3 Best Restaurants in Panarea, Sicily

Just off the pier where the hydrofoils dock, this modest little café serves simple pastas, sandwiches, and fresh-from-the-oven sweets. At breakfast, look for warm brioche, granita, and freshly squeezed fruit juices while in the evening, it's a gathering place for aperitivo. Open even during the off-season, it's a lovely place to dine and watch the port traffic while soaking up the Mediterranean sun. 

Open since 1979, this family-owned restaurant is now helmed by son Gaetano Nani whose cooking relies on the offerings of the sea. There is no regular menu—instead, he works with area fishermen to select the freshest fish and frutti di mare from the waters of the Panarea coast, which then informs that night's dishes. Expect fine dining tasting portions that showcase maximum territoriality. Oenophiles will revel in the wine list, which has over 1,000 different labels.

If you're stocking up for a day by the sea, stop in this bakery to fill your picnic basket. In addition to the freshly baked bread (whose scent wafts into the town's narrow alleyways), look for overstuffed sandwiches, arancini, and tender focaccia. And if you haven't already gotten your cannoli fix during your time in Sicily, their pistachio-dusted version is excellent.