When is the best time to visit Where to eat in Syracuse?

The recommended time is March, April, May, September, October and November, when it is less crowded.

Is Where to eat in Syracuse crowded?

Where to eat in Syracuse is a not very crowded destination compared with the more touristy ones.

Where is Where to eat in Syracuse?

Where to eat in Syracuse is located in Syracuse, Sicily, Italy.

Where to eat in Syracuse: best restaurants, trattorias and fresh seafood guide

Syracuse, where the Mediterranean is eaten

Syracuse was one of the most important cities of the ancient Mediterranean and its cuisine still bears those traces. Syracusan gastronomic tradition is a weave of Greek, Arab and peasant flavours, where Ionian Sea fish meets the plain's vegetables and the countryside's wild herbs. Ortigia, the island-old town, is an open-air gastronomic stage.

Here fish is the absolute star: red tuna, swordfish, sardines, sea urchins. But Syracusan cuisine does not forget the land, with dishes that celebrate almonds, cherry tomatoes, lemons and thyme honey.

Must-try specialities

Pasta alla siracusana is a sumptuous first course: fried aubergines, tomato, peppers, black olives, capers and basil. Maccheroni with cuttlefish ink is another local classic, served with an intense finish. Swordfish alla ghiotta, with olives, capers and cherry tomatoes, is the dish every trattoria prepares to perfection.

Sarde a beccafico, stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins and bay leaf, are an antipasto that never goes missing. Fish couscous, an Arab legacy, is found in the most traditional restaurants. For desserts, mustazzoli (grape-must and spice biscuits) and almond granita with brioche are unmissable.

Best neighbourhoods for eating

Ortigia

The island of Ortigia is the beating heart of Syracusan gastronomy. Via della Giudecca, the ancient Jewish quarter, hides intimate trattorias where fish arrives directly from the morning market. Piazza Duomo and surrounding streets offer more elegant restaurants with sea-view outdoor tables. La Giudecca, Fratelli Ferreri and Don Camillo are addresses that Syracusans have frequented for generations.

Ortigia market

The market on Via De Benedictis is a feast for all the senses. Fish stalls display red tuna, swordfish, Noto purple shrimp and sea urchins. Greengrocers sell Pachino cherry tomatoes, enormous lemons and fresh almonds. Here you can buy the freshest fish and have it cooked at one of the trattorias around the market.

Borgata Santa Lucia

Outside Ortigia, the Santa Lucia neighbourhood is a residential area with trattorias patronised exclusively by locals. Prices are lower than on the island and quality is often higher. Via Cavour and surrounding streets hide unpretentious fish restaurants with exceptional raw ingredients.

Trattorias and restaurants to try

Trattoria La Foglia on Via Capodieci in Ortigia is a tiny place decorated with art and full of personality, where the cooking is creative but rooted in the territory. Caseificio Borderi in the market is famous for gourmet sandwiches stuffed with ricotta, sun-dried tomato, capers and anchovies: a queue worth the wait. Don Camillo on Via Maestranza is the benchmark restaurant for refined Syracusan cuisine, with an exceptional cellar.

For a quick but authentic lunch, the Pescheria Ferreri at the market offers raw and cooked fish prepared on the spot. Le Vin de L'Assassin on Via Roma serves informal seafood cuisine with Sicilian natural wines.

Street food and markets

Syracusan street food revolves around fish: sandwiches with boiled octopus are found at stalls along the Ortigia waterfront. Syracusan arancine are traditionally cone-shaped (unlike round Palermitan ones) and filled with ragu. Ragusa-style scacce, pastry sheets filled with tomato and cheese, are also found in Syracuse bakeries.

Artisan gelato is exceptional: Gelateria Viola on Corso Matteotti uses local ingredients like Avola almond, Bronte pistachio and Syracuse lemon. For granita, Midolo on Via Catania is an institution.

Budget tips

Avoid restaurants with a direct view of Piazza Duomo: prices are inflated for the location. Just fifty metres into the side streets you will find trattorias with the same fresh fish at half the price. Ortigia market is the best place to eat well on a budget: a Borderi sandwich costs 5 to 6 euros and is a complete meal.

Book a self-catering apartment and shop at the market: swordfish, Pachino cherry tomatoes and lemons cost a fraction of restaurant prices and cooking is simplicity itself.

Unique food experiences

Attend the red tuna catch at Marzamemi (May to June): some tonnare organise visits and tastings. A Syracusan cooking class with a visit to the Ortigia market is offered by several local chefs and includes preparing pasta alla siracusana and sarde a beccafico.

In the evening, a terrace dinner at a restaurant in Ortigia with a sea view and the sunset setting the coast ablaze is an experience that justifies the entire trip.