A Local Guide to Palermo: Sardines, Spumante and Spontaneous Dancing

Food

There are two parallel culinary worlds in Palermo: traditional home cooking and street food.

Palermitans are very proud of their traditional cuisine, and I'd recommend stopping by Trattoria da Nonna Dora for pasta con le sarde, which celebrates local ingredients like sardines, pine nuts, raisins and fennel savage. A generous portion costs €6. After fresh fish? Try Osteria Mercede for its tonno rosso(bluefin tuna, €18), and the hearty I sapori del Mare for its killer pasta porticello >(pasta with prawns, €16). Cheese lovers shouldn't miss the ragusano all'argentiera (pan-fried caciocavallo cheese in oil, garlic and vinegar, €10) at La Buatta on Via Vittorio Emanuele.

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A street food is not something anything you plan; it happens as you stroll Palermo's narrow streets and souk-like markets. Pani câ meusa (focaccia stuffed with sautéed beef spleen and a cascade of grated caciocavallo, €2.50) is Palermo's street food trophy. Francu U Vastiddaru near Piazza Marina is my top pick. Best carb choice ( and vegetarian) is a panino con panelle e crocchè (a sesame roll with chickpea fritters, potato croquettes and mint) Fratelli Testagrossa in Piazza Indipendenza makes big port ions for €2.

Inspiration