A guide to the best restaurants in Taormina

Lap up local meals at Casa Gioli

In the heart of Taormina, this restaurant also doubles up as an art showcase, where sculptures and photography frequently find a home. Pasta is made from locally sourced ingredients and every fish on the menu is freshly caught from Sicily’s shores.

Dine at the heights of Al Saraceno

Sea views from high in the foothills are yours at Al Saraceno, tucked up close to an old castle with vast vistas of the sea, this is a great spot for a romantic evening. Wood-fired pizza keeps everyone happy morning, noon and night, although classic meats like pork, beef and chicken are also transformed into delicious dishes.

Eat on the beach at Pizzichella

Locally famous for its swordfish rolls, Pizzichella is right on the seafront, meaning you can spend your Italy holidays dining out by the waves under a parasol. With a seaside shack feel that’s as cosy as they come, seafood is a given here, although they also serve tasty toasties and a sublime tiramisu.

Old Sicilian classics at Tischi Toschi

There’s a fairytale charm to Tischi Toschi, through its pale yellow walls adorned with medieval marionettes and quirky art. The rich wooden arches and furnishings represent a timeless Sicilian style, and the same can be said for the menu. Expect succulent steaks, elegantly presented pasta and dessert cakes drizzled with chocolate and honey. The wine list alone is like a greatest hits list of Sicilian beverages.

Sample street food at L'Arco – About Pizza

Although you’ll find slices of pizza aplenty at L’Arco, as its full name implies, this hole-in-the-wall wins major points for its superb pastries and arancini. Rice, cheese and sauce are all stuffed into those little morsels of goodness, and can be washed down with fresh juices and milkshakes. It’s a good place to swing by between tours.

Try the ornate desserts at La Capinera

They say a good chef feeds the eye before the palate, and that’s certainly the case at this seafront restaurant. Every meal is stylishly served in airy and elegant surroundings, yet it’s the desserts that really steal the show.

They take your cake and make extravagant hoops, twirls and patterns on your plate, often to breathtaking levels.

Dine on the patio at Ristorante le Naumachie

Splendid stone walls styled in the architecture of old make this restaurant a great place to taste tradition, while the tables on the patio is the spot to savour the sunshine.

The pizzas, salads, seafood and pastries make for good eating, and there’s also a deli here so you can take some of the finest meats and cheeses away with you.

Enjoy a candle-lit supper at Restaurant Al Duomo

This restaurant’s elegant decor is stunning, and many of the upstairs tables enjoy balcony views over the plaza and church outside. People-watching over pasta is a given here, with plenty of healthy meals to savour across the spectrum.

Truffles, ravioli and braised steak cutlets rank among the menu highlights here, all served with style.

Fill your belly at Trattoria Tiramisu

Tucked snug in the west side of Taormina, this restaurant specialises in seafood and pasta, but with a with a home-cooked flair. Lobster linguine and seafood pasta, together with shellfish and a wide selection of local wines, tick plenty of boxes.

Taste the sunshine at Osteria da Rita

This yellow and vibrant place is in the corner of Via Calapitrulli, and its pizzas are among the best in town. Each is made to taste, using the fines local ingredients, although it’s just as satisfying to while your days away with a cool beer as you sit outside and people-watch.