Palermo & West

Excellent address for its various fresh fish specialities that are brought to you on a tray to choose them. If the door is closed, don't hesitate to knock! Beautiful terrace on the via Emanuele prohibited to cars. Reservation required in high season. Very nice Sicilian and international wine list. The establishment also has rooms for rent.

"Panineria et arancineria del mare", displays the sign. But késaco? Sicilian street-food craziness made with local fish. Burgers with cuttlefish ink bread overflowing with crispy octopus with salad and dried tomatoes, or with swordfish for those who prefer white fish, burgers with tuna, a speciality of the island, with shrimps from Mazara di Vallo, arancini with cuttlefish ink, octopus, red mullet stew, tuna, with peas and mint, sardine, with fennel and pachino tomatoes. The list of festivities is long.

Chic restaurant with a designer interior and gourmet dishes. Light and creative dishes using local produce but with sophisticated aesthetics and preparation techniques. You can try a ceviche of fish and prawns, or a poached egg with truffle and parmesan cream in antipasti, or a baccalà a sfincione, a revisited Messina recipe, with fresh cod, anchovy tomato, oregano and caciocavallo cheese. A very good and rather expensive address.

Top-quality meat, wriggling fish in the window, antipasti all more appetizing one than the other: the strong points of this restaurant are numerous. Opened in 2018, it is very dynamic and offers a wide range of tasty fish dishes, starting with the famous local couscous or clam pasta with pistachio pesto. Original and appetizing no? The setting is pleasant, with exposed rough stone walls, a few pictures on the wall and modern but sober furniture. Very nice compositions of plates.

What a good address with extended opening hours just a stone's throw from the port of La Cala! In this restaurant, which offers a handful of tables inside and as many on the terrace, the atmosphere is unpretentious. Here you can taste the famous pasta fritta, the Sicilian pasta recipe that is fried like a doughnut: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The house offers other specialities, especially pizzetas to fall on the floor, and other popular fried foods: arancino, bruschetta, caponata.... All the local street food for a few euros.

If you get tired of social life, you can always stop for dinner in the small port of Sferracavallo, less chic than Mondello, but renowned for its excellent fish restaurants. Well known to Palermitans, this address without fuss offers a menu of fish and seafood with a dozen choices in all for antipasti, primi and secondi, no more, but all at a low price. It is copious, very warm and appreciated by the locals.

The fish under all its bones and in all sauces! As everywhere in Trapani but with a special mention, fish couscous is a great classic here. This (very touristy) restaurant offers a considerable choice of sea antipasti but also dishes based on grilled fish or fried seafood. The service is certainly a little long, but the quality justifies it. And then the room is not unpleasant, one would think one was in a mountain chalet with pine chairs and benches, red gingham cushions and panelling on the wall... confusing!