After a wonderful dinner, we returned to Da Bacco for lunch and dinner the next day to see if our…read morefirst night had been unusual. Things went from very good to great. Stefano not only continued sharing his knowledge of Sicilian wines but recommended Enoteca Picone to further our experience which was perfect advice. Lunch for me was fried octopus, which was 4 legs, each 6" (150 mm.) long and crispy on the outside and tender but slightly chewy on the inside like great fried chicken. I had seen a plate the night before and actually dreamed of them. They did not disappoint. She chose another iteration of cozze from the specials menu. These mussels were steamed in beer with fresh ginger and were comparably good to the sautéed but slightly more subtle. It turns out that dishes on the specials menu can work their way onto the standard menu if the patrons insist and the chef came out to ask for a comparison. We repeated the contorni plate of chef's choice vegetables that repeated the potato slices but added grill zucchini and oven dried onion that was sweet with all of the bitter components gone and the consistency of a very thin potato chip. We tried to rein in for dinner with pasta only. I had the Sicilian classic Pasta a la Norma with strong fresh tomato, soft eggplant, and sweet onion. It demanded scarpetta even with a white linen table cloth. She had pasta with prawns that was subtle and delicate with a lighter tomato sauce with herbs. We repeated the wines from the night before. We left feeling sad to think we probably wouldn't be back on this trip but smiling from the stomach up.

At Da Bacco located near the historic center was this beautifully charming whole in the wall where…read moreI called into going to grab a bite to eat. I decided to have a bucket of clams, awesome! Then in addition, the prosciutto with melon, also the carbonara which had thicker noodles. I dont know that I necessarily care for that, but it was yummy, and so flavorful. I loved it. The service was very direct slightly pretentious in a feel good way. So fun and such a good way to end your night in Italy.

This venue was recommended by the accommodation host. Glad that I went immediately after they…read moreopened for dinner as they seemed to be full later and I didn't have a reservation! All servers are polite, professional, and speak great English. The Italian menu is written on the blackboard on the wall. They'll provide you a QR code for English menu. While I was going to order pasta and main dish (fish) which a kind server suggested against due to the pasta portion. She was 100% correct, so I ordered tuna tartare and squid ink pasta. Both dishes were fantastic: tuna tartare was fresh - sushi/sashimi quality, and pasta dish was excellent despite the huge portion, lol! They suggested different wines for each dish to try, and I appreciated that they pay attention to details. While they would be a bit pricier compared to other restaurants in the area, if you're looking for solid food with polite service in the quiet environment, this is your place!

We had a lovely dinner here at the recommendation of our local Airbnb host, who kindly made a…read morereservation for us when the place opened (7pm). We enjoyed the amberjack carpaccio, which was super fresh and served with a fennel and orange salad. We then shared a pasta dish with shrimp and Trapani pesto - very delish. We finished with grilled amberjack with grilled eggplant and seared tuna with roasted potatoes. Both fish dishes were tasty and the quality of the fish was very good. The tuna was cooked a tad over and the skin on the amberJack could have been crisper ( the flesh was moist and well-seasoned) but overall we enjoyed the food very much. Our first waiter recommended a nice white wine from Etna - we ordered two bottles for the 3 of us. The lovely woman who then brought our food was delightful and charming. The evening we dined there, Canadian Amazon Prime was shooting a food network show on site and we ended up being a part of it (we consented to be interviewed and to do multiple takes and signed releases). It clearly was very exciting for the restaurant and we were happy to help, although the owner never acknowledged us at all. One quibble was that it took an hour after we asked for the check ( three times) for us to pay and one of us needed to get some work done on LA time. All in all, this place is worth a visit. It felt like good value and we had a very enjoyable time.

A little bit way from the main touristy areas, but they have an Italian/English menu here and they…read morewere happy to serve us when we arrived at 7:40pm. Warm and comfortable with linen tablecloth and linen napkins and heavy silverware, they have a long wine list and we opted to just have the house red which was great. Beautiful bread basket, we got the baked mozzarella cheese to start. A good portion baked in oil with fresh garlic. It was awesome and there will be no vampires tonight. For mains, my friend chose a noodle dish with eggplant. Big portion, very nicely presented and I had a small bit that was excellent. I chose the buccatini with sardines and it was amazing. Fresh sardines, pesto, perfect noodles. Yummy. Our first "full" dinner in Palermo (last night was the food tour) and it's really looking like we'll have a great food fest here. [Review 12819 overall, 133 of 2020.]

Wonderful, food, beautiful ambience. A bit crowded but very authentic. Highly recommend.read more

Dined twice in this outdoor restaurant hosted by Tony and Alex. All menu items were well prepared…read moreand all ingredients were fresh and tasty. The service was courteous and informative. I strongly suggest reserving a table ahead of time.

The best place in Palermo. Tony is the best! Service is outstanding and atmosphere is great…read more Excellent fresh food and super nice staff! Highly recommended!!!

Little family run operation off the beaten path. Here, you'll have a true italian experience…read more. passion, chaos & excellent seafood and pasta. I recommend ordering whatever the owner tells you is fresh that day. It'll likely include some sort of fish (ours was tuna) --- and let me tell you- it was the best tuna steak i've ever had. The pastas were al dente perfection w/ the toppings - from tartare to tomatoe- all very fresh. Don't skip this place!

The food was great and the service was very friendly. The baby squid with bread crumbs and pasta…read morewith tuna were amazing

Excellent food, probably the best we had during our week in Palermo. We had swordfish and…read moremeatballs. The owner asked what kind of wine we liked and brought us each a glass. The red wine tasted like a Syrah blend, it was easily the best wine that I had in Palermo. Prices seemed reasonable. I recommend getting a reservation, there was often a long line of people waiting for tables.

Very disappointed! Came here tonight with my husband. We had a lovely starter of fried cheese. My…read morehusband had a nice piece of swordfish with salad, which was nicely done. I had the misfortune of ordering the meatballs, which were cooked with cheese and mash potatoes -- at least according to the menu. They arrived on a skewer, no mashed potatoes, but cut up white potatoes instead. I could barely dislodge them from the skewer they were so incredibly overcooked. The cheese in between was brown and literally rock hard, when I called the waiter over he offered to replace them which I accepted. Almost a half hour later, no communication from the waiter, no new meatballs, no sign or any food, and my husband was now long done eating his dinner. We asked for the check. The owner then yelled at ME for not being patient enough! He said food in Sicily takes time! Really? I waited for the first meal and it was totally inedible, how long exactly am I supposed to wait for you to cook it right the second time? The owners reaction was really over the top, and he should be ashamed. They served me bad, inedible food and then yelled at us for not being patient enough to wait through a second hour for a replacement? Please. You make a poor dish, own it, apologize and make it right. I would happily have waited a reasonable amount of time for that. After one hour and 15 minutes with zero communication, that is not on me,it's on you. Own it! This restaurant is probably still worth a visit as I feel my bad dish was an aberration, but the attitude of ownership was absolutely rubbish, and they should be ashamed.

I choose Atelier on the recommendation of my host when I stayed in Palermo as part of a 2 week trip…read morein Sicily. It was by far one of the top meals I had during that time. You might not expect that from its location and size but wow! Fresh seafood, delicious, skillfully prepared and very reasonable prices...and friendly service on top of all that.

It would be 2.5 stars from me…read more Food: Appetizer - Parmigiana...bland, no flavor other than extreme bitterness. Main - Sardine Pasta...tasty. Service: Chaotic, rushed, could be challenging if you don't speak Italian. Be ready to order when a server approaches, or it could be a while until the next moment. Ambiance: Might be okay for friends/buddies getting together, but definitely not for quiet or intimate occasions. Price: Very reasonable. Extra: While I was eating the pasta, one of the servers moved my table w/o paying attention to accommodate new arriving guests next to my table which knocked down a big bottle of water. It splashed all over my dish and shirt. He immediately took the plate out (to de-do) and provided extra paper napkins, however no apologies were provided and it wasn't my happy moment in a soaking wet shirt... The manager (owner?) looked to be busy in talking loud on his phone rather than fully engaged in the business...

Fun local vibes with good service. Good sized portions and reasonably cheap eats - everything we…read moreordered was about 8euros a plate. Fritto mixto could have been crispier. Both pastas were a tad salty side. Tasted like modest Sicilian home cooking! Espresso tasted overly roasted / to verging on burnt.

I really enjoyed visiting this market. The prices are a bit hiked because of the tourist traffic,…read morebut generally all vendors are similarly priced and serve similar items. I tried a fried whitebait fish plate and some orange juice. The sanitation is a bit suspect (food is out for hours with these propellers to ward off pigeons), and gets reheated in a microwave before it is served. Workers tend to use gloves that touch coins and bills and also directly handle food (sprinkled salt with the same hand). I think it's part of the experience, and I thankfully haven't had any issues (I have a sensitive stomach)! Good number of stands with pantry items (jarred items and bagged spices), some souvenir vendors, and other stalls for food and drinks. I traveled solo and felt safe the whole time but I also tend to have my belongings directly on my person in front of me and keep zipped pouches for other items. I was also able to pay with card at all vendors (though they preferred cash).

When in Rome... I mean in Palermo! We tried the Stigghiola,…read morewhich is a Sicilian delicacy, which was tasty but somewhat difficult to chew due to stringy texture. I know this is not a beautiful description, but it's worth the try! I enjoyed it. Be prepared for stimulus overload. Most obviously the "abbanniate" or the vendors' shouts to promote their products, as well as the lines and crowds. My aunt, being the kind soul she is, called out a pickpocketer in the act and he harassed her. Be sure to keep your belongings in a safe place. (Man pickpocketed had his wallet in his back pocket.) Try to order food in Italian, you'll get a better, friendlier response, even if it's not good Italian. The food is very affordable so step out of your comfort zone and try something new!