The most popular restaurant in all of Taormina does not disappoint. Be prepared for long lines with…read moreno reservations. The atmosphere is lively, the hospitality unlike any restaurant we visited. Very family forward. Ladies kept kissing my daughter's head. The men kept tapping it. They love children. The food was very good. Mixed seafood pasta and the pasta Rita had unique flavors I've never had. Very touristy but experience felt very local.

Osteria da Rita lives up to the reviews (a 4.5 rating for me)- delicious, traditional Sicilian…read morecuisine, welcoming and efficient staff, good energy. We had lunch there two days in a row and the meals were consistently good and the best we had in our two days in Taormina. There seems to be a good social media buzz about the place. Let's start with seating. As all the reviews convey, there are no reservations; first come first served and always a line to get in. For lunch, when we arrived at 11:45 for the line, we were able to get an inside seat when they opened at 12 noon. In the second day we arrived at 11:40 and were able to get a prized outside seat. My observation for lunch is that if you arrive between 11:50 and 12:00 you may risk not getting in the first seating and I heard the staff communicate it would be up to an hour or 90 minutes before the second round of seating. For the food, on the first day we ordered bruschetta (a single piece is complimentary on the house but if you want more should order off the appetizer menu): fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil. One of the best bruschetta's I have had. We also ordered caponata which had whole garlic cloves and traditional elements; would also recommend. Ordered a bottle of the house white which was solid. We both had the braciola (rolled meat) because my wife had a recipe for it from her grandmother and we wanted to compare; it was a good portion and hearty for lunch. We shared a tiramisu for dessert, very rich and creamy and we like that the lady finger cookies still had a bit of a crunch. Next to us a couple from California had the grilled sardines and tuna which they said they really enjoyed. On the second day, we both ordered spritzes (Aperol and Limoncello) and started with the fried calamari; it had a good taste and was very lightly battered and fried. I was expecting something with a bit more batter and maybe more crunchy but glad we tried it. We also ordered a fennel and orange salad which was the highlight of the lunch - so refreshing and a perfect balance. For entrees, I had the spinach and ricotta ravioli which I would absolutely recommend and my spouse had the pasta with a ragu sauce - equally delicious. We decided to hold on dessert and save room for granita later in the afternoon. While sitting outside, many passers by commented to their companions that "this is the place to eat in Taormina". From our experiences there, we would certainly agree.

Ate here last year on a cruise stop. Food was delicious and atmosphere was nice sitting outside…read more May go again when stop here again!

Cute little place right across from the port. We had a view of our ship…read more I had the swordfish pasta with eggplant that was very tasty. The pasta is Al dente. Hubby had the shellfish risotto. The risotto was too Al dente the seafood, except for the shrimp and clams tasted old and rubbery. The shrimp and clams were excellent. I had a glass of Messina wine, Malvasia, which was delicious. A bit on the sweet side. Hubby had biere Messina which was excellent as well. The cannoli, which originated in Sicily, was delicious. The shell was a bit thick, but the filling was creamy deliciousness.

The fact that they take reservations is a plus. Everything was good and some dishes were unique…read morelike the pistachio prawn pasta, something we didn't get. Spaghetti with butter and anchovies was different but very salty. Everything on average was good.

Food was incredible. Best limoncello and cannolis we had the entire trip. The line is long so make…read moresure you reserve ahead of time!

Food and service are great. Nice location at the marina with a covered outdoor terrace. Great wine…read morelist

Lovely restaurant with outside seating and views of the marina. They have a good selection of…read morepasta, fish and an option of veal. Almost all items are fish based (obviously for the area). The waitstaff was all very friendly. Everything is in Italian/ Sicilian so English speakers bring your phone to help translate!

The food was very tasty and it was lovely sitting outside with a view of Castello Ursino.read more

Outside. Beautiful. Table clothes. Very nice and kind service. Food came out quickly, almost too…read morequick. Didn't care for any of the food. We had two apps and left. Wine was ok they brought out two different bottles to try, place is now packed. Try at your own risk. Not my favorite here. Doris approved 3.5 stars. The whole meal everything pictured was 22.00euro Everyone else cleaned their plates so maybe we didn't pick the right meals.

Looking for an experience of authentic Sicilian culture? You'll find it here. Authentic, old…read moreworld, charming and delicious. It is slow food, at it's finest. Dishes that other won serve, because they require time, love and attention. Lots of seafood, freashly caught and you can taste the difference. Amazing vegetarian pasta. Lots of dishes to select from. Too many. You could dine here for a week and still not explore it all. Go! You will be delighted!

We arrived at the restaurant and was told there were no tables available for the evening and was…read moreturned away. I then informed them I had made reservations to celebrate my wife's birthday and was promptly seated. The highlight was the bread and the olive from Mt Etna, amazing splash of olive oil!. Then things went down hill from there. Service was mediocre, the food was not as expected. I had Spatola and had to search for bits and pieces of fish. The taste was off and I elected not to finish my meal. I assume they were having an off-night but after seeing some of the reviews, I don't think so. I traveled throughout Italy, Sicily and Sardinia and must say this was not enjoyable. I would not recommend this place of business until they re-evaluate their menus and staff.

Five of us had dinner here and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their chosen dishes. I took a break from…read morepasta and had a grilled beef steak with roasted potatoes. It was perfectly prepared. The flavor of the steak was delicious, topped with olive oil. The roasted potatoes were also delicious. Simple meal that hit the spot! Two other friends had steak as well but with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce. They thought it was absolutely delicious. My hubby ordered the carbonara and it was one of the most outstanding versions ever. The carbonara sauce was amazing. The bacon was even crispy which is a rare sight! Service was friendly. The outside covered patio was beautiful, calm and a delightful place to have dinner. The inside of the restaurant was where the local diners were eating, sounded like a big party inside, while it was serene outside where we were. We had lots of pleasant dinner conversation without it being noisy! Wonderful dinner experience. Highly recommend!

Had an amazing experience with Anthony and Giuseppe! Such an authentic and beautiful experience…read morewith fantastic service and traditional dishes. You must have the ravioli with pistachio cream-- it is life changing. I hope to come back again before we leave!!

From the owner: Gli antipasti siciliani sono veramente tanti e vari, a cominciare dagli antipasti rustici…read moresiciliani, quelli a base di olive, pomodori secchi, formaggi, salumi, panelle e crocchè, per passare agli antipasti più classici come le polpette in agrodolce , Pane fritto, caponata e parmigiana siciliana, involtini di melanzane, peperonata, arancini al pistacchio e tant'altro  

Amazing restaurant! Can't get any fresher seafood than this! Great location on the water,…read moreoutstanding pastas and seafood. Not to mention the great owner and staff. Wow!

From the owner: ristorante sul mareread more

What a charming little wine bar! It's small inside with wooden tables and wine bottles lined the…read morewalls. There's also tables outside for of a casual feel due to the high walking traffic. We tried several different Sicily wines which were all fabulous. We also got a little cheese and meat plate. It was a laid back, cozy spot with good pricing that won't break the bank. Service was great

After lunch we stopped by for a glass of wine just to chill. Since this place was right next to…read moreour hotel we noticed that it fills up quickly with folks just looking for an aperitif. We did see some folks order some light bites but it's not necessary as they do give you some chips and crackers to munch on as a snack. If you're looking for a cheap glass they have some wines priced at 5 euro which are decent. Nothing fancy but drinkable like most house wines you get in a restaurant.