Taormina
With seating on an intimate, candlelit courtyard, this coveted nosh spot (book ahead!) is the passion project of siblings Jacqueline and Sara Ragusa. The…
Must-see restaurants in Southern Italy
Ragusa
With an outdoor terrace facing the pretty Chiesa delle Santissime Anime del Purgatorio, Agli Archi reveals a genuine passion for local ingredients and…
Antica Pizzeria e Trattoria al '22
Naples
Despite its pizza-centric menu, loud, familial Al '22 is famous for its parmigiana di melanzane (aubergine parmigiana), baked in terracotta ramekins and…
Naples
On-point Dialetti takes its cues from cities like New York, London and Sydney. You'll find a snug, vintage-pimped lounge corner at the front, a communal…
Catania
Affable Aurora and Carminia run this adorable little eatery, with alfresco tables on atmospheric Via Crociferi. The weekly-changing menu celebrates…
Sorrento
Festooned with garlic and with cured hams hanging from the ceiling, this down-to-earth favourite proves that top-notch produce and simplicity are the keys…
Ionian Coast
Book ahead for a table at what is Santa Maria la Scala's best seafood restaurant. As you enter you'll find the fish counter, where your order is picked…
Southeastern Sicily
A playful, contemporary cafe, pasticceria and providore, Don Tabaré collaborates with high-profile Sicilian chefs and food artisans to offer high-quality,…
Positano
Superbly prepared dishes are served here by the third generation of restaurateurs. The emphasis is on fish dishes, which range from the adventurous, like…
Sorrento
With just six gingham-clothed tables in what resembles a homely front room with the kitchen beyond, this restaurant looks as though it belongs in a small…
Sorrento
Housed in a former monks’ wine cellar, this sophisticated restaurant offers far-from-monastic cuisine. The emphasis is on innovative regional cooking, so…
Cetara
This tiny eating joint in salt-of-the-earth Cetara is barely larger than a studio flat, with six tables and an open kitchen from which the industrious…
Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo
Naples
This takeaway hotspot serves up huge, superlative pizza fritta, deep-fried pizza dough traditionally filled with pork cicoli (dried lard cubes), provola,…
Sorrento
With its striped blue-and-white walls and red-glass sconces, the Marzialino does a good impersonation of a Parisian bistro in the années folles. It calls…
Western Sicily
Formally dressed waiters roll out the day's catch on a vintage wooden trolley for diners to inspect and select before cooking at this perennial seafood…
Syracuse
Seafood-loving locals swear by this easy-to-miss osteria (casual tavern), its white-and-blue interior somewhat reminiscent of a Greek-island taverna. The…
Pantelleria
Enjoying sublime sea views from its turquoise-tiled terrace, the Prince and the Pirate cranks out exquisite pantesco (Pantelleria-style) cuisine, from…
Sorrento
This so-called 'water and salt' restaurant with a dazzling blue-and-white interior is right next to the ferry terminal. Seafood here is worth getting…
Positano
Dining at Max's is like dining in the stately home of an aristocratic friend – a room stuffed with art, statuettes, rich carpets and literary tomes. Not…
Naples
While this place lacks the waterfront views of its neighbours, it also lacks the dated kitsch. Furthermore, both the chef and sommelier hail from Naples'…
Palermo
If you're serious about wood-fired pie, book at least two days ahead at what many consider to be the best pizzeria in town. The puffy, Neapolitan-style…
Procida
Enjoying a quaint harbour view that has adorned many a guidebook, La Lampara looks down on Procida's agreeably lived-in marina from its seagull's-eye…
Peschici
Superb views of the ocean drop away from the floor-to-ceiling windows beside intimate alcove tables at this adventurous and stylish clifftop restaurant…
Trapani
Grandly set on the coastal walkway atop the old city walls, this casual eatery sports brilliant sea views with not a car in sight. Potted plants suspended…
Palermo Region
Seafood shines at this refined, contemporary restaurant. Reserve a linen-draped table and swoon over classic-with-a-twist dishes like fresh busiate pasta…
Positano
Local produce and polished takes on tradition underscore sophisticated Next2. Standouts include the signature conchiglioni ripieni di ragù alla bolognese…
Catania
Clued-in Al Vicolo wears several hats well: bustling pizzeria, gourmet deli and designer bistro. The competent pizzas are huge, with a signature bordo…
Trapani
Fresh fish rules the menu at this fabulous family-run spot two blocks from the port, which markets itself very much as 'la casa del cuscus trapanese' (the…
Western Sicily
For tasty, reasonably priced food near the ruins, hit this low-key beach eatery, rocking it on the sand since 1969. Affable long-time owner Jòjò welcomes…
Western Sicily
Favignana's favourite spot for a romantic dinner, Sotto Sale caters to a sophisticated crowd with beautifully presented nouvelle Sicilian cuisine. Savour…
Naples
Fine-dining, beachside Petrucci excites palates with unexpected takes on Italian traditions. Here, 'lasagna' might mean mozzarella with raw prawn and…
Vulcano
Maurizio, owner of this devilishly good restaurant between the port and the volcano, spent 20 winters in Goa, India. Eastern influences sneak into his…
Sorrento
Casual Da Franco's long wooden tables are rarely short of customers, many of them here for the superlative pizza. Served in tin trays, it's made the…
Naples
A veritable porthole to Sicily, this takeaway stand peddles authentic island street food. Savoury bites include various types of arancini (deep-fried rice…
Cilento Coast
Located across from the beach in the pretty southernmost part of Santa Maria, popular Arlecchino has picture windows overlooking the small sweep of sand…
Palermo
All clean lines, timber panels and tinted mirrors, intimate, family-run Ferro wouldn't look out of place in London or Sydney. Whether you're savouring a…
Syracuse
This friendly, family-run spot made its name serving delicious couscous, but chef-owner Kamel also knows his way around a fish − the must-try fritto misto…
Western Sicily
Just north of the hydrofoil dock, this family-run waterfront eatery is a seafood-lover's fantasy. Chef-owner Peppe Bevilacqua goes to the market daily,…
Ischia
For 80 years lucky diners have been watching the sun set at this terraced restaurant by the Spanish mission–style Soccorso church in Forio. Pick between a…
Modica
In Italian, radici means roots, which is exactly where this polished osteria heads back to. The cheaper offspring of Michelin-starred restaurant Accursio,…
