Restaurants in Southeastern Sicily
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A
Trattoria La Foglia
An eccentric owner/chef and her vegetarian husband have made this place into something of a cult Syracusan restaurant, but the tiny portions and relatively high prices make the eclectic interior take a back seat. The menu features whatever seafood and vegetables are fresh that day and the bread is home-baked. They also have a one- to two-bedroom flat to rent on Ortygia, its décor in the same eclectic style as the restaurant.
reviewed
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B
Osteria da Mariano
Specialising in the mountain cuisine of nearby Ragusa, with more meat than fish, this cheerful place sets out a river of tables under the lights and balconies of a narrow alleyway, with cosy indoor seating in a beamed dining room. Everything’s tasty and affordably priced, and the atmosphere’s very convivial, if you can forgive the sometimes lackadaisical service.
reviewed
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C
Sicilia in Tavola
A tiny place with a dozen tables that specialises in all manner of fresh pasta dishes (try the speciality of the house, seafood ravioli).
reviewed
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D
Jonico
Inconveniently located but worth the trek or taxi ride, Jonico’s Liberty (art nouveau) dining room and its open-air terrace have spectacular views of blue-green sea and sandstone cliffs, while the all-Sicilian menu features dishes such as tonno all siciliana (tuna with cherry tomatoes, capers and white wine) and orata c’aranci (gilthead with orange juice, orange peel and black pepper). Below the restaurant, the alluring Bar Zen (open 7.30pm to 2am mid-June to mid-September) doubles as a swimming area and solarium during the day, where you can plunge off rocks or lounge under an umbrella all day before retiring to the outdoor deck to sip drinks all night.
reviewed
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E
Ristorante Il Cantuccio
Chef Valentina presents a seasonally changing menu that combines familiar Sicilian ingredients in exciting new ways. Try her exquisite gnocchi al pesto del Cantuccio (ricotta-potato dumplings with basil, parsley, mint, capers, almonds and cherry tomatoes) and follow it up with legaccio di spigola al limone con insalata d’arancia e finocchi (lemon-stuffed bass with orange-fennel salad).
reviewed
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F
Cucina e Vino
One of Ragusa's foremost restaurants, this Slow Food electee is a friendly place with pleasant terrace seating that overlooks the street. The menu is unusual, with things like rigatoni in a lamb sauce or ricotta ravioli in pork juices. The mains are in a similar vein, with stews of pork belly and tomato or lamb and artichokes. Great for a rich dinner, enjoyed with some potent red wine.
reviewed
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G
Ai Lumi Trattoria
Right on the main street, where the passeggiata (stroll) unfolds before your dining table, Ai Lumi is a great opportunity to eat well in elegant surroundings, without having to pay a lot for the experience. The fish soup is a favourite here, and the fish and meat menus offer local delicacies. Enjoy some wine too and watch Ragusa stroll.
reviewed
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H
Solaria Vini & Liquori
The perfect place if you want to buy wine and taste it before you commit, or if you just want to have a bit of a snack and a good glass of wine. It's a small, rustic winery on the main street, with snacks of cheese, olives, prosciutto, anchovies, sardines and other Mediterranean delicacies, and the choice of wine is excellent and wide-ranging.
reviewed
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I Baccanti
This little-sister restaurant to Taverna Nicastro offers the chance to try all the delicious food served in the big restaurant, but at deflated prices. The fresh pasta is excellent, and you can get meaty dishes like rabbit here, as well as fish and seafood. Try some wine too, and if you can't choose for yourself, ask the friendly sommelier.
reviewed
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I
Orfeo
Another Ragusa Slow Food-championed restaurant, this time in the upper part of town. Orfeo goes for the simple Sicilian cuisine that sports seafood and fish, but also likes to offer lamb, veal and pork, and it serves some fabulous sausages with Nero D'Avola wine sauce. The climb up or down to the restaurant will certainly aid digestion.
reviewed
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Fattoria delle Torri
Worth going to only if you're wanting to splash out, this very upmarket restaurant offers food that is exquisite, but small of portion and high on eye-pleasing presentation. The seafood is gorgeous, wonderful when combined with a crisp, dry white wine such as Cerasuolo di Vittoria, and heart-warming broad-bean-and-ricotta ravioli.
reviewed
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Taberna Sveva
This charming tavern has a cosy terrace on a peaceful cobblestoned square, down near the castle at Ortygia’s southern tip. Food is top-notch, all the way from primi -like gnocchi al pistacchio (with olive oil, parmesan, pepper, garlic and grated pistachios) to a delicious tiramisu to wrap things up
reviewed
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K
La Gazza Ladra
A favourite for students and young professionals, this place is as informal as they get, while still making such excellent food that it features in the Slow Food guide. Try the pasta alla siracusana (with anchovies, breadcrumbs and almonds), a local speciality, and tuck into the fresh fish of the day.
reviewed
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L
Gelati DiVini
You’ve never had ice cream like this before! DiVini (which is a play on the words ‘divine’ and ‘wine’ in Italian) makes wine-flavoured ice creams like marsala, muscat and traghetto d’acqua, along with exceptional offerings like rose, fennel and wild mint, all derived from the original plant.
reviewed
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Al Borgo
Right in front of the lovely cathedral, Al Borgo is the ideal place to catch the afternoon sun while you snack on one of the sizable bruschettas, topped with tomatoes, ham, olives or anchovies. You'll be sure to witness a wedding from here, and it's the perfect people-watching place.
reviewed
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M
Il Gattopardo
Tucked away in Via Cavour this hugely popular, unpretentious restaurant specialises in simple and delicious dishes and in the evening everyone comes here for a pizza. Great fun and full of weird African and South American souvenirs - someone did too much shopping on their travels.
reviewed
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N
Il Barocco
Another brilliant place to eat in Noto, tucked into a converted stable block of the Palazzo Astuto-Barresi. The eccentric character of the owner and chef is everywhere - from the graffitied walls (signatures from appreciative clientele) to the spaghetti with limpets.
reviewed
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O
Dolceria Corrado Costanzo
This is just around the corner from Caffè Sicilia. Both make superb dolci di mandorla (almond cakes and sweets), cassata (with ricotta cheese, chocolate and candied fruit) and torrone (nougat). Costanzo is famous for its gelati.
reviewed
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P
La Rusticana
A great budget option that serves meat and fish dishes to a boisterous crowd of loyal locals who come here for the generous portions and the relaxed vine-covered terrace. Try the spaghetti con le cozze (spaghetti with mussels).
reviewed
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Q
Le Baronie
Offering a boisterous atmosphere in an old Catalan-Gothic mansion, Le Baronie prides itself on traditional cuisine with a twist, such as swordfish with a pepper-and-brandy sauce. There is also a pleasant garden dotted with sarcophagi.
reviewed
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R
Trattoria Pescomare
Near the cathedral, the Pescomare serves up a pleasing selection of local fish dishes and a wide range of pizza. Grab a spot in the vine-covered courtyard and feast on the spaghetti alle cozze (spaghetti with mussels).
reviewed
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Taverna Nicastro
With over 60 years of history and a Slow Food recommendation, this is one of the upper town’s most authentic and atmospheric restaurants; the nightly tourist menu is a bargain at €15 including antipasti, wine and dessert.
reviewed
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S
Ristorante Medusa
At this elegant eatery run by an Italian-Tunisian family, the week’s highlight is the Thursday night couscous feast, but it’s worth a visit any day of the week for the delicious seafood-based pasta dishes and mains.
reviewed
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T
Trattoria Archimede
The most authentic restaurant in Ortygia, with B&W photographs of the island as it once was. Three formal dining rooms serve an array of seafood dishes and pasta. The menu changes often so you never get bored.
reviewed
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U
Do Schogghiu
A very basic, family-run spaghetteria that serves up pasta a million different ways, with plenty of agreeable father-son banter in the background. Ask for the free aperitivo offered on the menu.
reviewed
