Cortile Arabo in Marzamemi opens a Champagne bar, where you can imbibe feet in the water

Cortile Arabo, Marzamemi hangout

What's more suggestive than enjoying dinner with your feet in the water on a warm summer evening? Probably just the backdrop of beautiful Marzamemi, an ancient fishing village in the province of Siracusa where you can relax in a hidden corner a stone's throw from the sea. It is called Cortile Arabo, i.e. the Arab courtyard because of its structure with three entrances and exits typical of Islamic urban planning. It's an elegant setting where you can find authentic seafood cuisine, an example of the close relationship between sea and land so characteristic of the area. The decor is played in shades of turquoise, white and gold, which has recently inaugurated the Cortiletto cocktail bar where you can enjoy small tastings from the kitchen but above all the "champagneria" Champagne bar, with sea view sofas where you can stop and enjoy a good glass with feet (almost) in the water.

The cuisine of Cortile Arabo

From the kitchen come simple and refined dishes that refer to the most ancient tradition reinterpreted in a light and modern way by chef Massimo Giaquinta, born in 1984. In his dishes he mixes the Sicilian origins of his father and his mother's Kenyan ones. A great use of aromatic herbs and lots of fresh catch of the day are the details that characterise the restaurant's specialties, where you can choose between à la carte dishes and a five-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Think red shrimp marinated with green tea, black cherry and yuzu; mantis shrimp with figs and cucumber, selection of raw and marinated fish, sea bass with pink pepper and pomegranate jelly and pasta con le sarde gelato.

Design and interiors

A cuisine designed to combine with regional wines or well-made drinks, but above all a small oasis of peace where you can relax. The perfect place for taking a break, especially after the last year so determined by the pandemic and the resulting restrictions. To characterise the experience is more than ever the environment, decorated in a style reminiscent of the Arabesque one, with bright colours and ancient stones that mix with the white and blue tiles of the entrance wall that allows a glimpse of the outside view. Those who do not want to dine can sit down and enjoy a small selection of pastries with a good distillate.

Cortile Arabo – Marzamemi – vicolo Villadorata - facebook.com/cortilearabo