221 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

Family owned for generations, Cutì Lu Dissi (which means "who told you" in Sicilian) specializes in excellent renditions of Sicilian food. From their lofty open-air terrace just beyond the Porta Catania, you can see the sea below and Etna in the distance. And with a staff that's instantly familiar with guests but always professional, it's the sort of place where you will want to linger until closing time.

Founded in 1910, Filippino is rightly rated as one of the archipelago's best dining venues—and you'll understand why, when you sample the catch of the day on the gorgeous terrace. Zuppa di pesce (fish soup) and the antipasto platter of smoked and marinated fish are absolute musts, but be sure to leave some room for the local version of cassata siciliana, accompanied by sweet Malvasia wine from Salina.

This restaurant claims to be located between heaven and earth, and its hillside perch with sweeping vistas certainly helps make its case. Go for classic Sicilian dishes, such as spaghetti with almond and basil pesto, or a many-layered slice of eggplant parmigiana. 

With a clean white interior and an outdoor terrace in summer, Il Dasa is a popular choice for locals, with something to please everyone. They serve pizzas and gourmet hamburgers alongside delicious and inventive twists on Sicilian favorites. There are not too many places in Sicily brave enough to add a pinch of Sichuan pepper to a caponata.

Located in a wonderful spot right by the beach in Castel di Tusa, Le Lampare has a standard Sicilian-style menu. It specializes in seafood, with plenty of other excellent antipasti, pasta, and pizza choices.

Having relocated to a handsome,1700s-era former vineyard in seaside Lido di Noto, much-loved Manna still serves its famous dishes—from fresh pastas to creative seafood and exceptional daily specials—that bring out the tasty natural goodness of local premium ingredients. Choose from the beguiling cobbled courtyard or rustic-cum-chic dining area mixing stone structures with cool artworks, a stylish complement to the refined modern takes on la cucina Siciliana.

Fresh, flavorful fish and the friendliest staff make this restaurant a great dining option steps away from Vulcano’s port. Owner and Eoliana native Rosanna is passionate about food and everything her land has to offer, something she no doubt inherited from her father, a fisherman on the island. Inspired by her experience in catering and cooking, her family’s roots, and a knowledge of Aeolian cuisine that runs deep in her veins, Rosanna’s cozy eatery offers a variety of traditional and creative Sicilian dishes with an emphasis on raw materials and the freshest catch of the day. 

This local institution, which has relocated to the town's new tourist port area, serves gourmet Italian classics—mainly fresh seafood but also few meat options. It's a mile or so out of town (and pricey), so perhaps it's worth the trip if you crave having some fancy food while watching the yachts of the modern marina location.

Part of a hotel, this restaurant relies on its 180-degree views of the sea to pull in diners, but foodies won't be disappointed. The menu emphasizes fresh fish and local ingredients, and the seafood choices are always beautifully prepared and presented, like the spaghetti cozze e vongole (with mussels and clams) and tuna dishes. The service is cordial and attentive, too. Sitting on the tranquil terrace overlooking the tonnara di Scopello is an undeniably romantic experience—just make sure you specify a table outside on the terrace when you book.

This rustic eatery within a stone building has a varied menu that shows off the best products and ingredients from Polizzi. Some dishes feature grilled and roasted meats including local pork, wild asparagus, and mushrooms. You can also order various antipasti and side dishes, including freshly foraged vegetables and greens.

This rustic mountain lodge is situated right near the popular winter skiing resort area of Piano Battaglia. Open throughout the year, it offers a cozy country panorama, good hearty local fare, and friendly service at very reasonable prices.

Following the slow food approach, this restaurant is known for showcasing high-quality, local ingredients, thanks to a chef who captures the essence of classic Sicilian dishes while raising them to fine-dining standards. The changing seasonal menu depends on local market availability, but there's always the Slow Food-awarded sausage and Val di Noto almond semifreddo dessert.

For a tasty, good-value bite on the hoof, join the queue at this famous Sicilian takeaway chain that specializes in Sicily's favorite fried and baked rice: arancini ("little-oranges"). Choose from 20-odd different fillings and wait for your order, salivating, while you watch the world go by on bustling Corso Ruggero.

Here it's all about the views. Though Etna keeps the eastern side of Sicily from having truly excellent sunsets, this southern point of Aci Trezza manages to have a pretty remarkable vista for the sun's farewell, with the Norman castle of Aci Castello visible across the Ionian inlet. Order a spritz and take in the show. 

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 got a lovely garden setting.

Located just off the fish market, in an alleyway covered by brightly colored parasols, Tantìkkia (which means "a little" in Sicilian dialect) serves little tastes of modern Sicily. Drawing on tradition, the updated twists show inspiration, yet steer far from precious. The lemon tagliolini is bright and fresh; the grilled octopus is softened with a potato mousse, peas, and leeks; and the saffron-scented arancini are stuffed with red mullet. This cozy little restaurant offers a great example of an updated Sicilian kitchen.

A tiny shop mere steps from the Santa Marina port is chock-full of delicious delicacies and gastronomic products from the Aeolian Islands, so you can bring a taste of the Isole Eolie back home with you. But with their selection of seasonal salads, panini, Sicilian wines and spirits, and their outdoor seating, Terre di Salina is not just a one-stop shop for the tastiest souvenirs, it’s also a great spot for a quick and casual lunch. 

This buzzy spot is an ideal destination if you are looking to share a selection of Sicilian antpasti dishes in tapas style, in a relaxed, contemporary, stone-walled dining room. The magazine-style menu has info about the dishes, including Cefalú's favorite for All-Saints Day pasta a taianu, an earthenware platter heaped with oozing layers of rigatoni and a hearty meat, tomato, and eggplant sauce.

With a terrace by Ragusa Superiore's cathedral and a smart and slightly quirky coved-ceiling dining room, this restaurant serves largely simple, classic Sicilian dishes with a few modern touches. After a hearty pasta alla Norma (with eggplant, basil, tomato and gooey ricotta), consider a subtly experimental main like seared ricciola (amberjack) with herbs and crunchy fennel slices and foam.    

Steps from the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, you'll find this cozy trattoria serving traditional Sicilian fare. Be sure to start with a typical Sicilian antipasto—with grilled veggies, mini arancini, and cured meats. The owner's recommendations for the main course are spot-on, and even if you're not overly hungry, the delicious food will entice you to indulge. In the warmer months, dine outside for people-watching as you sip on a glass of Frapatto. 

This café, bar, restaurant, and pizzeria has a daily menu of specials to choose from, including starters, pasta dishes, meat-based mains, sides, and desserts. Your charming and helpful hosts will guide you through the selection of reasonably priced dishes.

Tucked away from the main tourist areas, this local favorite offers an authentic taste of the region with its fresh seafood and a fantastic selection of starters like grilled shrimp and octopus. Beyond the area's classic seafood dishes, local vegetables, including steamed artichoke, are also popular with regulars. The dining room is unpretentious, but the dishes are reasonably priced and packed with flavor. 

Along a road on the way up to Agrigento proper from the temple area, this vaulted family-run restaurant serves up tasty traditional food, namely daily house-made pasta specials and plenty of fresh fish dishes, all prepared with Sicilian flair. Your best bet is to ask the advice of brothers Giuseppe and Simone, the owners and chief orchestrators in the restaurant, who can also help select a Sicilian wine to pair with your meal. Reservations are recommended in high season.

The word "trattoria" usually suggests somewhere casual and even slapdash and while this place has an informal feel, there is nothing at all lacking in the level of service or the quality of the food. Dating back to 1963, the place has a classic feel, as reflected on an extensive menu that focuses on fish (there's a display of what's on offer as you come in), but also includes very acceptable versions of old favorites such as lasagna, couscous, escalopes in Marsala sauce, and, for dessert, cassata siciliana. Also noteworthy are the tasty busiate garibaldine, local pasta prepared with pistachio paste, red prawns from Mazara del Vallo, and burrata. Tables are distributed In a series of well-lit rooms with wooden beams, arched doorways, and white walls adorned with portraits of the hero of Italian independence to whom the place is dedicated. Locals come here in droves, often with families in tow.

Locals flock to this elegant, modern restaurant down by the port, whose white walls are embellished with the colorful ceramics for which Sciacca is renowned. Seafood is the top choice (you'll see what's available as you enter), served in basically every form, from zuppa di cozze (mussel soup) to squid ink pasta, grilled calamari, and red prawns from Mazara served on the skewer. There are fixed-price menus and a long list of reasonably priced wines.

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, but your best bet 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 rustic restaurant promises good home-cooked meals in a cozy and friendly atmosphere. It is housed in a typical Sicilian trattoria, with a very casual and relaxed ambience. The menu has the usual appetizers, pasta dishes and mains, and wood-fired pizza—all very generous servings at a very reasonable price.

Chef Luca Casablanca is like a character out of a Sicilian storybook. Full of personality and endlessly dedicated to the showcasing the food of his native land, he adheres to the Slow Food philosophy more than anyone else in Taormina. There are very few tables at this intimate little trattoria down a narrow staircase off Corso Umberto, so it's highly recommended to reserve ahead of time.

Specializing in regional Sicilian cooking, this intimate little trattoria focuses on meat with a wide selection of certified Angus, Sicilian, and Wagyu beef, donkey steaks, sausages, and meat involtini. You can shop the meat locker to choose your cut. Start the meal with the nduppa puttusu appetizer, which includes 10 different typical dishes, including parmigiana, caponata, arancini, chickpea salad, and sweet-and-sour yellow pumpkin.

An amicable beach bar-restaurant right on the harbor at Marinella di Selinunte, Tukè is ideal for a simple hearty lunch after seeing the temples. They have two daily fixed menus, comprising pasta (they do an excellent Norma), a main of grilled meat or fish, a salad, water, and coffee. If you want a lighter meal, the shared aperitivo platter of locally cured olives, salami, cheeses, and caponata is rather exceptional. In summer they rent umbrellas on the beach below.