13 Best Restaurants in Sicily, Italy

Even on rainy days (which admittedly there aren't many of), the sun seems to shine bright here. You can order what is, arguably, the best granita in the Catania area; the pistachio is so creamy you'll swear it has added dairy. The blood orange highlights the robust flavor of the local citrus while the lemon is refreshingly bright, sweet, and tart; and the chocolate is dark and rich. Area residents pop in to have granita with warm brioche for breakfast, lunch, or as an afternoon snack (yes, granita counts as lunch).

Stop here to sample every Sicilian sweet imaginable, from freshly made cannoli and biscotti to marzipan confections and gelato. The bar-pasticceria is a local favorite breakfast spot, as evidenced by the crowds who fill the outside terrace, consuming great coffee with their cornetti or brioche with granita. 

Just steps away from Quattro Canti and the cathedral, this smart snack stop has everything you could want to accompany a break from sightseeing: panini, house-made pastries and biscuits, ice cream, and good coffee. There are tables in the picture-hung interior and out on the pavement, and pastas, pizzas, and salads are also served if you want something more substantial.

Dive right into the hustle and bustle of Catania at Caffè del Duomo, which has handmade cookies and cakes and a great local atmosphere. The piazza-front location is the main draw, but the fantastic cannoli are another reason to stop for coffee and watch the world go by. Avoid their restaurant food, though. 

It's worth a visit for the sheer wow factor when you walk in and see the long pastry cases filled with every Sicilian delicacy you can imagine. Since 1962, they've been supplying the Catanesi with their daily raviola fritta (a fried pastry stuffed with sweetened ricotta) and short pulls of espresso. At aperitivo, order a drink and your table is instantly filled with a cornucopia of arancini, pizzette, potato croquettes, nuts, and chips.  

One of the very few places to eat in Aidone, this is a simple bar just down the hill from the museum. The welcoming owner makes great coffee and fills cornetti to order with chocolate, custard cream, jam, or ricotta.

This is a great spot for breakfast and popular with locals. Stand at the bar for your caffè fix, or pay extra to sit outside and savor a traditional Sicilian breakfast of granita and sweet brioche. 

In Aci Castello, your granita go-to is Caffè & Dolcezza. Their pistachio flavor is exceptionally good, creamy and studded with bits of ground pistachio. They also serve a wide variety of local pasticceria specialties, both sweet and savory. Don't miss the crispelle di riso, the local version of zeppole, made with rice. They're fried to order and then drizzled with orange blossom honey.

A local favorite for over a century, Irrera is known for its cassata, pignolata (little balls of sweet fried dough held together by honey or chocolate), and filled-to-order cannoli. Grab a spot on the outside terrace to sate your sweet tooth and do a little people-watching. 

The lively Pasticceria Savia makes superlative arancini with ragù. Or you could choose cannoli, granita, or other snacks to munch on while you people-watch from one of the streetside tables just opposite Villa Bellini.

Delicious ice creams—and the granita di mandorla (almond granita), available in summer—make for a must-try treat.

No marzipan devotee should leave Taormina without trying one of the almond sweets—maybe in the guise of the ubiquitous fico d'India (prickly pear) or in more unusual frutta martorana varieties—at Pasticceria Etna. A block of almond paste makes a good souvenir—you can bring it home to make an almond latte or granita.

On your way to the Archaeological Park, stop in at this bar-cum-pasticceria for some great Sicilian cakes and ice cream. It's popular with the locals, so you may have to line up for your cakes during holiday times.