27 Best Restaurants in Central Sicily and the Mediterranean Coast, Sicily

Simply one of the finest restaurants in Sicily, Capitolo Primo offers an utterly unique dining experience in the graceful winter garden of Relais Briuccia's Art Nouveau town house. Chef-owner Damiano Ferraro is an endlessly creative chef, spinning his magic daily with the freshest of local Sicilian produce. Ferraro is a local who dreamed big and worked all over the world (including at the Dorchester in London and with the Roux Brothers at La Gavroche) then returned home and created this gastronomic paradise in the shabby little town of Montallegro. There are both tasting- and à la carte menus.

Agrigento's finest ice-cream parlor creates memorable versions of key Sicilian favorites such as pistachio, almond, and cassata, along with a superb "pecorino" made with fresh sheep's milk ricotta. The pastries are excellent, too.

This eatery has minimalist decor and young owners who are committed to local produce—right down to listing all producers on their website—without being scared to experiment. The wine list is really interesting, focusing mainly on small Sicilian bottles, and there is also a good selection of artisan beer.

One of the most famous restaurants in Sicily, and one of only two on the island to have been awarded a second Michelin star, La Madia is a must-visit when you're here. Chef Pino Cuttaio is a legend within Sicily and beyond thanks to his incredible talent for creating unique dishes that fuse tradition and innovation, without ever losing sight of the kind of simplicity that allows the brilliance and flavors of first-rate Sicilian produce to shine. There are three tasting menus, as well as an à la carte menu.

Open since 1987, La Nicchia is a Pantelleria institution, occupying an old dammuso and serving typical island dishes made with carefully sourced island ingredients: typically potatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, almonds, and fresh herbs married with seasonal vegetables, fresh fish, and other seafood. In summer there are tables under the lemon trees in a traditional walled Pantescan garden. They also do good pizza, while their offshoot next-door, Dispensa Pantesca, serves a selection of informal light dishes to take away or enjoy with a glass of wine on the roof of the dammuso for amazing sunset views.

This wholesaler specializes in oysters, mollusks, and crustaceans, and offers a tasting room that has become an obligatory stop for seafood aficionados in town. There are 24 kinds of oysters, all manner of clams (including Galician percebes), local red prawns in several sizes, and a tank of lobsters and crabs as well as fresh seasonal tuna. Choose between having your fish raw, steamed, grilled, or a la gratin, and dine in the simple blue and white conservatory while enjoying a glass or two of local white wine. They also make a fine fish couscous (one portion is ample for two people).

Set on a big square in Piazza Armerina that hosts the town’s weekly market, this is one of the very few pasticcerias that continue to make their own cornetti—light, delicious, and filled to order with custard cream, ricotta, jam, or chocolate. Other delights include iris (a deep-fried doughnut ball filled with chocolate) and krapfen (a doughnut ring filled with custard cream). There is a small covered terrace outside.

People from all walks of life, from winemakers and hotel owners to local families, all speak with affection about this comfortable trattoria and its delicious Sicilian dishes. The menu is filled with wonderful pasta dishes with generous use of local ingredients like ricotta, pistachios, and fresh vegetables. It is also known for its lamb dishes and small outside terrace for summertime dining.

This refreshingly atypical spot raises simple Sicilian street food to new gastronomic heights. The exuberant owner, Rosario Umbriaco, has won national prizes for his arancini; try the version with two strata of rice and melted saffron Piacentino Ennese cheese to find out why. He also makes what may be the most divine cannoli in Sicily, frying the tubular wafer in olive oil, rather than lard, and filling to order with cool, fresh, just-sweetened ricotta and candied orange from Noto’s famous Caffè Sicilia. In summer there are tables outside.

The brainchild of La Madia chef Pino Cuttaio, Uovo di Seppia is a combination kitchen, cooking school, shop, and bar where you can buy exquisite fresh and stuffed pasta, hand-made bottled sauces, biscuits, cakes, and other gastronomic goodies to take away. Saturday night is arancino and champagne night, kicking off at 6 pm. Check the website for other events.

This food van, parked at the start of the main boulevard Viale della Vittoria, has been selling pane e panelle (soft bread rolls stuffed with deep-fried chickpea flour fritters) since 1954. If you are interested in other traditional street food, look out for the Grattatella van (ice shaved to order and served in cups with fruit syrups) and U Panuzzu Ca Meusa (soft rolls with spleen, lemon, and ricotta), both of which have no fixed place, but the Grattatella is often in the resort of San Leone in the summer, while U Panuzzo can be found at lots of local summer events.

This tiny café is located right in the square just below Castello di Sperlinga, and is an excellent place to grab a quick drink, panino, or light meal. The bar owner is also very helpful with visitors and acts as the unofficial tourist information office.

This gourmet delicatessen and bistro-café makes a trip to the island’s scruffy main town worth your while (and helpfully happens to be close to the gas station). The Emporio is a showcase for the many artisan pestos, pates, sauces, preserved vegetables, and jams produced and beautifully bottled by islanders, and also has a very good selection of local wines. And it's not just a shop: from May to October, it opens its outdoor terrace for breakfast, lunch, and aperitivi.

This beach bar and restaurant comes with a chef who trained with Rick Stein and Giorgio Locatelli and spends his winters in Thailand and Indonesia, adding a Southeast Asian flair to the spanking fresh fish, seafood, and vegetables of his native Sicily. Il Canaima is far more in touch with contemporary eating trends than many Sicilians, so you'll be happy to find dedicated gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian menus.

This family-run fish restaurant shaped like a fishing boat was made famous by its frequent appearances in the Inspector Montalbano novels. There is a daily fixed menu (€30) comprising mixed Sicilian antipasti, three "tastes" of pasta, and then a choice among deep-fried calamari, roast prawns, or grilled seabass or bream. Desserts usually include cannoli, gelato a pezzo (an old-fashioned slice of ricotta, pistachio, and chocolate ice cream), and lemon granita. Across the road, a paper mâché figure of Camilleri has been placed at a desk, ready for selfies.

A quite subdued place, La Bettola has walls with wooden shelves full of Sicilian wine, white linen tablecloths, elegant cutlery, and service imbued with the ease of tradition. The focus, inevitably, is on fish, with seafood pasta and fish mains, several featuring the red prawns for which Mazara is known throughout Italy. It is largely frequented by locals although in the summer, travelers are attracted to the outdoor terrace. 

This eatery right on the beach at Selinunte is really no more than a glorified salad bar, although it also serves a nice selection of grilled fish and seafood (often sardines). Serve yourself from the delicacies on the center spread; the lunch buffet is very affordable, while dinner doesn't cost much more, often served by the owner whose constant back-and-forth to look after customers has earned this place the nickname "Da Yoyo". As a bonus, there are sun beds and umbrellas at reasonable prices if you want to unwind before the next archaeological bonanza.

Perched on the edge of the Arab quarter of the beautifully preserved village of Sambuca di Sicilia (14 miles northwest of Caltabellotta), this pizzeria/restaurant is the perfect stop for a lunchtime sightseeing break. The menu offers a range of local dishes, including busiate pasta with shrimps and fresh tomatoes; sausages; escalopes with mushrooms; and grilled fish—particularly noteworthy is the fine selection of antipasti. Portions are abundant and prices are reasonable. It's located in a peaceful corner of the village opposite the grand Chiesa Madre church, with fine views over the adjacent valley from its rustic-like interior and the outdoor terrace.

The village of Siculiana is nothing special, but its idyllic location above a golden beach backed by glinting white cliffs is best appreciated from a table at this inexpensive restaurant-bar right on the seafront. Along with the usual seafood pasta and grilled and deep-fried fish mains, there are several more inventive dishes, including some tempting vegetarian pastas and a daily fish soup.

One of Agrigento’s most popular restaurants, Osteria Ex Panificio is housed in a former bakery on the main street of the old town. Typical Sicilian fish and seafood dishes dominate, and there is a terrace for outside dining in summer, and a cozy interior decorated with bakery equipment and hand-written bread recipes.

A cozy place tucked up a narrow alley behind the Duomo, Osteria Scopari is relaxed and buzzy, with good scorched wood-fired pizza, often with inventive and original toppings, and delicious fish and seafood pasta and risotto. Mains, as ever, are grilled fish and seafood.

One of the very few places to eat in Aidone, this is a simple bar just down the hill from the museum. The welcoming owner makes great coffee and fills cornetti to order with chocolate, custard cream, jam, or ricotta.

With a clean white interior and an outdoor terrace in summer, Il Dasa is a popular choice for locals, with something to please everyone. They serve pizzas and gourmet hamburgers alongside delicious and inventive twists on Sicilian favorites. There are not too many places in Sicily brave enough to add a pinch of Sichuan pepper to a caponata.

Inconspicuously located near Piazza Scandaliato in the upper town, Otto serves top-class dishes in a quiet setting that is refined but lacking any airs. The carefully selected modern art on the walls is reflected in the visual care with which the dishes are presented, while the menu shows a penchant for creatively combining disparate elements, such as cod cooked in Marsala wine with dried figs, almonds, and walnuts. Unlike in many restaurants, the chef is willing to adapt dishes to suit diners' preferences, often creating vegetarian versions. The staff is kind and welcoming of families. It's a small restaurant, though, so reserve ahead.

Locals flock to this elegant, modern restaurant down by the port, whose white walls are embellished with the colorful ceramics for which Sciacca is renowned. Seafood is the top choice (you'll see what's available as you enter), served in basically every form, from zuppa di cozze (mussel soup) to squid ink pasta, grilled calamari, and red prawns from Mazara served on the skewer. There are fixed-price menus and a long list of reasonably priced wines.

An amicable beach bar-restaurant right on the harbor at Marinella di Selinunte, Tukè is ideal for a simple hearty lunch after seeing the temples. They have two daily fixed menus, comprising pasta (they do an excellent Norma), a main of grilled meat or fish, a salad, water, and coffee. If you want a lighter meal, the shared aperitivo platter of locally cured olives, salami, cheeses, and caponata is rather exceptional. In summer they rent umbrellas on the beach below.

This cool, relaxed café-bar-restaurant is the hub of Scauri life, and has very loyal local following since it stays open all year long. The menu—written on a chalkboard—is strictly seasonal, featuring a nice mixture of traditional Sicilian dishes and more creative dishes, all focusing on island and mainland Sicilian produce and served on blue-rimmed white enamel plates.