Marzamemi, a hamlet of the municipality of Pachino in the province of Syracuse, is an ancient fishing village known for its scenic tuna fishery, which stands as a testament to how tuna fishing here is a socio-cultural matter before being the main economic livelihood. Marzamemi is pure magic, a place where the Arab influence is evident in the colours of the houses, the architecture, the cuisine (as in all of Sicily), and the local rituals. While the "African" heat in spring and autumn offers a break that sweetens the stay, it’s also true that only the summer sun truly pays homage to the dazzling colours of the charming square. We're in the land of Nero d'Avola wine and Pachino tomatoes, as well as tuna in every form and preservation. The local cuisine, featuring garden, sea, and fusion influences, is well represented. Here are the must-visit spots.
Where to eat in Marzamemi
Campisi
Not just for dinners but also for “aperiterra” and “aperimare” at this venue run by the well-known Sicilian preserve company. Naturally, the homemade products take center stage, used both in basic dishes (busiate pasta with tuna bottarga) and in something more original and sometimes innovative, like the sea bream with raw and cooked tabacchiera peach salad, preserved quince, spring onion, and mint, fish demiglace, and katsuo-bushi, or the tandoori-spiced grilled octopus with panzanella. You’ll have fun in any case, thanks also to a well-conceived beverage menu.
Campisi - via Marzamemi, 12b - 346 9420323 - Facebook
La Cialoma
White and blue on the tables, for the curtains and umbrellas, the light hues of the houses' plaster and the church (La Cialoma is also located on the main square, right next door), and the typical terracotta roof tiles. These are the colours you’ll experience if you sit in the large outdoor area of the venue, managed and directed by Lina Campisi, who oversees the menu with the help of her entire family, divided between the kitchen, pastry, and dining room. Homemade preserves (including anchovy preserves) recall roots and memory, as do the mostly handmade pastas and, in general, the recipes featuring plenty of seafood and produce from their own garden offering seasonal opportunities. Regional wine list.
La Cialoma - p.zza Regina Margherita, 23 - 0931 841772 - tavernalacialoma.it
Cortile Arabo
The pasta without carbohydrates made with red shrimp bisque, caviar, raw crustaceans, sauces, and seaweed powder is one of the latest creations by chef Giaquinta, an Italo-Kenyan (born in Nairobi) whose dishes reflect his diverse experiences and roots with original, playful, and experimental dishes. The restaurant features a large, lively space (also home to Cortiletto with its cocktails and champagne bar by the sea), a summer outdoor area with candle-lit tables, and special access points (three entrances and three exits) as dictated by the ritual “law” of Arab construction, to which the venue is dedicated.
Cortile Arabo - p.zza Villadorata, 18 - 0931 841678 - cortilearabo.it
Liccamùciula
Bistro, café, shop, bookstore, but above all a graceful place to nourish the body and mind, managed by women passionate about literature and cooking. Located right on the main square of Marzamemi, it's open from 10 a.m. to after 11 p.m. continuously, seven days a week (in season, but open all year except January and February). You can refresh yourself with brioche and granita, and at meal times, traditional dishes according to ancient recipes or with some reinterpretations. The name? In dialect, it means "greedy little girl": quite a program.
Liccamùciula - p.zza Regina Margherita, 2 - 0931 092086 - liccamuciula.it
Nassa
Octopus salad, caponata, scialatiello del pescatore, trofie with calamari and fennel or alla Norma, roasts, and fried dishes. Sea and more sea on the table and before your eyes at this well-established venue located right in front of the small port. It's worth the stop for the reliability of a cuisine that aims to please, a suitably Sicilian wine list, and an atmosphere that feels like a holiday.
Nassa - via Marzamemi - 388 1915731 - pizzeriaristorantelanassa.it
cover photo Cortile Arabo
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