There’s something about Sicily that sticks with you. On your skin, in your camera roll, in how quickly you develop opinions about brioche. The island is full of contrasts: volcanic cliffs and citrus groves, peeling paint and polished marble, sea urchins eaten on plastic plates next to grand old cafés that look like they haven’t changed since the 1950s.
And the food — it gets under your skin. Simple ingredients — mozzarella from the Madonie Mountains, sun-ripened tomatoes. Basic, but somehow better here.
Breakfast in Sicily...
…is not something you rush. It’s granita and brioche, eaten slowly while the day warms up. The almond version is grainy, fragrant. Pistachio, though — that’s next level, and if you can find a place that adds a layer of cream on top, you’re onto a winner.
Meals are slower...
…louder, dictated by season and mood. There’s no performance — just pride. What’s on the plate depends on where you are, who’s cooking, and what was fresh that morning.
In Palermo...
…you eat standing up. Under strip lights, in the street, between conversations. Pane ca’ meusa (the ‘spleen sandwich’) isn’t there to be reinvented — it just exists. The arancini are the kind of hot where you know you should wait, but don’t. Crispy outside, lava inside — totally worth the burn.
The food markets aren’t aesthetic, they’re alive. Men shout prices over crates of prickly pears. Tourists and locals weave through the same narrow lanes. Vendors practically force-feed you samples, and you oblige. It’s chaotic but perfect.
Beyond the markets...
…trattorias give you a different pace. Pasta alla Norma shows up almost everywhere — fried aubergine, sweet tomato, salted ricotta. In Ortigia, there’s swordfish with lemon and olive oil. Wild fennel, pine nuts, raisins appear throughout Sicily. Sardines wrapped in breadcrumbs and citrus — sarde a beccafico — a humble dish found all over the island.
What’s on the plate depends on where you are, who’s cooking, and what was fresh that morning.
Cannoli are filled at the last second with proper ricotta — cool, whipped. Anything pre-filled is basically criminal. No one’s trying to impress you. Which, of course, is exactly what makes it so good.
You find yourself craving breakfast before you’ve even gone to bed — pistachio cornetti, almond granita, brioche still warm. Not bad for someone who never eats breakfast at home. Even your coffee changes. After the third slow, “Oat-a meelk??” — said like you’d just insulted their grandmother — you stop asking. You try horsemeat because, well, when in Sicily. It’s not for everyone, but the Sicilian guy you’re into doesn’t bat an eyelid. By the time you leave, you’re full, a little sunburnt, and quietly hooked — not just on the food, but on the place itself.
WHERE TO STAY IN SICILY
Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges
Book now
Hotel Villa Carlotta
Book now
Hotel Villa Ducale
Book now
Le Calette N°5
Book now
Q92 Noto Hotel
Book now
Susafa
Book now
Villa Athena Resort
Book now
Latest stories
A foodie guide to Ireland: from coastal catches to country kitchens
With Guinness as rich as its landscapes are green — and whiskey never far from reach — Ireland’s charms can be drunk in and eaten up from the moment you arrive. And while its culinary reputation has soared in recent years, nothing quite compares to tasting your way around the
The natural highs of hiking solo in Costa Rica’s cloud forest
Out of nowhere, a stark yet melodic chirp punctuates the dense moss-heavy virgin forest, halting me in my tracks with its hypnotic, unadulterated beauty. I later discover it was likely the song of a black-faced solitaire, a bird that’s rare to see, yet glorious to the ears. And just one
Hotel Norman, Paris: design-led luxury steps from the Champs-Élysées
There’s no shortage of glamorous hideaways in Paris, but few manage to bottle an era quite like Hotel Norman. Steps from the Champs-Élysées, this newcomer channels the seductive polish of midcentury modernism with the confidence of a hotel that knows exactly who it’s for: travellers who appreciate quiet luxury, meticulous
6 eco-friendly hotels offering ethical wildlife experiences
If you prefer your wildlife encounters without the crowds — and with a side of serious sustainability — SLH’s Considerate Collection has you covered. And with World Wildlife Conservation Day shining a light on the importance of protecting our planet’s most vulnerable species and habitats, there’s no better moment to
