A starry Sicily: the Sicilian Michelin-recommended restaurants
Michelin-starred restaurants in Sicily and where to eat
Less than a month has passed since the important recognition obtained by Alessandro Ingiulla, the youngest starred chef in Italy. Ingiulla represents a reason of pride for Catania: thanks to his obtained recognition, for the first time Catania can boast a Michelin starred restaurant.
Alessandro Ingiulla, 26 years old, is the chef of the restaurant Sapio, which has won the Michelin star, also thanks to the support of his girlfriend Roberta, who works there as maitre. The restaurant is located in Via Messina 235. Alessandro has been working since he was a teenager of only 14 years, and his curriculum is rich of various experiences.
Alessandro was very young when he left Sicily to discover new flavors. He traveled between Europe and some cities in northern Italy. But Alessandro comes back to his beloved Catania, with the aim to bring a breath of fresh air to his homeland. He aspires to a gourmet restaurant and succeeds, conquering everyone with his Spaghetto Freddo, a first course based on fresh tomato, Etna oil, raw prawn and seaweed powder.
The first Michelin star lights up in Catania, a very rich city in taste and specialties. About time too!
The number of starred restaurants in Sicily rises to 16: there were 14 starred Sicilian restaurants recognized in 2018, and will be 16 in 2019 thanks to the Sapio and to the already starred St. George by Heinz Beck restaurant of Taormina, which won a new star.
Michelin-starred Sicilian restaurants of 2019
Everybody knows it: Sicily is a land rich in culinary specialties, even the gourmet ones. We have already talked about what to eat in Sicily, if you love the street food. But Sicily can satisfy even the most demanding and fine palates, and there are also luxury gourmet restaurants in more than one city.
Palermo, our magnificent Sicilian capital, boasts 3 starred restaurants: you can find the most prestigious dishes at the Bye Bye Blues in Mondello, at the Bavaglino in Terrasini and at I Pupi di Bagheria. All the mentioned restaurants have only one star for now: who knows if they will be able to win more in the next years! However, we Sicilian are already proud of Palermo’s restaurants.
In Ragusa we can choose different restaurants: this city can be proud of the Accursio Restaurant of Modica, La Locanda Don Serafino, La Fenice and Il Duomo.
Messina (and province) holds the record for starred restaurants in Sicily. In fact, there are 5 restaurants in Messina on the Michelin list. In addition to the already mentioned St. George by Heinz Beck, in Taormina we find La Capinera and Prince Cerami. Also the Aeolian Islands have restaurants on the Michelin list: in Vulcano we find Il Cappero and in Salina there is the restaurant Signum.
La Madia restaurant stands out with 2 stars, in Licata, in the province of Agrigento.
In Caltagirone you can enjoy the best gourmet dishes at the restaurant Coria, located in its characteristic old town. On the slopes of Etna, near Linguaglossa, the Shalai restaurant shines with its Michelin star.
And finally, of course, the new entry: the Sapio restaurant of Catania.
Lots of Sicilian restaurants are not on the Michelin list yet, but have received a mention: we recommend, Me Cumpari Turiddu in Catania or Osteria Expanificio in Agrigento.
If you plan to leave for Sicily in 2019, and you would try the Sicilian Haute Cuisine in various cities, you could choose a transfer service on board of our luxurious minivans.
We hope that other Sicilian restaurants will be included in the list of Michelin starred restaurants. However, we Sicilian believe that in our beautiful island you can eat well everywhere, even in the cheapest typical restaurants.