decorated with ceramics, mosaics, and hanging salamis and cheeses, and there are tables outside in fine weather. It stays open late, too.

A short walk from the Fontana di Diana, this quirky restaurant with a cozy dining room and artsy courtyard takes quality Sicilian ingredients and adds a French influence to a changing seasonal menu. One of the mainstays on the menu is tuna lasagna served in its earthenware pot, which has fans worldwide, explains owner Sarò.

Housed within a hotel of the same name on the outskirts of town, this reliable and refreshing meal stop for visitors to Corleone offers a range of local dishes that includes steaks and seafood. Choose from an enticing array of antipasti and pastas, which you might follow up with a fillet of beef with porcini mushrooms from the nearby Ficuzza forest or a fritto misto of fried fish in a barbecue sauce. The spacious, modern setting and the friendliness of the staff help to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It is located north of Corleone's center, a 20-minute walk (or five-minute drive) from the Anti-Mafia museum.

For some great Sicilian cakes and ice cream on your way to the Archaeological Park, visit this bar-cum-pasticceria. It's popular with locals, especially on Sunday for a late breakfast and takeaway golden trays of exquisite pastries for lunch, so you may have to line up for your cakes.

This eatery right on the beach at Selinunte is really no more than a glorified salad bar, although it also serves a nice selection of grilled fish and seafood (often sardines). Serve yourself from the delicacies on the center spread; the lunch buffet is very affordable, while dinner doesn't cost much more, often served by the owner whose constant back-and-forth to look after customers has earned this place the nickname "Da Yoyo." As a bonus, there are sun beds and umbrellas at reasonable prices if you want to unwind before the next archaeological bonanza.

On gorgeous grounds of the Gulfi winery, this is a tranquil spot for a sophisticated lunch or dinner, with sweeping views of the Chiaramonte hills and vineyards (about a half-hour drive north of Ragusa). Expect Sicilian dishes with a twist in the modern dining room, which features hand-blown chandeliers and black-and-red color scheme.

Perched on the edge of the Arab quarter of the beautifully preserved village of Sambuca di Sicilia (14 miles northwest of Caltabellotta), this pizzeria-restaurant is the perfect stop for a lunchtime sightseeing break. The menu offers a range of local dishes, including busiate pasta with shrimps and fresh tomatoes; sausages; escalopes with mushrooms; and grilled fish—particularly noteworthy is the fine selection of antipasti. Portions are abundant and prices are reasonable. It's located in a peaceful corner of the village opposite the grand Chiesa Madre church, with fine views over the adjacent valley from its rustic-like interior and the outdoor terrace.

The village of Siculiana is unassuming, but its idyllic location above a golden beach backed by glinting white cliffs is best appreciated from a table at this inexpensive restaurant-bar right on the seafront. Along with the usual seafood pasta and grilled and deep-fried fish mains, there are several more inventive dishes, including some tempting vegetarian pastas and a daily fish soup.

The fresh and beautifully presented interpretations of classic Sicilian seafood dishes make this a fabulous spot to dine. Call in advance to reserve a table on the sunny but shaded modern terrace with splendid sea views or a seat in the cozy dining room that mixes modern with the traditional.

Only the finest agricultural produce of the nearby Madonie mountains goes into the simple but satisfying dishes served in this informal eatery attached to the Palazzo Butera art gallery. The frequently changing menu—dependent on the season and what's available from their suppliers—offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes alongside meat choices, and might include busiate pasta with a sauce of cardoncelli mushrooms and breadcrumbs, and beef nuggets cooked in nero d'avola wine with carrots and mashed potatoes. Cheeses, cold cuts, and salads are also on offer, or you might settle for a "gourmet sandwich" stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, anchovies, and mortadella. The restaurant is open for breakfast, too. Many of the ingredients used are for sale in the small delicatessen counter inside, where there are a few tables in addition to the ones on the pavement.

Following a Slow Food philosophy, this restaurant strives to be a typical Sicilian neighborhood destination in every sense, with a scene set by vintage tables, chairs, chandeliers, and a plethora of lace. In the morning, you'll find just-from-the-oven breads, pastries, fresh-squeezed juice, and goat's milk yogurt at the front counter while the restaurant's main menu pays homage to the area's distinct culinary traditions, such as donkey steaks or donkey mortadella, pastas with anchovies and breadcrumbs, and macco soup from fava beans. There's also a small bodega (putia) that sells ingredients from the producers they use.

At this traditional restaurant located on a side street near the main piazza, you can sit on a tree-lined patio overlooking the sea or in the white-walled dining room and munch on free panelle (chickpea fritters) while waiting for your main dish, which will be served tableside, spooned from the cooking pots to your plate by the friendly staff. The fresh pastas and couscous are exemplary, and there are also a few seafood mains (tuna and baccalà often) and a glut of meat (lamb, beefsteak, and veal).

Located on the spit of land between Ganzirri Lake and the sea, this earnest little trattoria serves the freshest fish possible. A young chef, Gaetano Borgosano, has taken over the restaurant, which has been around since the 1960s, and has smartly kept its iconic dishes, such as fried mussels (stuffed with breadcrumbs and fried on the half shell) and fish meatballs in a Messinese ghiotto (sauce of tomatoes, capers, and celery) while introducing his own updates such as swordfish agrodolce. The menu is merely a guide, as the waiter will bring a platter of fresh fish to your table so you can choose from the daily catch.

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.

This family-run fish restaurant shaped like a fishing boat was made famous by its frequent appearances in the Inspector Montalbano novels. There is a daily fixed menu comprising mixed Sicilian antipasti, three "tastes" of pasta, and then a choice among deep-fried calamari, roasted prawns, or grilled sea bass or bream. Desserts usually include cannoli, gelato a pezzo (an old-fashioned slice of ricotta, pistachio, and chocolate ice cream), and lemon granita. Across the road, a papier-mâché figure of Camilleri has been placed at a desk, ready for selfies.

Restaurants line the Aci Trezza seafront, and you honestly can't go wrong with any of them, but Graziano is especially known for its excellent selection of fresh seafood. The pastas are quite good, as are the whole fish preparations (you can see the available catch on ice in the corner of the dining room), but the standout here is the mixed antipasti selections of both raw and cooked seafood. The abundant crudo platter—piled with salmon, tuna, sea urchin, scampi, and gamberi rossi—feels like the centerpiece of a Bacchanal feast.

This traditional fine-dining eatery occupies a cozy-but-elegant space on an unheralded piazza in the historic city center. The seasonally changing menu offers fixed-price osteria fare based on seasonal ingredients, which you can order à la carte or on tasting menus (land, sea, or vegetarian). Local seafood is a big draw, and the house-made pastas won't disappoint, especially when paired with a selection from the extensive wine list. Reserve ahead for al fresco dining at one of the tables in the piazza.