5 Best Restaurants in Siracusa and the Southeast, Sicily

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).

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.  

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.

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.