Eat & Drink

For some people the Sicilian cuisine and the quality of food are already worth the trip. In Trapani you can find excellent vegetables, fresh fish and good wines all at reasonable prices. The varied local cuisine is rather hearty compared to Italian Standards. The Arabs brought the chickpeas, so next to the ubiquitous pasta you can have Panelle or CusCus. The local specialty is "CusCus imperiale" with fish (broth). Food escapades like milt-sandwiches and other offal are, thankfully, in opposition to very, very good ice cream.

Mangiare Fuori (Eat Out)

In Trapani a Pizzeria often is considered a snack bar (concerning interiours). The local pizza is delicious: thick dough and rich topping. For all who fear to remain hungry potatoes with cheese are served for extra repletion. As drinks, soda, water or beer is served. In the old town we can recommend 'Jolanda' in Piazza Principessa Jolanda, 'Calvino' in Via Nunzio Nasi, 'Amici miei' at the Lungomare and modern 'Beccofino' near the cathedral (see below).

The "real" Eating Out takes place at a Ristorante (or Trattoria, Osteria). If you want you can prolong the pleasure to a five-course menu from antipasto to dolci. Local specialties as a starter include the caponata (pickled vegetables), sarde linguate (fried sardines) and squid salad. The typical trapanese Pasta form is the thick and twisted busiate. The Pesto Trapanese is a strong red pesto with almonds, garlic and fresh tomatoes. Famous is the almost infinite variety of the Sicilian sweets: the Dolci. Cassatelle, Cannoli, Cassata Siciliana, parfait di mandorle, profiteroles - sometimes you need some stamina to deal with the ricotta and cream fillings.

Good food in the Old Town you can find at La betolaccia near the port in the Via Enrico Fardella 25, at Antichi Sapori in Piazza Jolanda in Taverna Paradiso at the Lungomare and the Cantina Siciliana in Via Giudecca.

For Dinner many Trapanesi make a small trip to the countryside and choose a agriturismo or a country inn. Reservation is recommended here. Our favorite is the Ristorante Rustico Ardigna in the Montagna Grande close to Salemi (30min drive from Trapani).

We can reccommend:

Pizzeria Beccofino, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via Mancina, 14 tel: 0923 22817
Pizzeria Calvino Dal "1946", 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via N. Nasi, 77 tel: 0923 21464
Pizzeria Amici Miei, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Lungo Mare Alighieri Dante, 22 tel: 0923 25907
Pizzeria Iolanda - Di Massimo D'Amico, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Corso Vitt. Eman., 195 tel: 0923 20303

Trattoria Al Solito Posto, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via Orlandini, 30 tel: 0923 24545
Trattoria Cantina Siciliana di Giuseppe Maggiore, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via Giudecca, 32 tel: 0923 28673
La Bettolaccia, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via E. Fardella, 25 tel: 0923 21695
La Tramontana - Ittiturismo, 91100 Trapani (TP) - Via Carolina, 4 tel: 0923 540876

outside Trapani:
Ristorante L'Ardigna Contrada Ardigna 91018 Salemi (TP) tel: 368 7223269
Agriturismo Vultaggio 91100 Trapani (TP) - Contrada Misiliscemi tel: 0923 864261
Duca di Castelmonte Via Salvatore Motisi, 3 91020 XITTA TRAPANI tel: 0923 526139