When we were in Taormina on vacation recently, we had Osteria da Rita dal 1991 on our list of…read moreplaces we absolutely had to dine at for dinner. One thing to note is that Osteria da Rita dal 1991 does NOT take reservations under any circumstance and is walk in only. I tried to go through the local 5 star hotel concierge at our resort and they didn't have access, and I also tried to secure reservations myself (I work for a high end travel/concierge company) and also was unsuccessful myself. But now, I understand why after going there. When you walk up, try to go towards the start of their dinner hours to get in line for a standby table. As tables "turn" the next table in the line is seated, that way everyone at the restaurant is treated fairly and is seated as tables are available. There were people in line with us that had dined there 2 or 3 times for dinner during their vacation, so we knew we were in for a treat because dining in Taormina is absolutely outstanding! Right across from the line queue, there in a gelato shop with a takeaway bar that sells wine, beer, and alcoholic drinks that you can take into the line while you wait for your table. At the time of our visit in June 2025, we were able to get a bottle of wine for 15 Euros that we drank while waiting on our table for about an hour to an hour and a half. When we were seated, we were greeted warmly by restaurant staff and they brought over the menus and complimentary bread and bruschetta. We also ordered the bottle of house wine to start as well and it was really good! For starters, we ordered the Spaghetti da Za Rita (15 Euros) and the Lasagna al Ragu (15 Euros). Both had homemade pasta and the quality was out of this world, everything was super fresh. For the entree we ordered the Lemon Flavored Meatballs (16 Euros) and these were out of this world, also very fresh and an amazing main course to share! We were full by the time we got through with dinner, so we didn't order any dessert but all of the desserts looked amazing! They did bring over a complimentary shot of limoncello to close the meal which was also greatly appreciated as well! It's truly an amazing restaurant and a must try spot if you're in Taormina!

What a lovely spot. Don't ask for butter with the bread lol…read moreComplementary bruschetta.

I didn't think there were many food options on the menu, but that was my fault for not looking at…read morethe menu ahead of time. What I did order was alright enough. The restaurant was pretty empty, but everyone was nice. It was $50 for a soup, a pasta with mushrooms, and a pear mousse. Not that $50 is crazy for what I was told would be "fine dining," but it just felt more like a $30 meal. I left feeling underwhelmed. BUT, it was the only thing open nearby at that time, and the parking lot was giant, which was a treat after driving in Randazzo, so that's why I'm giving it four stars. There's no seafood, just meat and mushrooms. Honestly, I want to give it three stars but judging by the other reviews and local friends' opinions it seems maybe I'm just a spoiled American used to more choices. It's open and it has parking. 4 stars.

It had a mention by Michelin in 2019 and there is a good reason it hasn't been mentioned since. We…read morehad the fried vegetables as an appetizer; only half of them were warm. We complained to the waiter but he ignored us. We had the two eggplant pasta dishes but they were inedible. One member of our party had a glass of red wine (her only glass) and promptly threw up. (Note: this is the Veneziano on C.da Arena Randazzo SS-120.)

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!!

Very special location. Excellent menu. Great portions and quality. Romantic and ideal for a special…read moreoccasion.

Oh my goodness. This place was amazing…read more I'm not sure where to start, so let's start with the view. The pictures uploaded by others show the view from the restaurant, and it doesn't matter where you're seated--floor to ceiling glass windows give diners an unobstructed view of the shimmering Mediterranean sea. (I'll try to upload a photo as well.) I was there for lunch in August with a few friends (most of whom were locals). We ordered a number of seafood appetizers to share, including raw shrimp and other fish. Presentation was beautiful, and everything was fresh. For the main course, I had spaghetti with sea urchin. Simple, right? Yes, simple done right. The pasta was cooked al dente and smoothly mixed with the sea urchin. Every bite delivered a heady mix of perfectly cooked pasta flavored with the slight brininess from the sea urchin. I finished off my plate fast and looked hopefully at my friends' plates, hoping they weren't able to finish theirs so I could have more. Alas, they seemed to like the pasta just as much as I did as their plates were empty as well. A few others ordered a variety of cooked seafood, including swordfish. Their orders were presented on a heated tile of pink Himalyan salt, which I found fascinating. Yes, I'm easily impressed. :D I tried a bit of swordfish, and though I'm typically not a fan of this particular fish, it was amazing. We finished off our meal with some espressos (passed on dessert as we were all so full). Amazing lunch. The price was more than reasonable too, considering the breathtaking view, the warm and friendly service, and the quality and freshness of the food.

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

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.

Found this place after a tour and Wow they were amazing the service was great the menu was great…read moreand we all enjoyed our meal. Would definitely recommend if you are in Messina

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.

Delayed flight, transfer to the hotel (which confusingly had a high name similarity to several…read moreothers, such that we initially went wrong), and in the end, it was about 10 pm before we could go hunting for food. Is that a problem. It would be in the US, but in Italy, nessun problema! We walked through the narrow and still very crowded streets of the center around the Dome. The trattoria di Antonio was packed (with mostly Italian guests), but Antonio just created an extra table to seat us. What else would you expect from Italy than having delicious food? And so it was: Antipasto siciliano, octopus salad, rigatoni and risotto pescatorio were all perfect - paired with the warm outdoor seating and the so charming attitude of the Italian staff. Bookmarked for return!

The carbonara was stunning. The best I've ever had. Would go back in a heartbeat. Would recommend…read morea reservation if you go because we did have to wait a little bit.

One of our favorite meals on our girls trip. Every dish ordered was amazing. The wine selection was…read moregreat. The staff and servers all so nice. We closed the place last to leave. I'd go back again as it was exceptional.