so many good things here--pastries/cookies/pizza/baked everything. fantastic coffee. a really nice…read moreowner behind the counter. we arrived randomly and left happy!

This is sort of like an Italian Biergarten. An Aperitivogiardino! Meraviglioso. Here, one can sit…read moreunder lemon trees for drinks or at a table for meals, among a pleasant outdoor ambience enriched by a fantastic collection of music. I tried their pasta with eggplant and ricotta: It was savory and hit the spot at a reasonable price point. Friendly staff. Occasional live music. A retreat from the touristic island bustle!

From the owner: Il Giardino di Lipari is a lovely oasis hidden in the narrow streets of the historic centre in…read moreLipari Island. Here good wine, cocktails and local food meet high-quality music, art and culture.

The Bar del Porto is my favorite place to hang out in Panarea and the closest thing to a…read moreneighborhood café the island has to offer. The name of the place - The Port Café" in Italian - is no accident. Getting off the ferry or the hydrofoil it's the first place you run into morning or night, and usually my first cappuccino breakfast of my visits to Panarea I have right here, just after we hand our bags off to one of the golf-cart taxis owned and operated by Angela and her family. The cappuccinos and croissants are good, the sandwich selection good enough, they know how to do basic cocktails well and they service is usually very efficient. At cocktail hour (aperitivo) they bring out a decent spread and they leave the loud music to The Bridge and the other 1st floor patio bars nearby. Like every bar or café along the tiny port the view is gougeous: sail boats, yachts and the islands of Stromboli, Basiluzzo, Dattilo and Lisca Bianca.. My favorite thing they serve are are the granite - the original Sicilian slush puppies - either "al caffe" for a second breakfast or other flavors after dinner after a stroll through town. Their granite seven years ago inspired one of my first blog posts (http://carbonara.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/slush-puppy-heaven/ ) although the guy with the cinnamon no longer works there.

Lovely, charming spot in Cefalu with reasonably priced, local wine (lots of varieties) and small…read morebites (buying a drink does get you a bowl of chips). Staff is very friendly and happy to give recommendations. We called ahead to reserve one of the 2 tables on the hidden balcony out back. It's lovely as the sun is setting as it is as if you are drinking wine in a private cave and looking out at the gorgeous sea. The hardest part was finding parking, so give yourself plenty of time to do that if you make a reservation. The other tables on the back had been reserved as well. If ever in downtown Cefalu again, I would definitely come back for a well-priced aperitivo in a stunning environment with friendly service!

Quaint little wine bar in town. We came here based on the recommendation of La Brace restaurant…read morewhile we were waiting for our 10:45 PM reservation. We started off sitting inside until there was availability to sit outside overlooking the water. The staff is very nice and friendly. I'd come here again.

Wonderful, delicious seafood, best meal I had in Sicily,so fresh,and the service was excellentread more

Nice location on the waterfront and great seafood. The mussels are some of the best we have had…read moreand we are used to fresh seafood. The staff was friendly as well. Only gripe is they seem to charge a premium for the location. I guess this must be a resort town or something, but it was nearly double the price for the same dishes you could get in Palermo. Quality food and wine though, even at the price it is worth checking out.

A good place where you can be happy and where you can eat the best icecream in the worldread more