32 Best Restaurants in Central Sicily and the Mediterranean Coast, Sicily

In the sleepy town of Santa Rita, you'll find a culinary gem worth the drive off the beaten path. Driving along narrow roads that may be filled with sheep herders, you'll get to Forno Santa Rita, a bakery managed by a father-and-son team who mill regional wheat to make the most delicate focaccia you'll ever taste. They also make pasta from the same organic semolina, which you can buy pre-packaged at their little shop along with other products like sauces, beers, and jams from the area. The bakery has a small dining room and a terrace. It's popular, especially on the weekends, so reservations are a must (send a text or call on WhatsApp). 

One of the most famous restaurants in Sicily—and one of only two on the island to have been awarded a second Michelin star—La Madia is a must-visit when you're here. Chef Pino Cuttaio is a legend within Sicily and beyond thanks to his incredible talent for creating unique dishes that fuse tradition and innovation, without ever losing sight of the kind of simplicity that allows the brilliance and flavors of first-rate Sicilian produce to shine. There are three tasting menus, inspired by the che's vision. Advance reservations are required.

Although Bar Corso is open for 20 continuous hours daily, the highlight is breakfast. This bustling café is filled with locals and tourists having their morning coffee with freshly made breads and pastries. The counter is filled with regional pastries like cucchitelle, a traditional pastry made with almond flour. Those with a savory palate will enjoy the bread made with semolina flour and filled with ham and cheese. Although the inside space is compact, there's a large outdoor seating area where you can people-watch. 

The restaurant in the graceful winter garden of Relais Briuccia's is simply one of the finest restaurants in Sicily and offers an utterly unique dining experience. Chef-owner Damiano Ferraro is endlessly creative, spinning his magic daily with the freshest of local Sicilian produce. Ferraro is a local who dreamed big and has worked all over the world (including at the Dorchester in London and with the Roux Brothers at La Gavroche); he then returned home and created this small-town gastronomic paradise. There are both tasting and à la carte menus. Although more expensive than those at other restaurants in the area, the tasting menus here offer a much more elevated and special dining experience that is well worth the additional cash.

This eatery has minimalist decor and young owners who are committed to local produce—right down to listing all producers on their website—without being scared to experiment. The wine list is really interesting, focusing mainly on small Sicilian bottles, and there is also a good selection of artisanal beer.

The concept of a "home restaurant," where people set up small restaurants in their homes, is becoming increasingly popular in Sicily. A five-minute car ride from Scala dei Turchi, you'll find "A Casa di Donatella," a tiny dining room inside the home of Donatella, a passionate home cook. Don't expect fine dining, but rather a warm home environment where you'll sample hearty homemade pastas and fresh seafood. If you're looking for an affordable and unique experience, give it a try. Reservations are essential, so call ahead (via WhatsApp).

You might not expect to find an ultramodern place to dine within a few minutes' drive of Agrigento's ancient temples. Yet, this restaurant offers pleasing versions of Sicilian classics in a trendy, country-chic atmosphere (think moody lighting and funky geometric tile floors mixed with walls lined with old-fashioned crockery and cookware) and is popular with young locals. The thoughtful wine list offers reasonable prices on local wines and those from throughout Sicily. Weather permitting, dine on the terrace for outstanding temple views. You can make reservations online.

Kokalos pairs Sicilian cuisine with a picturesque view of the Valley of the Temples, especially at night. Fresh ingredients highlight traditional dishes like the outstanding tuna tartare or pistachio pesto pizza with fresh burrata. A terrace offers prime seating, but the glass-walled dining room is perfect for hot days or colder months. Although away from the city center, the restaurant offers ample parking. It's popular so make reservations.

La Bottega Ristorante may seem like a classic hotel restaurant on the surface, but it's a hidden gem inside the Relais Villa Giuliana. The menu, focusing on handmade pastas and local seafood, is excellent, made with refined ingredients and served in surprisingly generous portions. While the price is slightly above average for the area, you'll find the quality of the ingredients and service up to par. Don't miss the home-baked bread served with a selection of local olive oils; the wine list focuses on regional selections. 

Open since 1987, La Nicchia is a Pantelleria institution, occupying an old dammuso and serving typical island dishes made with carefully sourced island ingredients: typically potatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, almonds, and fresh herbs married with seasonal vegetables, fresh fish, and other seafood. In summer there are tables under the lemon trees in a traditional walled Pantescan garden. They also do good pizza, while their offshoot next-door, Dispensa Pantesca, serves a selection of informal light dishes to take away or enjoy with a glass of wine on the roof of the dammuso for amazing sunset views.

Le Stranizze, the city's restaurant outpost of De Gregorio winery, is a haven for lovers of Sicilian food and wine. The upscale menu offers modern takes on traditional arancini made with squid ink and filled with calamari, or a heaping plate of homemade pasta topped with grated bottarga, the cured roe pouch, which is a mainstay of Sicilian cuisine. Oenophiles will love the wine selections from their winery on the city's outskirts. There's a wine for every taste, from a sparkling Grillo to a Nero D'Avola. The dining room is cozy and modern, with outdoor seating during the warmer months. 

Adjacent to the unspoiled Spiaga di Bovo Marina beach, you'll find this upscale beachfront restaurant with a view of the sea and an ample, stylish terrace for alfresco dining. Although off the beaten path, it's a true fine-dining experience with classic Sicilian ingredients like mussels and tuna with a global touch of wasabi or a gazpacho. Guests will find a tasting menu that changes daily depending on the season and market availability. If you're looking for a simpler dining experience, they also feature à la carte dishes like pasta and fried fish. You can make an online reservation (recommended).

Offering an upscale culinary journey in Caltanisetta, this restaurant's tasting menus offer modern takes on such popular Sicilian ingredients as tuna, eggplant, and squash, with delicate presentations often topped with truffles or caviar. This is not a fast experience, so set aside several hours and plan to relax and take in the gastronomic experience from classically trained chef Ester Giacchetto.

Highly recommended by locals, this classic restaurant can be found right in the center of Caltanissetta. Although the menu focuses on seafood dishes, including such classics as red shrimp and swordfish, there are several vegetarian options. The owner takes the time to explain the dishes, albeit in Italian, but she takes great pride in the offerings. Along with a full menu of antipasti, primi, and secondi, the restaurant also offers an ample list of regional wines.

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.

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.

This food van, parked at the start of the main boulevard Viale della Vittoria, has been selling pane e panelle (soft bread rolls stuffed with deep-fried chickpea flour fritters) since 1954. If you are interested in other traditional street food, look out for the Grattatella van (ice shaved to order and served in cups with fruit syrups) and U Panuzzu Ca Meusa (soft rolls with spleen, lemon, and ricotta), both of which have no fixed place, but the Grattatella is often in the resort of San Leone in the summer, while U Panuzzo can be found at lots of local summer events.

Housed in an old palazzo, this casual place has served meals since 1889 and famously keeps a medieval specialty, controfiletto all'Ennese (a veal fillet with onions, artichokes, guanciale, and white wine), on the menu, in addition to a range of slightly more modern seasonal dishes. Choose from a decent selection of Sicilian wines to accompany your meal while you take in the large mirrored wall and local pottery.

This gourmet delicatessen and bistro-café makes a trip to the island’s scruffy main town worth your while (and helpfully happens to be close to the gas station). The Emporio is a showcase for the many artisanal pestos, pâtés, sauces, preserved vegetables, and jams produced and beautifully bottled by islanders, and also has a very good selection of local wines. And it's not just a shop: from May to October, the outdoor terrace is open for breakfast, lunch, and aperitivo.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

A cozy place tucked up a narrow alley behind the Duomo, Osteria Scopari is relaxed and buzzy, with good, scorched, wood-fired pizza, often with inventive and original toppings, and delicious fish and seafood pasta and risotto. Mains, as ever, are grilled fish and seafood.

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.

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. 

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.

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.