Cucina Papoff

Frommer's Review

With a name like "Papoff's Kitchen," you'll think you've landed in Bulgaria. The restaurant is named for its Bulgarian founder, but this friendly little trattoria actually serves some of the most traditional of all Sicilian dishes. The setting is an atmospheric 18th-century building with stone vaulting in the heart of Palermo, near Via Libertà and Politeama Piazza, just a few steps from the newly restored Teatro Massimo.

The basic recipes remain pretty much the same as they were 200 years ago. It was here that we became addicted to maccu, a creamy fava-bean soup flavored with wild fennel. We also fell for batter-fried cardoon florets with the nutty taste of the artichoke bottoms (only better). The stuffed radicchio is Palermo's best, as is the exquisite rabbit in red-wine sauce. You'll also see all those soul-food specialties that warm a Sicilian's heart, including arancini di riso (stuffed rice balls), potato croquettes, and caponata (eggplant salad). Although the wine carte has a number of European and even American selections, opt for one of the rare Sicilian vintages that are almost never found beyond the island's shores.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Back to Top