Siracusa Restaurants

This place just captures the whole Sicilian Experience, they have a gorgeous garden to sit in, when its warm. And inside you have the whole eating in a Sicilian like home experience. And the food is also just great. They also specialise in local wine, and can advice on what will best suit what you've ordered.
It really is an experience not to miss.

Favorite Dish: They always make me a plate of vegetarian pasta - with whatever is fresh and good that day. Ask what they recommend to eat and the wine to go with it.

This is a place that is just right for watching the sea, the sunsets and eating a great local risotto or seafood pasta. The hosts as well make you feel so at home, take photos and upload them onto their site. It's a great romantic place, but also a great place to hang out with friends and drink a mid-afternoon aperitivo.

Favorite Dish: The seafood spagetti - comes straight from the oven in a swan wrap - and is pretty amazing.

This is a typical small Italian take away pizzeria. Father bakes, mother handles the cash and the son delivers. He also speaks a little English. The pizza are delicious, down to earth, but perfect. There is no room to sit, so you have to take it away. Cheap. Open until 22.00h.

Favorite Dish: The one with spinach was one of our favourites.

Coming from the bus station, on the beginning of Corso Umberto, there is a place in front of the Q8 pump station.

It is not just a bakery (panificio), but at least on sundays they sell cooked meals (tavola calda), from which a portion costs 3,50 Euro.

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We ate really well in Syracuse - the freshest of fish in a palm-tree-planted courtyard; the simplest and most delicious pasta ( just minced sun-dried tomatoes and finely chopped almonds - so good!) at a table set out in the street under a swag of little red lights; ham, cheese and salad bought in the market; strong coffee and beautiful cakes in a smart mainland patisseria; cherries and apricots that tasted every bit as good as they looked and smelt; sweet, crisp watermelon; gelatos to die for. Good wine too, and zingy lemon granitas, morning cappucinos, limoncello and cold beers - where did we put it all?

All great stuff - the flavour of today's Sicily - literally and metaphorically. One place however, took us back to a Sicily that probably only exists in memory. Guidebooks describe Trattoria La Foglia as " delightful... eccentric .... quirky ... homely" It's all those - and more. Here shabby chic meets Nonna in a wacky mix of lace curtains, layered embroidered tablecloths, mismatched china and coloured glass, sculptures, bric-a-brac and menus that look like something the bambina made up for a fairy's banquet . Fortunately, they read like the pages out of a precious family cookery book of traditional Sicilian dishes, honest home cooking that relies on good ingredients, local and seasonal produce, lots of fish and vegetables - just the food Nonna would have served to her family with love and pride.

Favorite Dish: We started with soup - mine was Sicilian zucchini - those long, pale green ones we saw in the market. MrL opted (as he always will, given half a chance) for lentil - both were delicious, and served in bowls that were almost tureens. Great bread.

Stuffed sardines for me, little fish parcels, two sardines to each one sandwiching a herby stuffing, lightly breaded and fried to golden crispness - yummy! I was too busy savouring them to take much notice of what MrL was eating, fish of some sort and he always likes his simple. It was probably still swimming around a few hours before it was popped in the pan.

No room for dessert, just coffee and a walk before bed.

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On our first stroll around Ortigia on the evening of our arrival, I spotted this little trattoria in a small piazza near the castle at the southeastern extremity of the island. We strolled for another hour or so but something about this place kept pulling me back - I just instinctively knew that it would be a great place to eat and I certainly wasn't disappointed. I think I ate the best 'misto mare' I've ever had the privilege to experience and all for 8 euros - I was ecstatic! This was followed by huge prawns which were coated in breadcrumbs and honey and tasted divine. My partner had the biggest, juiciest-looking lamb chops you've ever seen and the house white wine was excellent. There are just simple wooden tables inside and out which don't match and some great jazz playing at the time - it all made for a perfect evening and was not crammed with tourists as it was slightly off the beaten path and away from the main hotels and B&Bs. I imagine this is a place where locals might hang out to escape the throng of people around the Piazza Duomo area.

Favorite Dish: Misto Mare - I don't know exactly which fish were included in the dish but it's completely irrelevant anyway - try it!

You would do well to find anywhere better to eat on Ortigia in this price range!

This place is mentioned in the Rough Guide and since my partner wanted pizza we thought it might be a compromise to our differing tastes as it is a ristorante on one side of the street and a pizzeria on the other. The meal, though, was average - Andy got his pizza and I had 'misto mare' (again!) followed by swordfish. It was ok but I'm afraid I was spoiled the first night after visiting Taverna Sveva where the food was outstanding. The courtyard was a pleasant setting in which to eat but the service was fairly slow and not overly friendly. I wouldn't return as I'd just feel slightly ripped off again.

Favorite Dish: I didn't have a favourite dish as you've probably gathered.

Ever heard of "fried pizza"? I had not.

This place serves smaller, calzone-style pizzas that are deep fried. They are usually filled with ricotta cheese or another kind of cheese I cannot remember.

You can also have another kind of pizza or even some pastas.

It is definitely not fancy and location, on a busy road, can make it a bit unpleasant as the doors will certainly be open. However, it is nice for a fast and affordable meal.
As with all restaurants I have tried in Siracusa, quality of food is good and you will certainly be pleased with the choice you make.

It is also extremely cheap. We paid 27.50 for a meal (4 people).