The 14 Sicilian Specialties You Can't Miss (and Where to Find Them!)

Are you hungry? Great timing: here are the 14 must-try Sicilian specialties to discover during a trip to this wonderful Italian island... Buon appetito!

The quintessential summer breakfast: a nice refreshing granita (flavors include lemon, strawberry, chocolate, or almond) topped with fresh cream and served with a brioche: a real treat!

A good spot: the café in the main square of Castelmola: the servers are neither quick nor overly friendly, but their almond granita and the view definitely merit a little break!

Find accommodation to spend the evening and night in the stunning setting of Castelmola on Booking (unfortunately not found on Agoda).

Sample cheeses, hams, and other charcuterie in a salumeria, a quaint little restaurant that offers a menu with charcuterie, pasta, and finally, meat. The meal concludes with cookies and digestives: grappa, nocciole (hazelnut: very good!) and amaro. Sicilian families gather to enjoy these convivial meals on Sundays.

A good address: Salumeria del Casale, Floresta (via Umberto 1°, 130).

Find accommodations in Floresta on Booking or on Agoda.

How can we talk about Italian cuisine without mentioning pasta? There is no shortage of typical Sicilian pasta dishes: alla norma (macaroni with tomato, fried eggplant, salted ricotta, and basil), alla palermitana (tomato sauce, breadcrumbs...), alla siracusana, alla siciliana...

A good spot: Via Stracina in Giardini-Naxos, the restaurant is right next to the Sikelia café.

Everyone knows pizza, but who knows about pizzolo? This stuffed pizza, hearty and can be savory or sweet (with pistachios, chocolate...).

A good spot: the pizzoleria in Catania, at the corner of Garibaldi Street and Auteri Street.

Find a hotel in Catania on Booking and on Agoda.

When you think of Italy, you think of pizza! Our friends promised us the best pizza in Sicily. I tried the Etna pizza (with fried vegetables), the Norma (also typical, with eggplant and ricotta), and the Capriciosa (ham, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs): I can confirm, delicious!

A good spot: Ristorante Pizzeria Sciaramanica, Strada Mareneve km 2.7 in Linguaglossa.

From the first days of our stay in Sicily, we understood: Sicily = pistachio! We eat it in a variety of ways: in pastries, ice cream, as a condiment in pasta and pizzas, and even in pesto!

Sicily is also famous for its almond-based pastries, like le cestino alla mandorla, but almonds are found in all possible and imaginable forms, such as granita, almond wine...

This pastry with a not-so-Sicilian name is filled with melon jam: a surprising blend!

You may have noticed, ricotta is deeply embedded in Sicilian cuisine, both sweet and savory: in pasta, pastries... A good example is the cannolo, a little treat I would never have tried without the guidance of my Sicilian friends. It's a small fried pastry tube filled with ricotta. Our most recent discovery is the Sicilian cheesecake, featuring... Yes, ricotta! Light and delicious!

An arancino is a large ball of rice, coated in fried breadcrumbs, and stuffed with ragu... Unappetizing? Yet, it's delicious... if well prepared.

A good address: the best arancini are those from the train boat that connects Messina to the mainland!

We discovered this alcohol in the town sharing its name. It is a charming place with a pedestrian historic center and a beautiful market.

Being on an island means eating fish! Fresh and delicious seafood - both raw and cooked - and fish (swordfish appears on all menus) are available!

A good spot: the small cove next to Isola Bella, look for the restaurant Barcaiola, which is located on the beach: in addition to a magnificent view, you'll enjoy the best seafood dishes.

Find a hotel for an overnight stay in the lovely Taormina, at the foot of Isola Bella, on Booking and on Agoda.

A nod to one of our hosts whose favorite fruit is prickly pear. I must admit it was the first time I had this cactus fruit, and I loved it! The seeds surprised me at first, making me wonder: should I eat them? Be careful, don't try to open one yourself, you need gloves to avoid those invisible thorns in your fingers. Fruit vendors will do the hard work for you.

And let's end with the best dessert: gelato! This treat can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and Sicilians often finish their summer evenings by visiting the local Gelateria. There are ice cream vendors everywhere! You can enjoy these delicious treats in a cone, in a small cup, or in a brioche bun. My favorite flavor has to be one I discovered on the island: amaretto ice cream, which is an absolute must-try!

A good address: l'Isola del Gelato, via Tysandros, just near Hotel Touring in Giardini Naxos

Find a hotel in this charming, not-too-large town for the evening on Booking and on Agoda.

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