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.

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.

Very good food, beautifully presented by very friendly and attentive servers. I got maccherone with…read moreeggplant. The pasta was robust and toothy, held precisely the right amount of sauce to be just delicious. My wife's spaghetti was simple and direct, just exactly what was promised. It's just around the corner from the Porta Catania and a few doors down from our excellent bed and breakfast Hotel Casa Adele. There's workable gelato at the Levante across the street. Go there.

Excellent pasta, great service and price was reasonable. Was referred by our hotel as we wanted a…read morecasual restaurant with good pasta after traveling all day. Restaurant was pefect for us!

Despite its location in what feels like the Olive Garden's interpretation of authentic Sicily,…read moretourist mecca Taormina, I had a really good experience at Rosmarino. There were no tables available but we were able to put our name in for 45 minutes later during what would typically be peak dinner time, although this is after the cruise ship crowd clears out of town. Luckily, Rosmarino is situated directly across the street from Taormina's public gardens so it was a pleasant wait. A table on the terrace allowed us to continue enjoying the view during dinner. What I ate was excellent. While I was too busy enjoying my meal to make detailed observations, I can wholeheartedly recommend both the caserecce al sugo (fresh handmade pasta in pork ragu) and rotolini alla messinese (beef involtini with cheese and breadcrumb filling).

From the minute you walk in... you feel a warm welcome! A nice menu but the owner Rita comes and…read moremakes it more special. She explains the specials and makes her suggestions based on your likes. I can't say enough... everything I tried was delicious... an authentic home made taste. I was the first one to arrive when they opened and I suggest you make reservations as the place gets packed, and you know why!!! It was a recommendation from a local and I know why!!! You must try...!!!

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!!

I think it's the place we had sandwiches at.It was good sandwiches and good prices.The service was…read moregreat.The ambiance was nice.

Antonino, Antonino, you have stolen our heart and our taste buds. We have never been so pleased…read morewith such personalized service and attention. Plus the food and drinks were fantastic! Scialati is a very small unassuming establishment with local favorites. Some options include pizza, salami, sandwiches lasagna and cake. It is geared more to the crowd that wants to grab and go, but there are a few seats available if you want to enjoy the ambiance of the neighborhood. The owner is so sweet. We can't wait to visit again as we now have a life long friend.

I walked in on a Monday night. The food was fresh and terrific. The waitresses were as sweet as…read morecould be. The view with the sunset was lovely, even though the reserved tables had the main view. I loved the low key atmosphere.

Had minestrone (very fresh and light), baked eggplant parmigiana( light homemade taste), stuffed…read moresardines (tasty , noting they are a bit salty). Very nice staff. Need reservations for dinner. For lunch walk-in.

Bee lined for this place due to the reviews. The views from our seats inside were amazing. Only had…read moretime to order a Ham and Mushroom pizza. Thin, crispy and it was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend this place. We were cruising at had to be back to our meeting point at 12:55 so we had little time to enjoy the food and view. A must go!!!!

Great pasta and awesome pizza. The crust is to die for. The service here is really really great…read more Beautiful views overlooking the water. Best pizza so far.

Cute little place, in Taormina , with tasty pizza and a variety of cocktails and wine. Friendly…read moreservers, we sat on the patio shaded by umbrellas and enjoyed a very nice lunch which included pizza and wine. The very interesting fact about porta Messina is that you can take a pizza making class here or perhaps a cannoli class. If I were staying for a longer period of time I would have considered it.

I liked the atmosphere a lot, but the food taste was just not much expected. The fresh orange juice…read morewas not taste enough. The staffs were very nice and friendly.

This is truly a fabulous restaurant recommended by a local in Taormina. It was tucked away in a…read morecharming corner street only a few minutes walk from our hotel. It was a lovely night so we decided to sit outside. This turned out to be a smart decision because there were three local singers who were performing for the tables and they were really very very good. The tuna appetizer and the swordfish there was amazing. As were the pastas we tried. The only negative was the calamari appetizer which was fried and similar to what you'd get in a US chain restaurant. Otherwise everything including the wine recommend by the server was excellent.

Pesto pasta was amazing... also, enjoyed the pasta alla Norma... lamb with fennel salad was superb,…read more& complemented the pesto pasta quite well. Am new to fennel, but quickly becoming a huge fan. It's refreshing, simple, & fresh... with olive oil... a good foil to the herbs on the lamb. Dessert was also great... & the wine, fantastic.