13 Best Restaurants in Siracusa and the Southeast, Sicily

If you are visiting the local historic market nearby, this is a singular spot to queue and refuel, although online plaudits have made it überpopular. The owner Andrea and squadra can usually be found outside tempting people with their bulging panini stuffed with cheese, ham, grilled vegetables, jam, and piquant pickle. 

With a scorching urban music soundtrack, Saretta and his young squadra work 8 am till late over the flames to prepare well-priced, simple, and tasty plates of seafood. Grab a seat by the open kitchen or on the cooler street-side dining tables, and order one of their heaped plates, like the fab mixed seafood (squid, shrimp, and catch of the day) and a cold DOC Messina beer.

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.

Pick a pew and sip an aperitivo beside the now-drained river in Scicli, then enjoy small plates that encompass the best Scicli produce. Popular from morning to late at night, the restaurant's seasonal menus feature such classics as busiata pasta twirls with sardines, as well as novel creations like barbecued bacalà lacquered with mustard and honey. Choose a wine from the exceptional list to accompany your meal, and listen to the owner or his staff tell you with pride how everything is produced locally or organically. If you want a reminder of your meal, you can buy some ingredients from the small display at the back of the restaurant.

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.

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.

This small bar and deli is another must-visit spot on the fringes of Ortigia's historic market. You can choose from a generously stuffed panino, a plate of the local antipasto, or a small plate of whatever is in season from the sea. Be sure to visit the deli before you leave to stock on food-based souvenirs to take home.

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.

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.

For simple, homemade cucina povera (simple "peasant" food) head to Concetta and Eliseo's popular place with a rustic dining room and buzzy terrace on Modica's melodious main drag, offering continuous service from 9 to 5. Among their hearty traditional plates, start with their signature hot ricotta, followed by lolli pasta with cottoia broad beans and slow-cooked pork in tomato sauce.   

Vegetarians and vegans will find their options can be somewhat limited when dining in Sicily, so they will be delighted to find Singola, a restaurant that focuses on organic vegetarian and vegan food with Sicilian flare. It’s a little outside of town, but it's got a lovely garden setting.

With a terrace by Ragusa Superiore's cathedral and a smart and slightly quirky coved-ceiling dining room, this restaurant serves largely simple, classic Sicilian dishes with a few modern touches. After a hearty pasta alla Norma (with eggplant, basil, tomato and gooey ricotta), consider a subtly experimental main like seared ricciola (amberjack) with herbs and crunchy fennel slices and foam.    

Book a table on the cobbles by the empty river basin or in the sleek dining room and let talented chef Roberta's inventive seasonal dishes take you to new culinary places. The young, friendly staff are happy to talk you through the seasonal menu of exquisite pastas, fresh seafood, steaks, and imaginative veggie creations.