Ortigia is the kind of place that makes you hungry the second you arrive. Hungry for the food, of course – the raw prawns, the glossy pasta, the lemon that tastes like sunshine – but also for the life here. The island hums with a rhythm that wraps itself around every meal: markets bursting with colour by day, trattorias spilling into candlelit streets by night. I wandered, I ate, I lingered far too long over Etna rosé, and somewhere between the tartare and the squid, I fell in love. This guide isn’t just a list of restaurants – it’s a slice of Ortigia, the way I experienced it: delicious, unhurried, and impossible to forget.
Where to Eat in Ortigia: A Foodie’s Guide to Syracuse’s Best Restaurants
Ortigia is the kind of place that stays with you. A little island clinging to the edge of Syracuse, it’s all tangled alleyways, sea views that make you stop mid-stride, and the kind of restaurants you dream about long after you’ve left. If you’re planning a trip and wondering where to eat in Ortigia, you’ll quickly discover that food here isn’t just good – it’s layered with history, seasonality, and that Sicilian knack for turning simple ingredients into pure magic.
Planning a trip and wondering where to eat in Ortigia? Start here. From candlelit trattorias to seafood that tastes like the Ionian itself, these are the spots worth your appetite. I’ve already endured the misses so you can skip straight to the hits!
Why Ortigia is a Foodie’s Dream
Ortigia isn’t just beautiful – it’s utterly bloody delicious. The island is a swirl of cultures, and you taste it in every plate. Greek, Arab, Spanish, North African – all of them left something behind, and Sicilians have this way of weaving it together into food that’s simple, seasonal, and practially unforgettable.
Here, seafood is as fresh as the Ionian breeze, vegetables come piled high from the markets, and even a humble tomato tastes like sunshine. One minute you’re biting into arancini still warm from the fryer, the next you’re twirling pasta alla norma in a candlelit courtyard. Ortigia makes eating feel less like a meal and more like a love affair.
And boy, did I fall in love. Ortigia is tiny – you can walk end to end in twenty minutes – yet every corner seems to spill out another trattoria, wine bar, or market stall piled high with glossy aubergines, lemons the size of fists, and buckets of still-twitching prawns.
The island hums with life at every meal: mornings start with granita and brioche, afternoons bring paper cones of fried seafood eaten by the water, and evenings stretch into long dinners where pasta, tuna tartare, and carafes of local wine appear as if by magic.
It’s the kind of place where eating isn’t a sideline to sightseeing – it is the sightseeing.
The Best Restaurants in Ortigia
Le Vin de L’Assassin Bistrot
The name might sound more Paris than Sicily, but don’t let that fool you – Le Vin de L’Assassin is every bit an Ortigia gem. Tucked along Via Roma, it’s part French bistro, part Sicilian soul, and all charm. The handwritten menu arrives in a school notebook – quirky, a little odd, and completely endearing – and the outdoor tables spill across the cobbles with that golden glow Ortigia seems to bottle at dusk.
The food more than delivers. Sicily has a love affair with tartare, and here it shines – a crusted tuna tartare that was crisp yet delicate, followed by a prawn tartare risotto that tasted as if the Ionian itself had been ladled onto the plate. Washed down with a chilled bottle of Etna rosé – mineral, bright, and just the right kind of indulgent.
Ranieri – Cucina, Chiacchiere e Vino
Tucked away in Piazza San Giuseppe, Ranieri is one of those places that makes you instantly glad you searched for where to eat in Ortigia. It feels like the kind of restaurant you stumble on by accident and then immediately vow to return to. (We actually struggled to get in – so if you’re deciding where to eat in Ortigia, book Ranieri well in advance!)
The name translates as cuisine, chatter and wine – and that’s exactly what it delivers: plates that celebrate Sicily’s best ingredients, a lively hum of conversation, and glasses that never stay empty for long.
The meal began with “tre tartare ai profumi mediterranei” – a trio that captures Sicily’s obsession with raw seafood. Sicilian red prawns scented with orange and basil, yellowfin tuna, and the catch of the day, each with its own clever pairing like liquid caponata or crunchy taralli. It’s a dish that feels both traditional and inventive, a showcase of the island’s love affair with tartare done with finesse.
From there, the flavours kept unfolding. Octopus tentacles roasted until smoky and perfumed with citrus arrived alongside sweet potato and aioli, while the yellowfin tuna reappeared in a Japanese-style tonkatsu- crisp on the outside, meltingly tender within – paired with classic caponata. It’s this kind of balance that defines Ranieri: playful global nods, firmly rooted in Sicilian tradition, with every dish telling a story of the island and the sea that surrounds it.
Anchovies, Ortigia
Anchovies sits on Via Capodieci, a street that feels more like a stage than a road. Tables spill across the stones, the church looms softly over the square, and on our visit, a live guitarist played through the night – the kind of soundtrack you wish every meal had. The staff slipped out between courses to perch on the church steps for a quick cigarette and a laugh, and somehow it added to the charm: this is Ortigia life unfolding around your table.
We began with the signature anchovy salad – a vivid mix of crunchy fennel, sweet Sicilian oranges, caramelised onion, and pickled anchovy fillets. Light, bright, and full of contrast, it was the kind of dish that wakes up your palate for what’s to come. Alongside it, a light caponata arrived – silky aubergine and vegetables in that classic Sicilian sweet-and-sour balance – finished with a scatter of pizzuta almonds from Avola and a shard of crisp panelle. Sharp, sweet, salty, and nutty – Sicily in one bite.
Next came the pasta buttons (bottoni ripieni), delicate parcels stuffed with red shrimp, bathed in butter and lifted with a Femminello lemon pistachio pesto. A spoon of buffalo mayonnaise added creamy tang, making each mouthful both indulgent and balanced. It’s the kind of dish that makes you stop talking just to appreciate it.
The stuffed squid was no less memorable: slow-cooked until tender, filled with sultanas, pine nuts, and basil-scented breadcrumbs. It came laid across a bed of sweet pea cream, topped with a crumble of crunchy bacon for contrast. Earthy, sweet, and savoury all at once – a dish that shows just how inventive Sicilian cooking can be when tradition meets creativity.
By the time we left, it wasn’t just the live music I couldn’t shake, but the memory of shrimp-stuffed pasta and sweet-savoury squid that somehow summed up the whole island on a plate. If you’re still wondering where to eat in Ortigia for a mix of atmosphere and inventive cooking, Anchovies proves you don’t have to choose. It manages to be both creative and unmistakably Sicilian – and that’s no easy feat.
1984 La Foglia
Wandering into La Foglia feels a bit like stepping into a dream – part time-warp, part living museum. It’s perched in a quiet alley off Via Capodieci, surrounded by mismatched chairs, vintage sculptures, crocheted tablecloths, and quirky art that looks like your eccentric grandmother collected it all. The kind of place where you feel lovingly untethered from the world you left outside
Dinner was a lesson in Sicilian comfort and pace. Be warned: things move a touch slower – our table was booked for 9:30pm, and that casual timing doesn’t feel like poor service – it feels like a proper Sicilian evening unfolding with ease. It’s all part of the experience, and somewhere in those unhurried moments, the conversation grows as rich as the food.
So if you’re searching for where to eat in Ortigia beyond seafood temples, La Foglia deserves its place on your list. It won’t be rapido, but that’s the point – this is Sicily served slowly, and it’s all the better for it.
We began with an octopus salad – tender slices of sea-salty octopus with just enough olive oil and seasoning to let the flavour bloom. Next came a straightforward, homely parmigiana, rich layers of aubergine, tomato, and cheese that tasted like nostalgia wrapped in every forkful. And if you’re craving something more hearty, their beef ragu pasta hits that sweet-spot of home cooking—but the standout for me was a mussels pasta with garlic and olive oil that sang with simplicity and freshness.
If seafood’s been the theme of your trip to this point, La Foglia offers a different plate of Sicily – unpolished, soulful, and effortlessly real. The pasta is cooked just right – al dente in all the best ways – and made with a care that somehow turns ordinary ingredients into something memorable.
Why You’ll Love It
If Ortigia’s seafood temples have been doing all the heavy lifting, La Foglia is your welcome slack – which is a very good thing. Bring patience, a healthy appetite, and an open heart for tradition.
Carnezzeria
Carnezzeria sits right in the middle of Ortigia’s buzzing market strip – and when I say buzzing, I mean it. This part of the island is alive from morning until late into the night. By day, fishmongers call out their catches, the smell of citrus and herbs spills from overflowing crates, and stalls jostle shoulder to shoulder selling everything from sun-dried tomatoes to wheels of pecorino.By evening, the market transforms into one long row of restaurants and bars competing for your attention. The atmosphere is wild – tables spilling into the street, waiters weaving between crowds, laughter echoing down the narrow road. It’s chaotic, messy, completely addictive – and exactly the kind of place you want to be if you’re deciding where to eat in Ortigia.
With so much competition, you’d expect it all to blur into one, but Carnezzeria stood out immediately – and ended up being my favourite meal of the strip at this end of the peninsula. The energy here is more grounded, less touristy, and the food speaks louder than any neon sign ever could.
We started with tuna tartare – yes, another tartare, but when you’re in Sicily, it never feels repetitive. Here it was clean, silky, and lifted with just enough seasoning to let the fish shine. Then came the surprise hit of the evening: traditional Sicilian meatballs. Rich, juicy, seasoned to perfection – they were hands down the best I’ve had.
The pastas are where Carnezzeria really flexes. The fresh lobster pasta was admittedly on the small side but indulgent, each strand of pasta coated in a sauce that carried the sweetness of lobster without drowning it. The clam pasta was a different kind of brilliance – simple, garlicky, brine-bright – a reminder that the very best Sicilian cooking doesn’t need to be complicated whatsoever.
We finished with homemade almond biscuits, served alongside a little glass of sweet dessert wine – a local tradition that feels more like a gesture of hospitality than just dessert. The biscuits themselves were crumbly and nutty, the wine syrupy and fragrant, a pairing that quietly sealed the meal with a smile because let’s face it, there wasn’t much room left in our bellies for more!
Hey Lolly’s Top Tips for Where to Eat In Ortigia
1. Bag a later table (in Italian if you can). Restaurants often “close early” if they think you’re a tourist. But the locals? They’re still strolling in at 10pm, taking their time over antipasti until midnight. The trick? Speak in Italian when you book. A simple “possiamo prenotare alle dieci e mezza?” (Can we book at half past 10) with a smile will suddenly open doors for you. They love it when you make the effort with their language – and you’ll find yourself eating at the same hour as the people who really know how to do Ortigia.
2. Trust the house wine. You don’t need a sommelier when Sicily’s house wines are this good. We’re talking crisp whites from Noto, mineral rosés from Etna (So underrated!), and bold, fruity reds that cost less than a London G&T. Order a bottle, let it flow, and toast the fact that in Sicily, “cheap” doesn’t mean “bad” – it means local, seasonal, and poured with pride.
3. Pasta is al dente – really al dente. Forget the soft plates you might be used to back home. Here, pasta has bite – proper chew, the kind that grips the sauce instead of slumping under it. The first forkful might catch you off guard, but trust me, by the end of your trip you’ll be ruined for anything else. Not convinced? Just ask for it “La pasta, per favore, un po’ più cotta.” = “The pasta, please, a little more cooked.” when you order – they’ll know exactly what you mean.
4. Seafood rules the table. Yes, there’s meat. Yes, there are veggie plates. But in Ortigia, the sea calls the shots. Expect tuna, swordfish, clams, prawns, octopus – and tartare, tartare, tartare. If it’s raw, glistening, and came out of the Ionian that morning, it’s going to be on your plate by nightfall.
5. Cash isn’t king, but it helps. Most restaurants do take cards these days, so you won’t be stranded – but if you want cash, tread carefully. ATMs are easy enough to find, but they sting you with heavy withdrawal fees. The national banks are the exception, though they keep strict “Italian hours” (think: closing for lunch, not open late, and definitely not 24/7). Time it right, and you’ll get your euros without the penalty. Miss it, and that cannoli might cost you more than the €2 you bargained for!
6. Dessert isn’t optional. Truth be told, I didn’t eat much dessert in the restaurants themselves – because why would you, when Ortigia’s gelaterie are two a penny and absolutely out of this world? A billion flavours to choose from, silky-smooth, piled high, and scooped with a flourish. If you’re not having a gelato on your midnight stroll home, are you even living?
7. Embrace the slow lane. Service is never rushed, and it’s not supposed to be. Meals in Ortigia are long, leisurely, and full of pauses – to sip, to talk, to watch the world wander by. If you’re used to quick bill-dropping, relax. Nobody’s in a hurry, and neither should you be. Dolce Far Niente.
8. Remember: it’s theatre as much as dinner. Eating out in Ortigia is a show in itself. Musicians set up in piazzas, glasses clink down cobbled streets, and waiters sneak out for a cigarette on the church steps between courses. The food is incredible, yes – but it’s the atmosphere that makes you fall in love. If you’re wondering where to eat in Ortigia, think of it less as choosing a restaurant and more as choosing your seat in Sicily’s nightly performance.
To come to Ortigia and not eat endlessly is to miss its soul. This island is a stage set for candlelit dinners, twilight gelato, and seafood that feels like the sea still clings to it. Follow these recommendations, surrender to the table, and let Ortigia do what it does best.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like my post on Eight Ways Travel Influences Cooking at Home
And if still photos don’t cut it, you can catch more of Ortigia’s food, streets, and general dolce far niente vibes over on my TikTok!
Ortigia showed me how magical Sicilian food can be at the table – but I also got to try it hands-on. I joined a Sicilian cooking class in Siracusa and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the flavours I’d been eating every night. If you want to go beyond dining out, it’s an experience worth every minute.
