Sicilian restaurant: all cities where to eat sicilian food abroad
There is a story behind every dish. A story of resilience, of redemption, of conquest, of rebellion. A story that was born from the desire of young enterprising and courageous chefs to tell it through their flavors and culinary magic.
Can we say that Sicily is a land of expatriates? Yes, the data say so: the number of Sicilians living abroad exceeds 14% of the total number of Italian emigrants, which number more than 800,000. Entire provinces have been depopulated over the years, starting from the early ’90s. Palermo holds the record of the region, with almost 40 thousand residents abroad, followed by Catania. The province with more emigrants, instead, is Agrigento with almost 160 thousand people living abroad.
The most aspired destinations? The countries of Northern Europe, especially Germany and Belgium, and then the USA and South America. Who expatriates? Contrary to the past, in which families emigrated, today it is mainly unmarried men and couples who leave to seek their fortune in other countries or in other continents.
Sicilian cooking has been loved and appreciated also outside the region, preserving traditions, cultures, customs, then shared with the rest of the world through unique and inimitable dishes of the gastronomy of the territory.
In this article, we want to retrace with you the stages of these numerous and intense journeys of taste, with dishes and stories that have crossed the borders of Sicily and have embraced the whole world, from Europe to Australia.
So, which are the cities where to eat Sicilian food abroad and taste the tradition thousands of kilometers away from the land of origin? Let’s discover them together!
Discovering the best sicilian restaurants
From Dublin to Melbourne, from Galway to Tokyo, Sicily has now entered the hearts of many (and also the bellies of many!). Authentic, traditional, revisited to adapt to local customs and cultures, Sicilian cuisine has truly conquered the world. Yes, we can say that.
And it has done so without too many pretensions, with the wisdom, with the stories and with the raw materials that only Sicilian chefs know how to unite and bring out in every dish they create. Because cooking, for us Sicilians, is above all sharing and love for tradition. There is no need for artifice or spectacle, it is enough to mix the right ingredients, prepare them with skilled hands and with culinary techniques handed down for centuries to tell a perfect stranger about our land.
Let’s start this journey by answering one of the questions that many people ask themselves: Which are the Sicilian restaurants near me? Find out with us.
United Kingdom
Our journey starts in the UK to take you on this journey to discover the cities where to eat Sicilian food abroad and the best Sicilian restaurants in the world.
How many Sicilians live in the UK? Well, there are a good two centuries of migration, mostly to London. Fifty-five percent of Italians in the UK are southerners, Sicilians and Campanians. A great exodus that caused the loss of many young people for Sicily but that, in some cases, gave the possibility to the Sicilian culture to be known also outside the regional borders.
We had the pleasure of meeting Michele Barbera, a young man from Palermo who grew up amidst fragrances and tasty dishes and who has moved from working in the kitchen to running his own catering service, entirely dedicated to lovers of Sicilian arancine, the Good Rice (Read our interview with Michele).
But in addition to Sicilian food in London, you just have to travel a few miles to find other delicious Sicilian restaurants in the UK.
Bath, at Rosarios
Already from the name, you can perceive the origins of this Italian coffee bar in the heart of Bath, a beautiful spa town in the county of Somerset, in southern England, known for its beautiful abbey and Roman baths.
This coffee shop, between the Guildhall and the main shopping streets, is inspired by the taste of Sicilian coffee but with the innovative imprint given by Rosario Bavetta, who dedicated the place to his grandmother’s cuisine. At Rosarios you can enjoy the fine ground coffee and seasonal products, but also homemade cakes, Sicilian desserts, salads, soups and sandwiches made with local raw materials, but cooked as tradition dictates.
If you’re not from the area but can’t wait to try this cafe, don’t despair. Because this little place in Northumberland also allows you to buy its ground coffee beans directly online. In Rosarios’ e-commerce, you’ll find several specialty coffees for you to drink, wherever you are, creamy Sicilian coffee.
Kingston, Peppe Restaurant
Peppe, or rather Giuseppe Prestigiacomo, has had clear ideas since 2001. His goal, as he himself says, has always been to revive the true flavors of his land in the United Kingdom.
Thus was born Peppe Restaurant, an Italian-Sicilian restaurant in the borough of Kingston upon Thames, the main settlement of the Royal borough in London. Peppe, as a good host, conquers the palate of his customers with traditional dishes and a full menu.
Here you will really feel in Sicily, pampered by good food and immersed in the familiar and intimate atmosphere of the restaurant, where you can enjoy excellent pizza, pasta dishes (from pasta alla norma to spaghetti al nero di seppia), meat and fish dishes, appetizers and selected wines.
Moreover, inside the restaurant, there is a real food market with fresh products imported directly from Sicily!
Germany
Radebeul, TerraMia
Are you near Radebeul? Then you surely know the street from which the city originated and where the former village of Altkötzschenbroda, in the district of Kötzschenbroda, once stood.
Beyond the unpronounceable names, at least for a non-German, today this street has come to life thanks to stores, pubs, restaurants, museums and art galleries.
And in this lively, modern and lively context there is also TerraMia, the Sicilian store that conquers at first glance, thanks to a window that invites you immediately to enter. It seems to enter a souvenir store, and in fact it is possible to buy Sicilian products, but also to taste appetizers, wines, cold cuts, Sicilian honey and specialty coffees.
Ireland
Cork, Sicilian Delights
There is “a little bit of Sicily in Cork”, as one of the clients of Sicilian Delights wrote when he tasted one of chef Dario Di Giandomenico‘s dishes.
It is not easy to bring traditional Sicilian dishes to a place where tradition is very much felt and local products represent a strong point, but the authentic food of Dario’s cuisine satisfies even the most demanding palate.
It must be said that Cork is also a dynamic, lively and cosmopolitan city. A city that has immediately welcomed Sicilian Delights among its restaurants and among its culinary offerings. You can taste a Sicilian cannolo on the Lee River and really feel like you are in Sicily. After all, Cork is “The Capital of the South“. Want to know more? Have a look at this amazing video by our friend The Sicilian Wanderer.
Dublin, Dolce Sicily
And speaking of capitals, how can we not continue our journey by stopping in Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland? The cosmopolitan city par excellence, praised by poets, musicians and writers, and where among pubs, cafes and stores we come across Dolce Sicily, the Sicilian pastry shop where you can breathe the sweetest and most authentic Sicily.
From cannoli to cream puffs and pastries, from millefeuille to Bronte cake, eating at Dolce Sicily is like immersing yourself in the alleys of the city center of Palermo. If you’re too far from Dublin, check out the Sicilian specialties dedicated to Christmas where you’ll find the tastiest traditional panettone cakes.
Galway, ‘U Liotru
Ireland is a real concentration of vitality and art. Our journey to the discovery of Sicilian restaurants continues on the coastal side opposite to that in which Dublin rises. Here reigns undisputed one of the largest cities in the nation, Galway, with its classic colorful terraced houses, stores, folk music pubs, cafes, museums and art galleries.
Vito has chosen this city to showcase the culinary wonders of Sicilian street food. In his restaurant, ‘U Liotru, he manages to transmit the friendliness and passion for street food to his guests.
In a familiar and welcoming atmosphere, you can enjoy a wide selection of traditional Sicilian dishes that will win you over at the first bite.
Australia
Brunswick, Melbourne, at Bar Idda
Strolling among the bars and restaurants of Lygon Street, in the suburb of Brunswick East in Melbourne, you can take a seat in Alfredo La Spina’s Sicilian restaurant: Bar Idda.
A passion for Sicily, which is perceived by the name of the restaurant and the heady scent that emanates from the kitchens as soon as you set foot inside. The menu is a triumph of flavors that makes your mouth water and a clear tribute to Sicilian culture.
Among arancini di riso, pisci ‘mpanatu, caponata and cuccìa you will really feel in the heart of the truest and most authentic Sicily.
Perth, Piccolo Trattoria
Squid, meatballs in tomato sauce, parmigiana, asparagus or grilled fish? Well, why not everything? The choice is so vast that you just have to sit back and let your appetite indulge.
So, if you find yourself in the great metropolis of Perth, between a swim at the beach and an adventure at Kings Park, you absolutely have to drop by Piccolo Trattoria.
It is located in the green suburb of Subiaco, among shopping streets, wine bars, cafes and gastropubs. A real gem not to be missed, especially if you want to taste the real Sicilian gastronomy in Australia and feel, as you read, in a real village in Sicily.
Sydney, Little Sicily
Anyone has ever wanted something so much that they want to carry it around in their pocket or purse! Yes, it would be nice if you could take your own land with you, in a miniature form that you could pick up whenever you missed it or felt like it.
Unfortunately it is not possible, but at Little Sicily you will feel a similar sensation! If you can’t take it with you, you can go to Little Sicily in the heart of Sydney’s residential suburb of Leichhardt.
At this Sicilian restaurant in the midst of city life, nothing is small, in fact there is room for everyone, both inside and out. When Sydney’s city lights come on, you can let the romance and warmth of Little Sicily Sicilian restaurant carry you away to enjoy a dinner of fresh seafood and carpaccio.
USA
There are many Sicilians who left their land to start a new life in the United States between 1880 and 1915. Here they put down their roots and gave birth to new generations who grew up with stories, traditions and customs of a land they never knew, but which they carry in their hearts.
So many stories were born here, like that of Jasper J. Mirabile Jr, a chef from Kansas City, Missouri, who has carried on the family tradition with one of the city’s most beloved restaurants, Jasper’s.
Founded in 1954 and named in America’s Top 25 Italian Restaurants by Zagat and as one of the best Italian restaurants in the U.S. by Travel & Leisure, today it brings some authentic Sicilian dishes and some revisited to fit the needs of its clientele.
The most popular dishes? Pasta alla Norma, chicken rolls and cannoli! (Our interview with Jasper).
Arlington, Osteria da Nino
Let’s move to Virginia and reach Arlington, more precisely S Quincy Street where Osteria da Nino is located. Impossible not to notice, the name dominates the building along with the payoff “Italian cuisine“.
And it is Italian cuisine, but the Trinacria coat of arms leaves little doubt: it is a Sicilian restaurant! Nino was born and raised in Sicily, in Letojanni, and took all his culinary knowledge and wisdom from his mother Agatina.
He has lived in Virginia with his wife for 30 years and managed six restaurants before opening his own restaurant, Osteria da Nino, in partnership with Jim and Margaret Manchisi in The Village at Shirlington.
Beets, seafood fettuccine, linguine with pesto, pizzas, arancini and mussels Messina style. Yes, you’ll forget you’re in the United States at this osteria.
Berkeley, Trattoria La Siciliana and Agrodolce
It’s worth a trip to sunny California, and not to visit the well-known University, but to enjoy lunch or dinner at Trattoria La Siciliana and Agrodolce, in a cozy and quiet setting where you can get to know the true roots of Sicily.
We are in the residential neighborhood of Elmwood and the gourmet ghetto of Berkeley and here, for almost 20 years, Rosa and Giuseppe have been running these two restaurants together with chefs Angelo and Jerry.
It’s impossible not to smell the scent of grilled fish coming from the kitchens of the osteria and let yourself be charmed by the familiar and convivial atmosphere of the place. You can sit down to enjoy some delicious homemade limoncello after tasting a menu of risotto and fried fish.
We can only tell you “buon appetito!“.
Canada
This journey around the world, to discover the best Sicilian restaurants faithful to tradition, continues and takes us to the green and modern Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario.
It is difficult to leave one’s own land behind. So, there are people who never stop talking about it and who, thousands of miles away, weave an imaginary thread from which they never detach themselves.
One of these is Nadia Fazio, who lives with her body in Canada but with her heart in Sicily and who, with her blog Mangia Bedda!, one of the most popular food blogs in Canada, tells about flavors through recipes, cooking classes and television programs (Read our interview with Nadia).
Toronto, Zitto Zitto Taverna
This is also where the restaurant Zitto Zitto Taverna of chef Alessandro Militello, first chef at Evoo Yorkville, is located. Together with Anita and Alan Thomson’s Sotto Voce Wine & Pasta Bar risto-pub, with whom he has forged a fruitful partnership, you’ll find yourself in a lively, innovative and welcoming atmosphere that is both elegant and sassy.
You will find a wide selection of wines, both Sicilian and international, cocktails, meat dishes, seafood appetizers and pasta dishes such as the renowned Linguine Bronte, a true tribute to Sicilian excellence and Sicilian pistachios.
In short, a typical Sicilian cuisine in an atmosphere that draws you into the Sicilian lands, thanks to a wall that tells the story of the chef and his roots, and a menu to be enjoyed from the beautiful terrace.
Egypt
Cairo, Estro
From the green and lush Toronto we move to the Middle East, more precisely to Egypt. Another culture, another world, another magical history made of traditions and customs that blend in a harmony of flavors and fragrances.
We are not far from our beloved Sicily. L’Estro in Cairo, in the suburb of Maadi and a few steps from the Pyramids of Giza, is a Sicilian restaurant that offers a breathtaking panoramic view and a gourmet menu with Mediterranean notes.
From carpaccio to mushrooms with ricotta cheese, from meat arancini to eggplant appetizers, you can sip a cocktail and watch from the large windows the city lights up at sunset.
Japan
Tokyo, Sicilia-ya
Let’s stay in the East, but let’s move towards the “Pacific Ocean” to continue our journey of Sicilian restaurants scattered all over the world.
We have told so many stories, but all of them have western culture in common. Yet, there are also those stories which mix cultures and traditions apparently very far from each other.
It is difficult to think of tasting Sicilian cuisine in a restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, but even though it may seem a contradiction in terms, it is possible and we have the proof.
The real question is: what do Tokyo and Milazzo have in common? Nothing, you will say. But yes, they do, they have in common the Sicilia-ya restaurant of Japanese chef Ryuichi Oshita.
Oshita-San’s dream was born right in the heart of Milazzo, in the province of Messina, the place where he lived and where he began to experiment and mix ingredients to create tasty and authentic dishes. Here he also met the owner of an enoteca from which he learned wine matching techniques.
And then, with his luggage full, literally, he returned to Japan and opened his Sicilian gourmet restaurant where today he prepares delicious tuna belly alla ghiotta, fennel meatballs and other delicious traditional Sicilian dishes (Our interview with Ryuichi).
Do you have a Sicilian restaurant? Send us your request!
In our Facebook group, we were often asked the question: Where can I find a Sicilian restaurant near me? This immediately sparked us and we decided to create a real Global Sicilian Restaurants Index, a list of all the Sicilian restaurants in the world.
Well, you could be on this list with your restaurant and we would be more than happy to tell your story and let you know about your restaurant through our blog.
What do you need to do? It’s simple. Fill out the form to add your Sicilian restaurant and provide the information requested.
We would like you to be part of this enogastronomic journey around the world, because you have already taken a big step by bringing the culture and love for Sicilian traditions and food to a different, unknown city. You have faced many challenges and made your dishes known to people of another culture.
Would you like to continue this journey with us? Fill out the form!