EAT
The following list is based on our personal experience. So you might found other places that are equally good. We didn’t included in this list, fancy and high end restaurants, but if you want a refined and special dinner with very good wines, we recommend you Cortile Spirito Santo in Via Salomone or Don Camillo in Via Maestranza, where Mrs Prada, Mick Jagger and other VIP goes when they are in town. For meat dishes, we recommend you also, Ostaria in Via Perrasso, but is also a pricy restaurant.
Chiodo
Via Roma, 15, t. +39 340 119 3875
A former boutique located in a charming courtyard on the central Via Roma, Chiodo is the perfect spot for a relaxed lunch, dinner, or a casual get-together with friends in Ortigia. Their food is of high quality (cotoletta is our favorite), and they offer a selection of local wines, drinks, and teas. In the same courtyard, you'll also find Monica Castiglioni's shop, known for its contemporary jewelry designs.
Meditè
Riva Porto Lachio, 96100 Siracusa SR t- +39 351 676 9819
Although Syracuse is literally surrounded by the sea, unfortunately there are not so many restaurants at the moment that I can recommend you on the sea side. Finally Meditè is one of them and is just at few steps outside Ortigia. Very nice wooden deck terrace facing the small harbor (Porto Piccolo) , perfect for aperitivo time, serving great Pizza (on top of our list), fusion and local food.
Is always packed so you should reserve it in advance (specially in weekends)!
Kaleido Terrace
Via Pompeo Picherali 10 (entrance near Piazza Duomo)
tel: +39 388 8336182
Brand new restaurant with a stunning location.
Open only at dinner. We heard good things about this new restaurant, but we didn’t have time to test it personally. Location is great: stunning terrace with sunset view. They serve both local food and sushi plates. If you go please let us know your experience. Reservation required as most of places in Ortigia
Gutowskino
Lungomare di Levante Elio Vittorini, 18, Siracusa +39 0931 465861
Modern Sicilian-based cuisine with thought and attention to detail, making each of their dishes a celebration of Italian cuisine.
Divino Mare
Via Raffaele Lanza, 10, +39 0931 1810209
A simple and colorful seafood joint where many of those words are scrawled and re-scrawled every day on the chalkboard menu. Using the daily catches from their neighbors, the friendly staff serves up fresh carpaccios, ceviches, seafood pastas, fried critters, grilled fishand whole baked undersea creatures. And if orecchiette pasta with tender octopus chunks isn’t sufficiently filling, try the garganelli pasta with shrimp in a rich butter-truffle sauce. A two-course meal for two costs about 50 euros. Lucia, the owner is our good friend, let her know you are staying in our properties.
Cappuccio-Pesce Fresco
Via Emanuele Giaraca 8 +39 0931 196 0301
Street food restaurant directly from the Market where Fish is only fresh. Open only during Lunch time is the perfect place for a quick lunch in the street Market
Scuola Alimentare
Via della Maestranza, 66 0931 095077
Freshly hand made local sourced food at a reasonable price in a homy atmosphere. Highly recommended
A Putia
Via Roma, 8 +39 334 352 4585
If you are looking for a good pasta at lunch, this is definitely the place to be. The space is not so big so we recommend you to make a reservation
Latteria Mamma Iabica
Via G.B. Perasso 13, + 39 3331893176, +39 3394531731
Finally our favorite restaurant in Syracuse. Latteria Mamma labica represents the perfect balance between design with a vintage look and and a great food with all seasoned ingredients and a passion for the cuisine of well-being. Is just at few steps out of Ortigia. Highly recommended! Don’t miss it and reserve your table in time!
La Sicilia in Tavola
Via Cavour 28 +39 392 4610889,
One of the longest established and most popular eateries. Traditional Sicilian dishes with the best ingredients and wines
Siculish Here and Now
Viale Teocrito, 121/123, +39 3939555197
Open also at lunch time, near the Neapolis Archeological Park, if you want to try Sushi with a Sicilian vibe, this is definitely the place. Our Japanese friends, living in Syracuse recommend it as the best place in town for sushi, and we agree. Pizza is also extremely good as alternative. We love sushi and if we want sushi, we go here and nowhere else.
Soul Kitchen
Largo Gillippi 1, +39 0931 967308
For us is the best “fusion” tapas restaurant in town. Dishes are all small and cheap and you can have dinner with different flavours from any part of the world combined with local ingredient and local wines. Gioacchino and his partner will be delighted to explain you every dishes they are making. Location is just at fews steps from Ortigia neighborhood, crossing the bridge in Borgata area.
Piano B
Via Cairoli 18 +39 0931 66851
Award winning Pizzeria. One of the best Pizzas in town and probably one of the best of Sicily. Don’t miss it! Reservation is required
Pizzeria
Era Ora
Via, Riva Giuseppe Garibaldi, 10, +39 3270113454
- Closed in Christmas time -
Definitely the best Pizza in Syracuse with special doughs from Sicily and Naples and excellent ingredients. Interior design has been improved recently and service and culinary experience is great! This is now, our favorite Pizza place in town and personally we try to go once a week, since is really good. We recommend to make a reservation in advance, since is not so easy to find a table, especially in weekend time that is always fully booked.
Fratelli Burgio
Street Market Ortigia
The Best delicatessen shop in Ortigia. Here you will find the best products and unforgettable flavours from Sicily. This is the paradise for cheese lovers, wine lovers and Italian cured meet lovers. You cannot miss it! Open only in the morning till lunch. Try the Tagliere terra-mare
DRINK
Fratelli Burgio al Porto
Foro Vittorio Emanuele II, 6
Best spot for an italian aperitivo by the sea and an unforgettable sunset moment with the best street food in town
La Barca
Open Sea www.compagniadelselene.it www.labarcaortigia.com
t. +39 389 139 2811
If you want to experience something really special is possible to book a simple lunch/dinner or a night drink in a lovely boat call “La Barca”. Occasionally they have very nice concerts on board, including the famous Norwegian band “King of convenience”, since they live in town. The boat is decorated with hand painted flags from the Spanish Artist Clara Cebrian. Please check their program in their website or ask if you can make a tour during the day or during the night with simple lunch, dinner or drink included.
BOATS
Via dell'Apollonion 5
The bar called Boats, name notwithstanding, does not have sea views. It has something far rarer: a view over the ruins of the roughly 2,500-year-old Temple of Apollo. Lit by candles and decorated with impeccable retro-vintage finds, the cavernous, nautical-themed establishment also has multiple turntables, an impressive funk-soul vinyl collection and an inspired cocktail card with concoctions like The Flaming Zone (Cynar artichoke liqueur, Campari, whiskey, mezcal and bitters; 9 euros).
Cortile Verga
Via Della Maestranza ,33 +39 333 168 3212
Outfitted with antique furniture and an upright piano, Cortile Verga surrounds a courtyard filled with white marble tables, offering both indoor and outdoor space to enjoy a mild I.P.A. by Sicily’s Vittoria brewery (7 euros) or the expert Italian-Mexican mix of a Malinche cocktail (Campari, vermouth, mezcal, orange juice, agave; 9 euros).
BARCOLLO
Via Pompeo Picherali, 10
Candlelit, palm-planted courtyard of Barcollo, is a chic and sultry lounge offering fruity drinks like the Ortigia Mule (vodka, prickly pear liqueur, ginger ale and lime; 10 euros).
Solaria Vini & Liquori
Via Roma 86, +39 0931 463007
This small, rustic enoteca (wine shop) is wonderfully old-school
Nuova Dolceria
Corso Umberto I, 18, Siracusa
Just at few steps from Ortigia is one of the best Sicilian Pastry shop in town with product from the nearby village Ferla (one of the most still authentic village in the area).
You will find the best coffe from Syracuse (Local brand Fiume) combined with excellent almond pastry, excellent Ice Cream and Granita and all the best Sicily can offer you about sweet food (but not only sweet). You should definitely give a try at breakfast or after lunch! Don’t miss it is part of the Sicilian experience!
Caffe Sicilia - Noto
Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 125, 96017 Noto
Just at few Kilometers from Syracuse you can have the privilege to try the best pastry of Italy and probably one of the best of Europe. Check the Netflix documentary to understand Corrado Assenza’s philosophy. Don’t miss the Cassata and the Granita