Food tour of Sicily: all the taste itineraries from west to east
If you are thinking of taking a trip to Sicily to discover the beautiful landscapes and history of the island, you absolutely must know all the food tours to include in your trip!
There are many food tours in Sicily that allow you to immerse yourself in the most authentic Sicily and discover, in every dish, a piece of history, the culture of a place, a millennial legend.
In your journey, from Trapani to Messina, you can taste the enogastronomic delights and the traditional recipes of every place and live unforgettable taste experiences.
Whether it is street food, local markets or starred restaurants, in this article we want to take you to the discovery of the most hidden and interesting taste itineraries, where you can taste fresh foods and the food and wine excellences of the territory.
Here are the best food and wine itineraries and tours in Sicily!
Gastronomic tour between Trapani and medieval towns
We start from western Sicily, which offers an enchanting view of the island. Trapani captures your attention at first glance!
Trapani is a city of art which offers a lot, both for its historical and cultural heritage and for its wide gastronomic variety. One of the specialties of the area is couscous, a dish of Arab origin now widespread throughout the island. Without moving much, it is possible to taste excellent couscous in many restaurants in Trapani such as Antichi Sapori or Tortellino.
An unmissable stop is, without a doubt, the Salt Pans and the Salt Museum of Trapani and Paceco. And it is right here that Firriato Winery welcomes with a wide selection of local wines that any wine lover must absolutely try.
The gastronomic tour continues in Erice, a must stop because it is one of the most beautiful and characteristic villages of Italy, where it is possible to taste any local speciality, from pane cunzato to busiate with Trapanese pesto. Try the ones at Gli Archi di San Carlo.
Sicilian food tours in the historical city of Palermo
We can define Palermo as the home of street food, but in this city it takes just a few steps to go from a simple bakery to a restaurant with a view. Food is part of everyday life and suits the rhythm of every person.
There are many places where you can enjoy traditional Sicilian dishes and fresh products, starting from the historic markets of Palermo such as Vucciria, Capo and Ballarò, where you will be surrounded by an explosion of colors and scents and accompanied by the cries of street vendors.
Usually, right in the markets, you can taste pani ca’ meusa (slices of spleen with salt, lemon and caciocavallo cheese), stigghiola (entrails) prepared on the spot, but also sfincione freshly baked. Just let the aromas lead you to understand where to go!
Speaking of pani ca’ meusa, we recommend you to drop by Francu ‘U Vastiddaru, a few steps from Piazza Marina, where you can visit the largest Ficus in Europe!
Just enter any place to taste arancine, panelle and crocchè, sfincione palermitano and bagherese and typical sweets.
There are many places between Piazza Verdi (where the Teatro Massimo is located) and Piazza Olivella, but also along Via Maqueda that leads to the station. If you prefer to go into the hidden streets to taste the specialties of the place, you can enjoy the dishes and the wide selection of wines of Osteria Ballarò, sure to find many Slow Food presidia of small local companies.
If you want to taste delicious burgers in a modern and friendly atmosphere, absolutely recommended the bottega “sicula” FUD that offers burgers strictly made in Sicily with fresh and selected products at zero kilometer.
In San Lorenzo Mercato, in the homonymous district, you will find a large metropolitan market with ten Sicilian stores that offer traditional Sicilian dishes, from street food to pasta and typical desserts.
Gastronomic itineraries on the slopes of Mount Etna and in Catania
Catania is, without doubt, another city that offers a lot, between historical routes and itineraries focused on food. Even in this city you will feel the strong link with the street food and with the concept of open air market.
It is in Catania that there is one of the largest fish markets in Italy, a colorful and chaotic market just like those of Palermo, where you can breathe all the scent of the sea and it is impossible to resist the call of street vendors who guarantee the freshness of their fish.
The gastronomic tour of Catania takes you to taste the typical specialties of the place as the cipollata (rolls of fresh onions with bacon), the arancini and, for the most daring, the sanguinaccio (a kind of pudding made with pork blood) and the zuzzo (pork jelly).
In Catania you can get lost among the small streets and the alleys of the old town center, to reach the great Piazza Duomo. Just from here you can reach the historic Bar Savia and taste the classic arancino and cassatelle siciliane, sweets filled with ricotta cheese and almond paste. We suggest you to go to A Putia Dell’Ostello, where you can taste cous cous alla norma or horse meatballs.
We are close to Etna and to the many characteristic villages that populate the eastern coast of the island. From Bronte to Nicolosi, you can taste typical local excellences such as pistachio of Bronte and in any variation, from pasta to dessert!
In Bronte, we suggest you to buy pistachios at the Pistacchi Grassia store and dine at Pepe Rosa restaurant for a traditional and tasty dinner. In Nicolosi, you absolutely must try the 7+’s Oro dell’Etna pizza, a delicious pizza with local, fresh ingredients and super size!
Sicilian food tour in the valley of the Temples, Agrigento
Have you planned to visit the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento? This city carries you back to the times of ancient Akragas, offering impressive views and uncounted gastronomic delights and typical products. And if you want to enjoy a stunning view of the temples, while tasting delicious traditional dishes, book a dinner at Kokalos.
One of the typical products is definitely macco con le fave (a cream of fava beans with vegetables and seasoned with olive oil), but also artichokes dishes and cavatelli “all’agrigentina”.
The province of Agrigento is also famous for its beautiful beaches. From Menfi to Eraclea Minoa, and not to mention the Scala dei Turchi known throughout the world for its geological conformation. But if we talk about food, it is worth to reach Sciacca to enjoy a dinner of fish and another beautiful village, Sambuca di Sicilia, to taste the Minni di Virgini or cassatelle di Sant’Agata (shortbread cookies with zuccata, chocolate chips and cinnamon, famous for their shape that recalls the breast of a woman).
Food itineraries in Val di Noto and in the baroque cities
Let’s stay in eastern Sicily to discover the most magical and charming reserves and one of the Italian sites of the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Val di Noto.
This historical, architectural and cultural heritage includes as many as seven baroque towns, Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Noto, Scicli and Catania, surrounded by the Salso, Dittaino and Simeto rivers.
Each of these cities is famous for its historical and natural attractions, but also for its enogastronomical specialties. In Modica it is possible to taste the famous chocolate of Modica, a real local excellence.
Here, after having visited the Chocolate Museum of Modica, do not miss a lunch at the Osteria dei Sapori perduti where you can taste cavatelli with sauce, scacce ragusane (stuffed flat bread) and ‘mpanatigghi (pork and chocolate pastries).
Noto, then, is one of the most fascinating baroque cities where you can enjoy a delicious brioche with pistachio or almond granita from Caffè Sicilia after a walk in the characteristic old town.
Gastronomic tour in Messina and Taormina sicilian cuisine
From one point to another, we have arrived in the most extreme eastern part of the island: Messina. In the territory of Messina, which juts out to the rest of Italy, we discover a really interesting naturalistic and architectural place, among villages, woods and green valleys.
And of course, the breathtaking view of the sea is assured. In Taormina, you can enjoy your seafood lunch or dinner in an elegant restaurant with a view such as St. George or Villa Ducale, or savour delicious street food at Pescetto or Guinness record cannoli at La Pignolata.
After a refreshing stop at Gole dell’Alcantara (the Alcantara Gorges), we recommend stopping by Linguaglossa to drop by Al Chiosco and enjoy pistachio chatter or Bar Le Palme, where they serve excellent Messina torciglioni with cream.
Food tour of Sicily: a journey into taste
Our food tour from western Sicily to eastern Sicily ends here, for the moment! There are many food itineraries to discover and many stops to add to the list of your next journey.
If you decide to plan your next trip to Sicily, let us know if you will visit these places and tell us about other restaurants not to be missed for an amazing food tour. Keep in touch!
Great and interesting page and thank you. If you had just one day with a car and driver, starting off in Palermo, where would you as a food and wine lover go? Any help would be much appreciated PS Not great on touristy places – real deal only!