2 Best Restaurants in Mondello, Sicily

Housed within a landmark Belle Epoque building—originally a lido—right on the beach, this semiformal restaurant offers a memorable dining experience, not least for its broad terrace with unrivaled views of sea and mountains. The menu is strong on seafood, including such dishes as couscous with seared whitefish simmered in a sauce of fresh tomato pesto and almonds, while among the meat choices is a fillet of beef cooked in red wine with a saffron potato mousse. A good selection of antipasti and salads is also available.

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.