Eat Your Way Through Palermo's History

Arabs, Romans, and Byzantines introduced palaces to this region throughout the past two millennia in addition to new ingredients and recipes. Every region of Sicily offers a distinctive flavor, and Palermo, the island's capital, serves as a gathering place for the different ingredients and dishes.

Pasta con le sarde is one of Palermo's most well-known meals (spaghetti or other pasta with sardines, wild fennel, saffron and raisins). The different types of couscous are also clearly influenced by North African cuisine. For residents of Palermo, sorbet-like granita served with brioche is a favorite memory of a summertime breakfast or dessert.

The smell of pastries will lead you into family-owned shops, like Pasticcería Fratelli Magri where the king (cannoli – a fritter filled with ricotta cheese and chocolate pieces) and queen (Cassata Siciliana – a ricotta, sugar and marzipan-based cake with fruit and liquor) of Sicily are made from scratch. Both desserts were originally introduced by the Arabs but adapted by the nuns who arrived with the Spanish.

Any visit to Palermo requires a stop (or two) for gelato. The third-generation family shop Antica Gelatería Ilardo, by the marina, is a great option to try gelato made with real pistachio nuts.