64 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

This place just off the harborfront in the heart of the old town has a buzzy, modern vibe despite the ancient look of the spacious and elegantly vaulted interior. The restaurant is a big hit with locals for its extensive and excellent seafood-based menu, which includes calamaro ripieno (stuffed squid with creamed artichoke, pine nuts, and raisins), torrone di pescspada (swordfish with pistachio, honey, almonds, and orange), and a delicious fish soup, all served on exuberantly decorated crockery from nearby Erice. Everything is fresh and tasty, and the service is efficient but friendly.

An intimate little spot a block from the port, I Ruggeri prides itself on a mix of tradition and experimentation. For example, you might find a savory babà (usually a dessert pastry soaked in rum) made of pecorino Romano. But even the standards are prepared well, such as pasta con le sarde, made with an abundance of wild fennel, toasted almonds, and breadcrumbs. 

The stone building that houses Il Borgo was built in 1942 in a style that reflects the neighboring medieval castle. The cool stone walls and wooden furnishings create a wonderfully warm atmosphere while the restaurant itself is focused on a delicious rotating seasonal menu.

This casual restaurant and B&B is located in an impressive converted Norman castle. Dine in rustic yet elegant surroundings on hearty pasta dishes, meaty mains like slow-cooked pork shank, or wood-fired pizzas, all featuring seasonal Madonie mountain produce. 

As the name suggests, this is a temple to everything from the sea, caught fresh and prepared simply by smiling chef Sergio. Choose from local clams, prawns anointed with lime, calamari, or whatever else that has been recently caught. 

Centrally located on the main piazza in Ustica town, this trattoria's outdoor terrace is a marvelous spot for feeling like you're in the thick of local life while enjoying first-class fare. Seafood is the main feature, of course, on a menu that combines traditional dishes, such as prawn ravioli, with more adventurous juxtapositions, like the antipasto of grilled octopus with lentil puree. Service is warm and willing, and there's a good wine list. It's worth booking ahead in summer.

Just off Via Costantino Patricio, by the far side of the Cappuccini arch, lies this diminutive restaurant. Outdoor seating and an upstairs kitchen help make room for a few extra tables—a necessity, as locals are well aware that neither the price nor the quality is equaled elsewhere in town. Indulge in the lobster linguine, or swordfish rolls with smoked red peppers, followed by one of the many tempting soufflés. Reservations are usually essential for more than two people.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ida Brenna leads a largely female team at this ravishing Palazzo Nicolaci restaurant, which delivers sophisticated plates singing with her trademark detail-driven passion for quality ingredients and presentation. Expect a seasonal menu full of inventive, fresh creations, such as busiate pasta twists with octopus ragù, fermented lemon, and parsley.   

Dine right on the water's edge at this local seafood favorite on the Isola Bella beach. Seafood reigns supreme, and in early mornings you might even see fishermen pulling their boats directly up to the restaurant to make fresh deliveries. It's a perfect addition to a beach day as you can dine on the terrace in your cover-up, no questions asked. 

Run by the charming, multilingual Caterina, Retalbo's a relaxed place in a lane that delivers pleasing plates marrying Sicilian produce with novel sauces and flavor combinations. Book a table on the atmospheric terrace or amid the stone-arched interior, and savor thoughtfully prepared plates like twirly busiate pasta with shrimp in a pistachio pesto sauce, and caponata with dark chocolate antipasto.    

The stylish restaurant ("broccia" means fork in the ancient Sicilian dialect) offers local and regional cuisine in a refined setting. Chef Daniela Cappelli (sister of hotel owner Maria) uses elements of the surrounding Aeolian Islands in dishes that are both traditional and inventive. With an open, airy dining room, elegant decor, and views of the sea in the distance, the restaurant is the perfect setting for a lunch or dinner in Panarea for hotel guests and nonguests alike. It's part of Ie Soste di Ulisse, an association that hand-selects restaurants that represent the Sicilian standard of excellence.

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. 

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. 

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 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.