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We've compiled the best of the best in Sicily - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
To enhance a postprandial passeggiata along one of Palermo's main strolling thoroughfares, make a stop at this modern gelateria to pick up one of its exceptional gourmet ice creams. The flavors change with the seasons, but you should find the tangerine sorbet that bursts with sweet citrus tang and the classic cannolo siciliano available year-round.
Amiable Antonio's beguiling bistro is all about quality Sicilian seasonal ingredients combined in creative dishes that excite the senses. Book a table in the stylish coved-ceiling contemporary dining room or plant-fringed terrace, and dive into one of the exquisite antipasti medleys, focusing on either "mare nostrum" (sea) or "terra nostrum" (land).
Agrigento's finest ice-cream parlor creates memorable versions of key Sicilian favorites such as pistachio, almond, and cassata, along with a superb "pecorino" made with fresh sheep's milk ricotta. Besides the famous gelato, there's a great selection of pastries, the most popular being the cannoli. Those looking to cool down can order a cocktail and take in the view of the city from the terrace.
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).
Gabriella Cicero's one-stop restaurant and gourmet food shop delvers a plethora of Sicilian slow-foodie delights, from scrumptious street-food scaccia and panelle staples to an exquisite, superb-value tasting menu foregrounding Sicilian produce and culinary history. Under the stylishly adorned stone vaults of the centuries-old Palazzo Diquattro, diners dive into classic seafood spaghetto taratatatà (with tuna roe, almonds, and lemon), then the unmissable chocolate-glazed pork collar with artichoke and potato purée. The wonderful staff expertly match wines from the extensively-stocked cantina.
There's a regular trickle of locals to this gelateria conveniently located opposite the hydrofoil port. Most opt for the local favorite: ice cream in a brioche with a couple of wafer biscuits poking out. But it's not just the creamy and tangy ice creams that pull in the crowds; there are also delicious granitas, cakes, and desserts on offer, including a delicious semifreddo cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries or blueberries. There's limited seating outside, and it stays open late.
Set on a big square in Piazza Armerina that hosts the town’s weekly market, this is one of the very few pasticcerias that continue to make their own cornetti—light, delicious, and filled to order with custard cream, ricotta, jam, or chocolate. Other delights include iris (a deep-fried doughnut ball filled with chocolate) and krapfen (a doughnut ring filled with custard cream). There is a small covered terrace outside.
In the picture-perfect medieval town of Randazzo, high on the northern side of Etna, this generations-old bakery sits at the foot of the basilica in Piazza Santa Maria. Now run by Giovanna, the daughter of Santo, the pasticceria is especially known for its exceptional gelato and granita, which are made with all-natural products, with no artificial bases, colors, or flavorings. Look for an upgrade to the tastes you already know and love, such as rich and creamy pistachio gelato studded with orange zest and candied pistachios. Or try a seasonal granita with flavors informed by the wares of local farmers, such as wild mulberry, yellow raspberry, apricot, or prickly pear.
In the Sicilian food world, the name Giuseppe Arena is synonymous with sweets. He's a maestro gelatiere (master gelato maker) who specializes in artisanal gelato, sorbet, and granita, working with fresh fruits of the season and products from the region, such as hazelnuts from the nearby Nebrodi mountains. He made his first granita at age seven with his grandfather, and through a series of competitions has been called one of the best gelato makers in Italy.
Palazzolo Acreide has become a bit of a food town in recent years, and this blink-and-you-miss-it spot, housed in an ancient grotto off the main street, is a big part of that. The family-run restaurant offers house antipasti big enough to share, a short menu of high-quality entrées, and great-value tasting menus.
For a cornucopia of baked goods, the Lamonica-Ricciardello family operates the best-value bet in Capo d'Orlando. There's no seating, so it's takeaway only, but you can feast your eyes and salivary glands on a bountiful choice of sweet treats like brioche and various biscotti, both soft and hard, as well as savory bites—including arancini and pizzette.
This pastry shop, set on a pretty little piazza, is run by the sister of the town's most famous baker-nun, Maria Grammatico, and sells similar delectable treats.
Throughout Sicily there are fierce arguments about who makes the best granita, and everyone has an opinion. But for many Messinese, the end of the discussion is Bar del Sud, a neighborhood favorite since 1968; their dairy-free granita is spectacularly creamy and resembles gelato in its consistency. Sit at one of the tables on the narrow sidewalk or order directly from the counter.
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.
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.
When you need a break from the architectural eye candy, indulge in an edible sweet (and a restorative coffee or granita) at this wondrous cake shop. Their cannoli, biscotti, and gelato are particularly highly rated and considered some of the best in the country.
Bronte is the land of pistachio, and the best place to get your fix is here at Luca. You'll find perfect pistachio gelato (notably more gray than green, which means it's made with real pistachios) and every type of pastry that's possible to top with crushed pistachios or fill with pistachio cream (imagine Nutella, but made of pistachios). There's also a small display case that's stocked with things you can buy to take home, from whole shelled pistachios and pistachio flour to pistachio pesto and spreadable cream.
Opened in 1953, Castelbuono's fanciest pasticceria has become world-famous in recent years for its panettone (and also for its collaborations with Dolce & Gabbana). Sample the indulgent panettone on the tables set up outside, and then have a coffee, pastry, ice cream, or small savory-filled croissants. The pricey panettone, sold in fancy tins, can be purchased here and in a retail shop across the road, which also stocks honey, chocolate, torrone nougat, and mountains of other merch.
There's usually a bit of a bustle in and around this ice-cream parlor near Piazza della Repubblica, popular with children and gelato fans of all ages. The ice creams are free of hydrogenated fats and come in an enticing range of flavors; popular choices include ricotta, pistachio, and, naturally, Marsala. The granitas, too, are highly rated, and cannoli, crepes, and waffles are also available. There are a few brightly colored tables and chairs in the air-conditioned interior.
Delicious ice creams and granita di mandorla (almond granita) make Eldorado a must-visit when in Acireale. Just steps from the cathedral, it makes for a nice pausa caffè during a day of sightseeing.
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.
For some great Sicilian cakes and ice cream on your way to the Archaeological Park, visit this bar-cum-pasticceria. It's popular with locals, especially on Sunday for a late breakfast and takeaway golden trays of exquisite pastries for lunch, so you may have to line up for your cakes.
One of the most famous pastry shops in Sicily, this modern and capacious place is one of Palermo's best spots to find sweet favorites like cannoli and cassata siciliana. It's also a meeting place for all ages, where you can relax with a drink or an excellent gelato. Pizzas and other snack foods are also available.
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.
Wood lined and unadorned, this family-run pastry shop is one of the best places to try Modica’s signature crescent-shape cookies, the ‘mpanatigghi. These soft cookies are filled with a mixture of chocolate, almonds, and veal, a combination that works surprisingly well. The meat was added to the cookies as a way of making the snacks more nutritious on long voyages. The shop is also known for its delicious chocolate squares that are modeled to look like the city’s cobblestones.
Fans of marzipan will delight at the range of almond sweets on offer here in the shape of the ubiquitous fico d'India (prickly pear) and other fruit. A block of almond paste makes a good souvenir—you can bring it home to make an almond latte or granita.
Fans of Sicilian sweets and pastries make a beeline for this place run by Maria Grammatico, who gained international fame with Bitter Almonds, her life story of growing up in a convent orphanage, cowritten with Mary Taylor Simeti. Her almond-paste creations are works of art, molded into striking shapes, including dolls and animals. There are a few tables and a tiny balcony with wonderful views.
