Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in Noto - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Under the atmospheric arches of Chiesa di San Carlo's 1700s-era crypt, renowned chef Salvatore Vicari's food ethos is all about deceptively simple yet sophisticated combinations of the finest Sicilian ingredients. Let the wonderful waitstaff guide you through the changing seasonal menu of high-end takes on local pasta, meat, and seafood dishes.
For the tastiest snacks head to this neighborhood bakery for a selection of traditional savory bites and focaccia. Pack a picnic, and embrace your carb cravings with their fresh bread and dolci delights such as ricotta-filled nfigghiulate, nutty 'n' fruity tortini, and raisin- or chocolate-dotted paninetti buns.
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.
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.
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.
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.
