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We've compiled the best of the best in Siracusa and the Southeast - 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.
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).
A gracious series of delicately arched stone rooms at Giovanni Guarneri's famed eatery, which opened in 1985, are lined with wine bottles and sepia-toned images of old Ortigia. It's all about the freshest seafood and inspired creativity here: from the historic Radici tasting menu sample for instance, a 1986-classic spaghetti delle serene (with sea urchin and shrimp in butter), or partake in a special from 1999, seared tuna with red and green bell pepper dipping sauces. The wine list and pairings, guided by long-serving Neapolitan sommelier Vincenzo, are extensive and extraordinary.
Duck into this intimate courtyard within earshot of Piazza del Duomo's buskers for unusual preparations and flavor combos like busiate pasta with shrimp in a pistachio cream sauce. Let engaging hostess Michela guide you through the menu and suggest a suitable wine accompaniment, such as the well-balanced white Vinera Etna Bianco.
As the name suggests, this is a temple to everything from the sea, caught fresh and prepared simply by smiling chef Sergio. Choose from local clams, prawns anointed with lime, calamari, or whatever else that has been recently caught.
A short walk from the Fontana di Diana, this quirky restaurant with a cozy dining room and artsy courtyard takes quality Sicilian ingredients and adds a French influence to a changing seasonal menu. One of the mainstays on the menu is tuna lasagna served in its earthenware pot, which has fans worldwide, explains owner Sarò.
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.
Following the slow food approach, this restaurant is known for showcasing high-quality, local ingredients, thanks to a chef who captures the essence of classic Sicilian dishes while raising them to fine-dining standards. The changing seasonal menu depends on local market availability, but there's always the Slow Food-awarded sausage and Val di Noto almond semifreddo dessert.
