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Best Dining Bets
Il Ristorantino (Palermo; tel. 091-512861): This restaurant is hailed by some Italian critics for its classic and authentic Sicilian and Mediterranean cuisine. Francesco Inzerillo presents a creative menu based on his imagination, yet also keeps alive his favorite old-time recipes.
La Scuderia (Palermo; tel. 091-520323): Set at the foot of Monte Pellegrino, 5km (3 miles) north of the city, this is Palermo's grandest restaurant, with superb international and Italian cuisine. Talented chefs turn out a tempting array of dishes prepared with market-fresh ingredients and served on the town's prettiest terrace.
Charleston Le Terrazze (Mondello; tel. 091-450171): Located in Palermo's fashionable beach resort, this restaurant serves a better cuisine than that found in the capital city itself. It's housed in a building from 1913. The chefs use the finest ingredients in preparing the Sicilian and international cuisine.
Osteria del Duomo (Cefalù; tel. 0921-421838): Its location across from the town's most famous cathedral is touristy, but this first-rate restaurant is anything but. It's a bastion of some of the north coast's grandest cuisine, specializing in sophisticated Sicilian fare along with a discreet offering of international dishes that have attracted world celebrities.
Casa Grugno (Taormina; tel. 0942-21208): Taormina has never had such a temple of gastronomy. One of the most exciting restaurants in Sicily is the culinary showcase for Andrea Zangerl, an Austria-born chef. His modern takes on Sicilian cuisine and sublime international dishes draw the world to his doorstep.
Le Zagare (Catania; tel. 095-7476111): There is no finer Grand Hotel-style dining on the eastern coast of Sicily than at this citadel of haute cuisine, serving the best of island dishes along with a well-chosen sampling of Continental recipes. The baroque city around it may be in decay, but the good life still holds forth here.
Osteria I Tre Bicchieri (Catania; tel. 095-7153540; www.osteriaitrebicchieri.it): Upon opening in 2002, this quickly became Catania's finest restaurant. Naples-born wunderkind and chef Laquinangelo Carmine has won immediate acceptance with his succulent Continental cuisine. He's known especially for his preparation of Mediterranean fish.
Il Barocco (Noto; tel. 0931-835999): The finest dining in this ancient and decaying town west of Syracuse is at this restaurant, housed in a building that was converted from an 18th-century stable block for a historic palace nearby. Today, it's the setting for excellent Sicilian dishes, especially seafood from the Ionian Sea.
Locanda don Serafino (Ragusa; tel. 0932-248778): One of the finest restaurants in southern Sicily is set inside the cellars of a 17th-century palace. The Sicilian cuisine, based on market-fresh products, is elegantly presented here -- dishes are designed to appeal to the most discerning of tastes.
Ristorante Il Dehor (Agrigento; tel. 0922-511061): In a grand villa of a hotel, Foresteria Baglio della Luna, this is one of the best restaurants in all of Sicily, serving refined Sicilian and international cuisine. Winning rave reviews from the press in Europe, this place will tempt you with an array of fixed-price menus from its very talented chef.
The Best Down-Home Trattorie
Lo Scudiero (Palermo; tel. 091-581628): The capital's finest moderately priced trattoria is set across from the landmark Politeamo Theater. Honest, straightforward Sicilian food is served here at very affordable prices.
Bye Bye Blues (Mondello; tel. 091-6841415): Though the name doesn't sound very Sicilian, this is one of the best places to go for true island cooking. A casual, relaxed place outside Palermo, this trattoria is run by a husband-and-wife team who are passionate about feeding you well from the island's bounty.
E Pulera (Lipari; tel. 090-9811158): For some of the best Aeolian cooking, head here for time-tested recipes and some of the best fish specialties in the island chain, including a delectable fishermen's soup. No one makes a better swordfish ragout than these folks.
Granduca (Taormina; tel. 0942-24983): The most atmospheric choice in this chic resort looks like an antiques store with potted plants. It also contains an alluring terrace with panoramic views. But most people come here for the excellent food and repertoire of Sicilian and Italian specialties.
La Grotta di Carmelo (Acireale; tel. 095-7648153): The setting looks touristy and gimmicky, as you dine in a cave carved into a rock-face wall. Forget that it's constructed of black-lava rock from Mount Etna; the restaurant serves really good food, both seafood and typical Sicilian fare. Much of the fish is brought in daily from the Ionian Sea.
Don Camillo (Syracuse; tel. 0931-67133): One of the city's finest and most affordable dining rooms was constructed on the foundation of a 15th-century monastery. The cuisine of seafood and Sicilian recipes is among the most creative in town. It's a charmer.
Monte San Giuliano (Erice; tel. 0923-869595): In the medieval hilltop village of Erice, the most spectacular in Sicily, you can dine at this undiscovered garden hideaway after making your way through narrow labyrinthine streets. Most of the foodstuffs are plucked from the sea. Some of the dishes, such as a seafood couscous, are inspired by North Africa.
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.
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