Restaurants and Bars

A gastronomic overview of Palermo

The Sicilian culinary tradition is saturated with fragrant products, flavours that are the right mix between the sea and the land, just like the geographic make up of the island. Sicily was conquered and influenced by many different races and this can be seen in the large number of dishes (full of spices, various aromas and produce) that are found here. All the many conquering people have left their indelible artistic signs on the city, and have deeply influenced the countryside with their cultivation, leaving traces of themselves in the customs and ways of life that can be seen in our cuisine, especially in the sweets and desserts, known throughout the world eg cannoli and cassata. The importance of such “humble” ingredients above all greens and vegetables, but also fish, are seen in the famous dishes based on sardines, grain, aubergines (eggplant), potatoes and swordfish.

There are many restaurants and inns situated close to the sea and their main dishes are ones that are based on seafood such as the extraordinary spaghetti alle vongole (clams) or with mussels, ricci, grilled fish and seafood. Places such as Al Gabbiano, La Barcaccia, Da Totuccio in Mondello and Il Delfino, L'Ancora and Le Tre Lampare in Sferracavallo will offer you the delights of the sea. In traditional restaurants in the city, you can definitely try typical recipes at the following places: Ai Vecchietti di Minchiapititto close to Teatro Politeama, Al Pagliaio, Casa del Brodo, Cotto a Legna, Macco, Villa Giuditta and Villa Virginia, and “locali” of a certain standard class, such as Il Crudo e il Cotto and La Fenice in the splendid Piazza Marina.

A particular mention should be made of the eateries where it is possible to choose an exclusively vegetarian menu, such as Il Giardino dei Melograni, Il Mirto e la Rosa and Tulìp.

Those who would like to try a little haute cuisine, (paying prices that are “haute” too!) should opt for one of the elegant restaurants such as the Charleston in Mondello, Lo Scalino del Cardinale and Gourmands in Via Libertà. There are also restaurants in several of the city's refined hotels, such as Villa Igiea and the Astoria Palace Hotel.

There are now several restaurants in the city where diners can try a little ethnic cuisine: Tunisian food at Mensa del Popolo and Al Duar; Chinese food at Shangai and Hong Fu; Indian at Indian House; Brazilian at Birimbao; Greek and Spanish at Medit and French food at La Brasserie.

If you want to eat well, without spending lots, there are many pizzerias, all with wood fuelled ovens, both in the city and in the province. You can also try a wide variety of antipasti made from traditional ingredients, our national dish in all flavours and shapes available. Value for money, speed, as well the courtesy of the staff mean that the pizzerias are very popular with people at the weekend, so that large groups should book in advance. The most famous pizzerias, (famous for its ingredients as well as the skill of its pizza makers) are: Pizzeria Bellini close to the theatre of the same name, the New Express Garden adjacent to the Crazy Bull pub, the Pizzeria Italia close to Teatro Massimo, La Bracieria, U' Strascinu, La Carbonella, La Staffa, Naif and La Cascina, on Viale Regina Margherita, which links Palermo and Mondello, Villa Pensabene, situated in a rustic farmhouse near to the Velodromo Borsellino and the Baia dei Fenici in Santa Flavia.

There are some specialities which deserve a mention: these delights are simple but tasty, good value for money and wonderfully satisfying, just right for a snack or for a meal with a difference: focacce, or rolls flavoured with spleen and bulls lungs fried in pig's lard, which you can try at Antica Focacceria di San Francesco .Panelle, fried rectangles of chickpea flour of Arabic origin and arancini with meat or with butter, can be tried at Bar Alba, or at Bar Touring, situated in front of Villa Giulia.