Best Food in Sicily, Italy – Your Guide To Sicilian Cuisine

If you’re wondering what to eat in Sicily, this guide to the best food in Sicily has it all, from street food to pasta to main dishes to dessert.

The largest island in Italy is home to a unique culinary tradition, shaped by centuries of history and a blend of cultural influences. Sicilian cuisine is distinctive and delicious, and foodies will be thrilled to discover the culinary delights of this island.

Sitting in the midst of the Mediterranean, southwest of mainland Italy, the island of Sicily has absorbed influences from the Greeks, the Arabs, the Normans, the Spanish, and, of course, the Italians. The influences from all these different cultures can be seen in the many facets of Sicilian life, including the best food in Sicily. 

Different waves of history brought new ingredients and flavors to Sicilian cuisine, from spices to citrus fruits to chocolate. But the heart of Sicily’s culinary tradition has always been in its own land.

Sicilian food balances simple, seasonal ingredients with bold flavors. Dishes rely heavily on fresh local ingredients, including sun-ripened tomatoes, eggplants, olives, and pistachios. Seafood and handmade pasta are often the bases for popular Sicilian dishes.

Every bite reflects the island’s history, landscape, and culture. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, fresh ingredients are bought from the local market, mealtimes are sacred, and family-run trattorias abound in Sicily. 

So, here’s our selection of the best food in Sicily, all the dishes you should try during your trip to Italy’s largest island.

What To Eat in Sicily – A Guide To The Best Sicilian Food

Must-Try Street Food

Sicily is a great destination for street food, especially in the bustling markets of vibrant cities like Palermo and Catania, two of the best places to visit in Sicily. In more rural areas, roadside stands serve up fresh and tasty street food, perfect for an afternoon snack or a quick lunch on the go. 

Although you can find many of these classic Sicilian street food dishes served in sit-down restaurants these days, the most authentic way to enjoy them is still from a market stall. Street food is filling and affordable, and offers a true taste of Sicily.

These are the best types of street food you can’t miss:

Arancini

Arancini (or arancine, if you’re in western Sicily) are a delicious street food snack known throughout the island – and the world. You might have seen arancini on the menu at an Italian restaurant before, but it originated as street food in Sicily.

What are arancini? They are deep-fried, breaded balls of rice that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. A single arancino is not enough, which is why you’ll always see them in the plural form of arancini (or arancine), since several balls come with an order.

You can find many variations of arancini around Sicily. Two of the most traditional types are al ragu, which comes stuffed with a meat and tomato sauce, mozzarella, and peas, and al burro, which comes filled with ham and mozzarella.

However, you can find other fillings, from vegetarian offerings like alla Norma (tomato sauce, eggplant, and ricotta) to the unique al pistachio (bechamel sauce and pistachios). 

Sometimes arancini have a perfectly round shape, while other times you’ll see them in cone shapes. In Sicily, you can find these deep-fried rice balls served at street stalls, as well as in bars, where it’s a popular bar snack to enjoy along with your drinks.

Panelle

Panelle are another type of street food you can’t miss while in Sicily. A panella is a thin, golden fritter made from chickpea flour, water, salt, pepper, olive oil, and parsley, and fried until crisp. Despite their simple ingredients, they are a staple of Sicilian street food culture, especially in Palermo.

It’s claimed that panelle originated during the Arab rule of the 9th century, when chickpea flour was first introduced to the island by the Arabs.

Regardless of when this street snack came to be, its popularity hasn’t waned over the centuries, and it’s one of the most common types of street food you’ll see throughout the markets of Palermo.

You’ll often see panelle served inside a soft sesame seed bun like a sandwich, creating a carb-heavy yet perfect snack called pane e panelle. You can also enjoy panelle on their own, with a bundle of them wrapped in paper and served like French fries.

Pani câ Meusa

Pani ca meusa is another street food specialty that you’ll typically find in Palermo. It translates to bread with spleen, and though it may not be for the faint of heart, it’s a must for adventurous eaters looking to discover authentic Sicilian street food fare.

This sandwich is served on a soft sesame seed roll known as a vastedda, stuffed with slices of veal spleen that have been boiled and fried with lard for extra richness. You might also sometimes find veal lung in there, along with the veal spleen.

Topped off with some ricotta cheese, this simple sandwich is a favorite among locals in Palermo looking for a quick bite to eat for lunch.

Sfincione

One more popular Sicilian street food you can’t miss is sfincione, or Sicilian-style pizza. The classic pizza we’re all familiar with may have originated in Naples, but Sicily has its own distinctive style of pizza that is popular throughout the island, enticing locals and tourists alike with its warm aroma and hearty flavors.

Sfincione originated in Palermo, and it consists of thick, spongy bread topped with a flavorful mix of tomatoes, onions, anchovies, oregano, and grated cheese, commonly caciocavallo. Unlike Neapolitan-style pizza, which uses very thin dough, sfincione has a thick and fluffy base.

Sicilian pizza is a tasty dish with salty, savory flavors. Sfincione has long been associated with festive celebrations like Christmas and New Year’s, although today it’s available year-round from street vendors, bakeries, and local restaurants.

Essential Pasta Dishes

Is there anything more quintessentially Italian than pasta? Each region of Italy has at least one specialty pasta that it’s best known for, and Sicily is no different.

Sicilian pasta dishes reflect the bounty of both land and sea, featuring ingredients like vegetables, cheeses, herbs, and seafood. You’ll often find tomatoes, eggplants, sardines, and wild fennel added to pasta dishes in Sicily, showcasing the flavors of the Mediterranean.

From produce grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna to fresh seafood from a fishing village on the coast, every Sicilian pasta dish is a testament to the island.

Here’s a look at the most iconic Sicilian pasta dishes you should try:

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is the most beloved pasta dish in Sicily. Originating on the eastern coast in Catania, pasta alla Norma is a simple yet delicious combination of fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, salted ricotta, and fresh basil, all tossed with pasta, typically rigatoni.

The name of this dish is said to have been inspired by the 19th-century composer Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma. Like the opera, this dish is a true masterpiece, and one of the most popular meals in Sicily.

This is also a great dish for vegetarians because it is prepared without any meat and showcases Sicily’s best produce, like eggplants and tomatoes.

Although it originated in Catania, you’ll now find this dish served in restaurants all across the island. If you want to enjoy it in its ancestral home of Catania, be sure to order a glass of local Etna Rosso wine to accompany your meal.

Pasta con Le Sarde

Pasta con le sarde is a traditional Sicilian dish that reflects the island’s mix of land and sea. With a base of bucatini or spaghetti, this pasta dish layers sardines and anchovies, fennel, pine nuts, onions, raisins, saffron, and breadcrumbs.

The result is a pasta that is aromatic, savory, and slightly sweet thanks to the raisins and saffron. It’s full of complex flavors, making this a unique dish. Although it’s most commonly found in Palermo, you’ll also see pasta con le sarde on the menu at restaurants across Sicily.

This dish most likely originated during the period of Arab rule in Sicily, when sweet-savory flavor combinations and spices like saffron were introduced to the island. Today, it’s a popular and refreshing pasta dish that you should not miss.

Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare

Seafood lovers must try spaghetti ai ricci di mare. This dish captures the essence of Sicily’s location in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, featuring pasta topped with sea urchin roe. Additional flavor in this dish comes from garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper.

The resulting combination has a briny flavor that offers a nod to the sea. This is a dish you can enjoy if you’re traveling to Sicily in the off-season, as sea urchins are in season throughout the winter and early spring.

You’ll typically find spaghetti ai ricci di mare in coastal areas like Siracusa, where the sea urchins have been freshly harvested.

Spaghetti ai ricci di mare is a dish that’s commonly reserved for special occasions in Sicily, like birthdays, anniversaries, or other celebrations. If you’re visiting at the right time to enjoy this special seasonal dish, you should take advantage of it and try it.

Busiate al Pesto Trapanese

One more pasta dish that’s unique to Sicily is busiate al pesto trapanese. As the name suggests, this dish comes from Trapani, a coastal city on the western side of the island. Busiate is a local corkscrew-shaped pasta, and pesto trapanese is a delicious type of sauce.

Traditional pesto comes from Genoa and features basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Trapani, a port city, would have received pesto from Genoa in centuries past, and the locals adapted the recipe to feature ingredients more readily available in Sicily instead.

Pesto trapanese consists of fresh tomatoes, almonds, basil, garlic, and olive oil. The result is a tasty sauce that feels both familiar and distinctly Sicilian.

Busiate al pesto trapanese is a popular summer dish in Sicily, enjoyed when tomatoes are at their ripest. The dish is often topped with tomato chunks. This is another great option for vegetarians.

Appetizers & Main Courses

When it comes to appetizers and main courses in Sicily, you can expect a lot of variety. The most loved Sicilian dishes highlight the island’s diversity, featuring seasonal vegetables, local seafood, and flavorful meats. 

You’ll never leave a meal in Sicily still hungry, with hearty dishes and ample serving sizes being the norm. The flavors of Sicilian cooking are influenced by centuries of history from rulers including the Ancient Greeks, the Arabs, the Normans, the Spanish, and the Italians.

Sicilian cuisine transforms humble ingredients into delicious dishes that are best enjoyed at a local trattoria or osteria over a big table with friends or family.

These are some of the best appetizers and main courses you should be sure to try:

Caponata

Caponata is one of Sicily’s most famous vegetable dishes. It’s a sweet-and-sour stew consisting of fried eggplants, tomatoes, onions, celery, capers, and olives simmered together and finished with a touch of vinegar and a little sugar. The mixture of flavors, combining savory, tangy, and sweet, is a hallmark of Sicilian cuisine.

There are many variations on caponata, and you might see it made with additional ingredients like carrots, bell peppers, pine nuts, and raisins, depending on where you are in Sicily. On the coast, you might find caponata with seafood as well.

In addition to having varied ingredients, it’s also a versatile dish that can be served in different ways. You might enjoy it at room temperature as an appetizer with an antipasto spread, or served warm as a side dish accompanying meat or fish. You can even have caponata on its own as a main course with bread.

Parmigiana di Melanzane

Parmigiana di melanzane, or eggplant parmesan, is featured on any list of the best food in Italy, and it’s loved throughout the country, including in Sicily.

In fact, it’s thought that eggplant parmesan might have even originated on the island, and then spread in popularity around mainland Italy, because eggplants were first introduced to Sicily in the Middle Ages by the Arabs.

This dish is made of fried eggplant slices layered between tomato sauce and grated cheese (often caciocavallo), and then baked. The result is a warm, comforting, and hearty vegetarian-friendly dish that’s often topped with basil leaves.

Eggplants thrive in Sicily’s Mediterranean climate, which is why you’ll see this vegetable featured in so many Sicilian dishes. Parmigiana di melanzane is part of the best food in Sicily, a dish where the delicious flavors of eggplant are on full display.

Sarde a Beccafico

Sardines are abundant in Sicily, and they’re highlighted in the popular dish sarde a beccafico. Named for the songbird beccafico, which was once considered a delicacy in Sicily, this dish replaces the songbird with sardines to recreate the dish with a more accessible ingredient.

Sarde a beccafico consists of butterflied sardines stuffed with a mixture of pine nuts, raisins, herbs, and breadcrumbs. They are then rolled up and baked or grilled. The savory flavor of the sardines combined with the slightly sweet and aromatic filling creates a unique taste.

You can enjoy this dish as an appetizer, typically served as part of a big antipasto spread, or as a light main course. Although you’ll find sarde a beccafico on many menus around Sicily, it’s especially common in Palermo, Catania, and other places on the coast.

Involtini di Carne

Although seafood features heavily in many Sicilian dishes, you can also find meat-based dishes like involtini di carne, or beef rolls. This is a simple yet bold and flavorful dish that is commonly served as a main course in Sicily. 

Involtini di carne consists of thin slices of beef or veal spread with a filling made up of ingredients like grated cheese, garlic, parsley, pine nuts, raisins, and breadcrumbs.

The slices are then rolled up and skewered before being grilled or baked. The result is a mouthwatering and rich dish, with a unique flavor profile thanks to the hint of sweetness from the raisins.

Traditionally, this is a popular summer food cooked at family barbecues across Sicily, where the skewers are grilled outdoors over an open flame. You’ll also find these on the menu at many restaurants in Sicily, and this dish is a great option for sharing while out at dinner.

Involtini di Pesce Spada

Another popular dish in Sicily is involtini di pesce spada, or swordfish rolls. Similar to their beef roll counterparts, this dish is prepared by rolling thin slices of swordfish around a tasty filling consisting of capers, garlic, parsley, pine nuts, raisins, and bread crumbs.

They are then secured with skewers and baked, grilled, or sometimes even pan-fried. Swordfish has long been a prized catch in Sicily, especially in the Strait of Messina, where the swordfish hunt is a centuries-old tradition.

The firm texture of swordfish makes it perfect for slicing thin and rolling, while its mild flavor pairs well with the zesty filling.

Involtini di pesce spada are typically enjoyed in seaside towns like Taormina, and they make a refreshing meal on a summer’s day. This is another dish that is perfect for sharing with others at the table, since an order at a restaurant typically comes with several rolls.

Carne di Cavallo

Carne di cavallo is a surprising addition to this list of the best food in Sicily, but it is nonetheless a popular food in Sicily, especially around Catania. Carne di cavallo is horse meat, which might shock some visitors, but this is a meat that has been enjoyed in Sicily for centuries.

Valued for its lean texture and robust flavor, horse meat is most popular in Catania, but it’s eaten all around the island. You’ll find horse meat prepared in various ways, including grilled over an open flame or fashioned into meatballs called polpette di cavallo, which are served on skewers. 

Although it’s considered an exotic meat by many foreigners, horse meat is a common food in Sicily. For adventurous eaters, this is a distinctive part of Sicilian cuisine that you can try.

Desserts & Sweets

No meal in Sicily is complete without dessert, and that even includes breakfast, where a delicious dessert-like treat is one of the most popular ways to start the day.

Sicilian desserts are as bold and colorful as the island itself, blending sweet and delicate flavors in creative ways. Many Sicilian confections highlight local ingredients like pistachios, almonds, ricotta, and citrus fruits, elevated into sweet creations that range from simple to ornate.

Whether you’re looking for a dessert to finish off your dinner or an afternoon snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, these are the best desserts and sweets to try in Sicily:

Cannoli

Cannoli are by far the most famous of Sicilian desserts. Cannoli, which is the plural form as cannolo is the singular form, are beloved around the world. However, they originated right on the island of Sicily, dating all the way to the period of Arab rule.

This decadent treat consists of a crispy, fried pastry tube stuffed with sweetened ricotta cream, and often additional toppings like candied fruit, pistachios, or chocolate chips. The contrast between the crunchy shell and the creamy filling makes cannoli irresistible. 

Originally a treat reserved for the Carnival season in Sicily, cannoli have now become a dessert enjoyed year-round.

You’ll find cannoli in bakeries and pastry shops all around the island, some prepared in a more rustic and simple way, while others are ornately decorated with a variety of toppings. This is definitely the quintessential Sicilian dessert that you need to try.

Minni di Sant’Agata

Minni di Sant’Agata, also known as cassatelle di Sant’Agata, are a delicate dessert originating in Catania. Honoring Catania’s patron saint, this dessert is most popular during the Festival of Saint Agatha in February, but you can find it in some bakeries year-round in Catania.

This dessert is a small, dome-shaped sponge cake soaked in liqueur and filled with ricotta, topped with white icing and a candied cherry. Although it’s a pretty dessert, it has a shockingly dark history involving the torture of Saint Agatha, who became a martyr for Christianity.

As the patron saint of Catania, her legacy is remembered and celebrated in many ways, especially during her annual festival. February is when you’ll find minni di Sant’Agata at every bakery in Catania, but if you’re visiting at another time of year, it’s worth hunting them down to try them.

Cassata Siciliana

Cassata siciliana is one of the most elaborate and visually stunning Sicilian desserts. It consists of sponge cake filled with sweetened ricotta, candied fruit, and chocolate chips. It’s all encased in marzipan and topped with colorful icing and candied fruit in shades of green, red, and yellow.

This rich dessert is as eye-catching as it is delicious, perfect for celebrating a special occasion or just indulging in a tasty treat.

Cassata siciliana dates back to Arab rule, when sugar, almonds, and citrus fruits were introduced to Sicily. Later, during the Norman and Spanish periods, cassata siciliana evolved into the ornate dessert that it is today.

Often served at Easter and other holidays or celebrations, cassata siciliana is emblematic of Sicily’s love for desserts. If you have a sweet tooth, you shouldn’t miss trying a slice of this rich cake.

Granita

Granita is Sicily’s most refreshing treat, perfect to cool off on a hot summer’s day. It’s a slushie-like dessert made from sugar, ice, and fresh flavorings, such as lemon, almond, coffee, and pistachio. It typically has a coarse, crystalline consistency that melts perfectly on the tongue.

Depending on where you go in Sicily, there are many regional variations on granita. The consistency can range from smoother and creamier, like gelato, to icier and grainier.

Flavors also vary regionally, with the most popular options being fresh fruit, nuts, and coffee. Granita is not consumed through a straw like a slushie, but rather eaten from the cup with a spoon.

While many tourists have granita as a snack on a summer afternoon, the real Sicilian way to enjoy granita is for breakfast. In the morning, granita is accompanied by a fluffy brioche bun. Sicilians tear off pieces of the brioche and dip them into the granita, scooping up the icy treat.

Brioche con Gelato

In a similar vein, brioche con gelato is another popular dessert-for-breakfast option in Sicily. This sweet treat features the same fluffy and buttery-soft brioche bun. Yet, this time, it’s cut open and filled with gelato, like an oversized ice cream sandwich.

The gelato always features fresh local flavors, with pistachio being a particular favorite. Sicilian gelato primarily consists of milk, heavy cream, sugar, and cornstarch.

Although brioche con gelato is commonly enjoyed at breakfast by many Sicilians, it can also be an afternoon snack. This is something that hits the spot on a hot and sunny day.

Frutta Martorana

One more Sicilian dessert to try is frutta martorana. This unique and whimsical dessert consists of colorful marzipan painstakingly fashioned into the form of fruit and painted with food coloring.

You might almost think you’re biting into a real orange, strawberry, or pear by the looks of the frutta martorana. But one bite would immediately reveal the marzipan nature of these false fruits.

Made with sugar and almond paste, frutta martorana have a sweet and nutty flavor. These decorative sweet treats are most popular in Palermo and Trapani, where they originated.

Traditionally, frutta martorana has its place in celebrations, like All Souls’ Day and Christmas. It also makes a great gift or souvenir from your time in Sicily, since it has a longer shelf life than most other desserts.

Savor The Best Food in Sicily With JayWay

We’re pretty sure this list of the best food in Sicily has you craving the island’s mouthwatering traditional dishes and desserts. So, why wait? Start planning your Sicily trip now with the help of our expert trip planners and travel advisors, and get ready to explore Sicily and Southern Italy one bite at a time!