Where to eat by the sea in the Province of Catania: the 7 best restaurants

In the province of Catania, several towns are located near the golden beaches of the coast or along the coastline, where volcanic rock reaches the sea, creating the enchanting rocky coves of the Riviera dei Ciclobpi, with seabeds rich in flora and fauna. Each of them offers a combination of traditions, art, with historical monuments, ancient churches, and noble palaces, and enchanting beaches and, of course, food, prepared by skillful hands with local ingredients, to offer guests unforgettable experiences.

Where to Eat by the Sea in the Province of Catania

Riposto

Spaghetti with mussels, cavolo trunzu, gorgonzola, and bottarga - Vico Astemio

Vico Astemio

It is the restaurant that chef Massimiliano Vasta opened in 2019. In his kitchen, he uses seasonal ingredients, bought daily at the market, linked to the tradition of the territory, with a touch of innovation and a desire to surprise. On the menu, there are à la carte dishes and two tasting menus, one of meat and one of fish. Don't miss the spaghetti with mussels, "cavolo trunzu," gorgonzola, and bottarga. Maria, Alessia, and Agnieszka take care of the dining room, and Agnieszka also manages the wine cellar, which contains about 500 labels from Sicily, Italy, abroad, and Etna, including the wine that Massimiliano produced, dedicating it to his deceased father.

Open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner, Sunday for lunch, closed on Monday.
Via Camillo Benso Conte Di Cavour, 34 +39 0950926713 vicoastemio.it

Glass

It is the wine bar and tavern owned by Cristina Neculaes and Massimiliano Vasta, where you can eat and buy wine, Sicilian and non-Sicilian products. The few dishes on the menu, prepared in the open kitchen by Daniela Mostaccio, are simple but refined, sophisticated, and follow the seasonality. Don't miss the tripe. The numerous wines from the wine bar can also be served during dinner or accompany local, national, and international cured meats and cheeses.

Open every day from 9 am to 1 pm for the shop, every evening for dinner at the tavern, closed on Monday.
Corso Italia, 51, 095 090 3391 glassenoteca.it

La Cucina di Donna Carmela

A crunch, a journey - La cucina di Donna Carmela

Immersed in a green oasis, in Carrubba di Riposto, the restaurant La Cucina di Donna Carmela, inside the Faro family's boutique resort, led by chef Piergiorgio Alecci, offers Sicilian specialties prepared with new and modern cooking techniques, made with ingredients from the company's vegetable gardens and citrus groves. On the menu, there are three tasting menus and à la carte dishes, such as a crunch, a journey, fried paccheri in tempura stuffed with burrata and tomato, raw shrimp, powdered hard-boiled egg, ponzu sauce, and lettuce cream. The two maîtres, Rosario Sorbello and Gianluca Canuti, also take care of the wine cellar, where there are Sicilian, national, foreign, and Etna wines, including those from the family company.

Open every day, for lunch with an easier proposal, and for dinner.
Contrada Grotte, 7 +39 095 809383 donnacarmela.com

Zash

Cuttlefish, peas, mandarin, and sea urchins

In the small hamlet of Archi, around and inside a vat, where wine used to ferment, there is Zash, the Maugeri family's restaurant. In the kitchen, chef Giuseppe Raciti, a Michelin star chef, offers creative dishes that speak of tradition and territory with excellent raw materials, mostly local. Don't miss the Cuttlefish, peas, mandarin, and sea urchins. On the menu, there are five tasting menus and à la carte dishes. The maître is Piero Pappalardo Gangemi, and the sommelier Alessandro Mancuso takes care of the cellar. The wine list includes about 800 labels from Sicily, Italy, Europe, and the rest of the world. Plenty of space is reserved for Etna wines, including those from the family company.

Open every day, for lunch and dinner, by reservation, closed on Tuesday.
Strada Provinciale 2/I-II +39 095 7828932

Where to Eat in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia

Pizza Italica - Ristorante Pizzeria De Natale Angelo

Ristorante Pizzeria De Natale Angelo

It is the De Natale family's establishment opened in 2017, after almost 40 years of take-out service. The restaurant's menu, managed by dad Angelo, follows the seasonality; in winter, the dishes are mainly meat-based, while in summer, they are mainly fish-based. Don't miss the Scottona tagliata with Etna porcini mushrooms. Great attention to seasonality and quality is also given in the pizzeria, managed by son Alessandro, which offers four types of dough: classic, wholemeal with toasted barley, in a pan, and gluten-free. The care and refinement of the ingredients reflect the tradition of the place. Don't miss the Italica pizza, inspired by the gastronomic variety of the Bel Paese. The dining room and the cellar, where there are mainly Sicilian wines and craft beers, are managed by the other son, Giuseppe.

Open every day for lunch and dinner, closed on Monday.
Via Guglielmo Oberdan 86, + 39 095 646480, angelodenatale.com

Where to Eat in Aci Castello

Faraglioni Restaurant

Tagliatelle with tuna carbonara and almond milk - Faraglioni Restaurant

It is the restaurant located inside the Grand Hotel Faraglioni, led by chef Simone Strano, who offers revisited Mediterranean dishes, using almost exclusively Sicilian products. The dishes from the four tasting menus can also be served à la carte. Don't miss the tagliatelle with tuna carbonara and almond milk. The guests are taken care of by maître Giuseppe Cusimano and his staff. The cellar with over 400 labels, including regional, national, and international proposals, is curated by sommelier Filippo Mangano.

Open every day for dinner, Sunday for lunch, closed on Tuesday.
Via Lungomare Dei Ciclopi, 115, + 39 095 4192065 faraglionirestaurant.com

Where to Eat in San Giovanni Li Cuti

Cutilisci

Tagliatelle made from ancient grains with artichokes, prawns, and Jerusalem artichokes - Cutilisci

In the seaside village of San Giovanni Li Cuti, anchored between lava rocks and the blue sea, there is Cutilisci, the Ristorante Pizzeria of brothers Alessandro and Davide Tomasello. A simple, healthy, and authentic cuisine, managed by Sebastiano Santonocito, punctuated by the rhythm of fishing boats returning to the small harbor, bringing the fish that will be used for the dishes of the restaurant, along with other organic seasonal products from the area. Don't miss the ancient grain tagliatelle with artichokes, shrimp, and Jerusalem artichokes. Claudia and her staff take care of the dining room and wines.

Open every day for lunch and dinner.
Via San Giovanni Li Cuti, 69 +39 095 372558 cutilisci.it