161 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

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).

To complement its stone-clad dining room walls and lovely outside terrace, this intimate, family-run spot has a fab menu of selected pizzas, pasta dishes, and mains featuring the freshest Sicilian seasonal ingredients from land and sea. Service is warm, friendly, and very accommodating of children.

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.

If it's seafood you're looking for, you'll feel at home at this harborside fish restaurant, where the day's catch is displayed in a chiller at the front. Couscous features among the starters, as does the outstanding busiate con gambero, pistacchio e bottarga (pasta with prawns, chopped pistachios, and tuna roe); mains change daily, but tuna cooked in citrus and the grilled swordfish are usually on the menu. The interior is modern, with small tables and a large glass front, and there's also a terrace for eating al fresco by the water.

Steps away from the Duomo's exquisitely patterned apse, this backstreet wine bar, restaurant, and deli is enticing. You won't be disappointed thanks to the top-quality fare, whether you order a bulging panino, a tagliere (tray) of cold meats, cheeses, and preserves, or a more substantial dish of veal or pork involtini (roulades) or fennel-flavored sausages. Accompany your meal with a glass of wine, a beer, or a cocktail. The interior decor is warm and inviting, the stone walls are decorated with ceramics, mosaics, and hanging salamis and cheeses, and there are tables outside in fine weather. It stays open late, too.

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.

Housed within a hotel of the same name on the outskirts of town, this reliable and refreshing meal stop for visitors to Corleone offers a range of local dishes that includes steaks and seafood. Choose from an enticing array of antipasti and pastas, which you might follow up with a fillet of beef with porcini mushrooms from the nearby Ficuzza forest or a fritto misto of fried fish in a barbecue sauce. The spacious, modern setting and the friendliness of the staff help to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It is located north of Corleone's center, a 20-minute walk (or five-minute drive) from the Anti-Mafia museum.

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.

On gorgeous grounds of the Gulfi winery, this is a tranquil spot for a sophisticated lunch or dinner, with sweeping views of the Chiaramonte hills and vineyards (about a half-hour drive north of Ragusa). Expect Sicilian dishes with a twist in the modern dining room, which features hand-blown chandeliers and black-and-red color scheme.

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.

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.

Following a Slow Food philosophy, this restaurant strives to be a typical Sicilian neighborhood destination in every sense, with a scene set by vintage tables, chairs, chandeliers, and a plethora of lace. In the morning, you'll find just-from-the-oven breads, pastries, fresh-squeezed juice, and goat's milk yogurt at the front counter while the restaurant's main menu pays homage to the area's distinct culinary traditions, such as donkey steaks or donkey mortadella, pastas with anchovies and breadcrumbs, and macco soup from fava beans. There's also a small bodega (putia) that sells ingredients from the producers they use.

At this traditional restaurant located on a side street near the main piazza, you can sit on a tree-lined patio overlooking the sea or in the white-walled dining room and munch on free panelle (chickpea fritters) while waiting for your main dish, which will be served tableside, spooned from the cooking pots to your plate by the friendly staff. The fresh pastas and couscous are exemplary, and there are also a few seafood mains (tuna and baccalà often) and a glut of meat (lamb, beefsteak, and veal).

Located on the spit of land between Ganzirri Lake and the sea, this earnest little trattoria serves the freshest fish possible. A young chef, Gaetano Borgosano, has taken over the restaurant, which has been around since the 1960s, and has smartly kept its iconic dishes, such as fried mussels (stuffed with breadcrumbs and fried on the half shell) and fish meatballs in a Messinese ghiotto (sauce of tomatoes, capers, and celery) while introducing his own updates such as swordfish agrodolce. The menu is merely a guide, as the waiter will bring a platter of fresh fish to your table so you can choose from the daily catch.

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.

Restaurants line the Aci Trezza seafront, and you honestly can't go wrong with any of them, but Graziano is especially known for its excellent selection of fresh seafood. The pastas are quite good, as are the whole fish preparations (you can see the available catch on ice in the corner of the dining room), but the standout here is the mixed antipasti selections of both raw and cooked seafood. The abundant crudo platter—piled with salmon, tuna, sea urchin, scampi, and gamberi rossi—feels like the centerpiece of a Bacchanal feast.

This traditional fine-dining eatery occupies a cozy-but-elegant space on an unheralded piazza in the historic city center. The seasonally changing menu offers fixed-price osteria fare based on seasonal ingredients, which you can order à la carte or on tasting menus (land, sea, or vegetarian). Local seafood is a big draw, and the house-made pastas won't disappoint, especially when paired with a selection from the extensive wine list. Reserve ahead for al fresco dining at one of the tables in the piazza.

Housed in the former church of Sant'Alberto, with some of its old stone walls left exposed, this restaurant (a cut above what you might expect from an "osteria") flaunts its authentically traditional character. The menu shows the same respect for local cuisine, but dishes are enlivened by a fresh, modern approach, including old favorites like caponata, antipasto rustico, creamy risottos, and seafood pastas—all highly rated by locals as well as tourists. Among the desserts, the almond and mandarin semifreddos and the wine-poached pears coated in chocolate deserve a special mention.

One of Agrigento’s most popular restaurants, Osteria Ex Panificio is housed in a former bakery on the main street of the old town. Typical Sicilian fish and seafood dishes dominate, and there is a terrace for outside dining in summer, and a cozy interior decorated with bakery equipment and hand-written bread recipes.

Just a few steps down the cobbled hill from the cathedral, this small and colorful osteria offers simple but enthusiastically prepared meals from a menu that reads like a list of your Sicilian nonna's favorite dishes. Sure, it's somewhat touristy, but for once that doesn't equate with either brisk service or formulaic fare. Whether it's swordfish caponata or pasta with pistachio pesto, the food is usually lip-smackingly delicious—and it's reasonably priced. The rock and roll posters and the guitar suspended over the bar lend a slightly eccentric flavor to the decor, but that only adds to the relaxed and amiable atmosphere. In good weather you can soak up great views from the outdoor terrace.

Run by two sisters, this intimate restaurant in a cobblestone courtyard just before the old city gate is one of the friendliest in town, with creative daily menus highlighting house-made pastas, seasonal produce from the market, and freshly caught fish; seating is primarily outdoors on the patio. As the name suggests, wine is a specialty, so let them recommend a glass or bottle. A sister restaurant, La Tavernetta, is on Via Timoleone.

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.

At this slow-food tavern, conveniently located right behind the Castello Maniace, you can sit back and enjoy both surf and turf dishes in the vaulted interior or—even better—on the outdoor terrace. One major plus is that you can order half portions of several pasta dishes or opt for a secondo, like the unusual pesce in crosta di patate (grilled fish in a potato crust)—all served on hand-painted ceramic ware.

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.   

The bright, elegant dining room with exposed stone is the perfect venue for the culinary approach of chef Sandro Cicero, who creates beautifully simple yet sophisticated dishes. Castelbuono's seasonal produce includes porcini mushrooms and local caciocavallo and ricotta cheeses as well as pork, beef, and lamb, which dominate the list of mains.   

An acronym for "Pane, Mortadella, and Champagne," Pamocha indeed specializes in bubbles, masterful salumi plates, all the bruschetta, and raw seafood towers of oysters, sweet red shrimp, tuna, and caviar. Typically the portions at this glam-meets-rustic café are small, making it perfect for aperitivo or a late-night snack (it's open until 2 am).