21 Best Bars in Sicily, Italy

Tucked down some steps in an alleyway off Via Umberto, the Oliva lounge offers a bit of calm in the city's bustling center. This is where you go to geek out over the impressive selection of mezcal and rhum agricole or go deep on locally made gins and amari. The team here, a trio of hard-core bar nerds, makes all the classics perfectly (like Negronis, daiquiris, and martinis) and uses house-made bitters and tinctures to whip up inspiring drinks.

Although listed as a museum on Google Maps, Spazio Pitta is a vibrant bar and restaurant featuring art from Sicilian artists throughout its space. The art ranges from colorful oil paintings to intricate sculptures adorning the patio with a city view. Sip on a limoncello spritz while snacking on a selection from the antipasti list, which includes delicious arancini, cured meats, and cheeses. Get there early if you want to grab a table, as it gets busy, especially on weekends.  

In the heart of the city's downtown, this always-packed bar has tables that spill into the streets. With an impressive selection of vermouths and local salumi, it's a great spot to go for aperitivo or a late-night drink. But the real draw is the wine program. Don't even bother with the wine list—ask for Antonio Lombardo, a veritable expert with a mischievous smile, who consistently pulls affordable bottles to suit any mood or taste, from obscure natural wines to refined classics. It's a popular spot, so it's best to make a reservation lest you want to be among the crowds who stand in the pedestrian street, drink in hand. 

Atmospherically housed in a deconsecrated medieval church with an underground crypt, this self-styled literary café is one of the hubs of Enna’s cultural scene, open evenings only for glasses of good wine and artisanal spirits while you enjoy its live music and DJ sets.

This knickknack-filled bar has lorded over Castelmola's town square since 1907, and if you manage to resist the pull of the enchanting view on the terrace, you can explore the historic interior to learn more about the village's past. Try the vino alle mandorle (almond wine) from a recipe produced by the original owner more than a century ago, then follow luminaries such as Guglielmo Marconi, Winston Churchill, John D. Rockefeller, and John Steinbeck by signing the visitors' book. 

Don't expect too much from the nightlife scene here, but this decent café comes with plenty of tables outside on the main (and pedestrianized) shopping street, so it's a good place to sit and watch Mazara life pass by. Stop for a coffee or an evening aperitivo, when aperols or Campari spritzes come accompanied by tasters of panelle (chickpea-flour fritters), arancini, and crocchè (potato croquettes).

Truly one of the most infamous places to have a drink in all of Italy, this bar has cozy nooks and crannies on three levels—all decked out with phallic images of every size, shape, and color imaginable, from bathroom wall murals inspired by the brothels of ancient Greece to giant wooden carvings honoring Dionysus. If you can get past the design choices, the roof terrace has extraordinary views of Taormina and the coast, while a limited selection of hearty pasta dishes are served inside.

Founded in 2017 by a Pantescan jazz pianist and his brother-in-law, Birreria Pantesca is the island’s first and only craft brewery. They make five beers, including a summery blond lager, a German-style weiss beer, and Pantipa, an America IPA. More unexpected is the Perla Nera, an Irish stout and—even more interesting—La Zibirra, beer made with a percentage of dried Zibibbo grapes. The latest plan is a hemp beer made with legally grown hemp from Bugeber. Look out for Birreria Pantesca beers in island bars and restaurants or book ahead for modestly priced tastings in their Pantelleria town brewery.

In a neighborhood peppered with late-night bars and restaurants, this slightly grungy bar stands out for its nightly live music—mainly mellow jazz or folk—or more energetic DJ sets. The interior is tiny, but most people hang out around tables in the piazza. A good range of beers, wines, and cocktails is available.

Breathing new life into the San Berillo district, this lounge-bar has a beer garden feel, sitting next to original street art and walls alive with pots of plants. Stop in for a craft beer or a cocktail in the previously forgotten back alleys a few minutes from Teatro Massimo Bellini, and you will also likely be treated to art installations or live DJ sets, depending on the constantly updated cultural calendar of events.

With an impressive menu of signature cocktails, wines, and beers, this is a great spot to enjoy a drink in Cefalù. They serve an excellent antipasto plate as well as casual fast food like panzerotti, panini, fried chicken, and nachos. If you love craft beer, you will find the best selection of local beers around.

When you're ready to upgrade your spritz or Negroni, look to Le Roi. They sling drinks from within the 1929 Vittorio Emanuele III galleria, where the mosaic tile floors and electric Liberty style (an Italian version of Art Nouveau) give historic heft to the inventive cocktails. 

Throughout this bar, located in a former bank, you'll find ceramic heads (all for sale) by Catania artist Stefania Boemi. Legend has it that a Sicilian noblewoman discovered her beloved, a visiting Moor, was already married in his homeland. In a fit of rage, she cut off his head and left it on her balcony for all to see. The next morning a basil plant was sprouting from the head. And thus was born the tale of the teste di Moro (Moor heads). Outside, tables sit in the shadow of the Duomo where locals stop for excellent cocktails during their evening passeggiata. 

This enoteca (wine bar) has a few tables indoors but most people choose to sit out in Piazza Vittoria opposite the grand Art Deco cinema Cine Impero. Apart from a range of wines (including, of course, Marsala) and cocktails, snacks are served—mainly pastas and meat dishes—and it stays open late. Closed Monday, it's open late from Thursday through Sunday, but open only for lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In the backstreets of the upper town, this pub offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, energetic jazz music (sometimes live), and a range of international draft and bottled beers as well as aperitifs and cocktails. Service is fast and cheerful, and there's seating indoors and out. Snacks are available, too.

Hidden away from the crowded streets, this friendly bar serves inventive cocktails, Campari classics, and an eclectic list of spirits in stylish, neon-lit, contemporary surroundings. A menu of cocktail snacks, small tapas, and shellfish dishes is top-notch, and the lane outside is an atmospheric venue for funky live music acts. 

In a garden shrouded in bougainvillea, this cocktail lounge also offers a range of traditional dishes, a small selection of bio-local wine, and quality cocktails focusing on botanical blends. You'll find rosemary-infused vodkas, fennel-scented gin, and cordials made from cedro, a pithy bitter citrus found throughout Sicily. 

Easy to find on the main drag of town, this lively spot is made livelier by jazzy piano playing. Visitors enjoy cocktails, local beers, and wines, and should not be surprised if they get drawn into a friendly chat. Antipasti, bruschetta, and panini complement the drinks. It's popular, so be prepared for a bit of a squeeze.

For a relaxed aperitivo or a lively nightcap, head to this cozy hideaway in the heart of Sciacca. The bar menu includes an ample selection of cocktails as well as "aperitivo" finger food with local olives, cheeses, and bread. If you're lucky, you may run into a live music event. Wine lovers will appreciate the long list of choices featuring Sicilian vineyards and varietals. 

If you want to escape from the noise and bustle of Ortigia during high tourist season, this well-hidden courtyard pub in one of the island's backstreets will feel like an oasis of calm. Sit in the secluded garden and finish off your night with a drink and a bruschetta or something more substantial from the reasonably priced menu.

This hot new cocktail bar by Italian flair bartender star Giorgio Chiarello is the first of its kind in Vulcano (and all of the Aeolian Islands). Sicilian born and bred but spending enough time abroad, Chiarello was inspired to create something unique in his homeland. It's a casual yet elegant spot with breathtaking views between the sea and the mighty volcano. Expect top-class hospitality and mixology and delicious signature drinks made from the island’s most seasonal products. The bar caters to both the VIPs who visit the Isole Eolie and your average tourist who is just looking for some great cocktails and vibes.