Catania travel guide: where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Catania, Sicily, Italy.
Catanese cooking is built on the volcanic soil of Etna and the Ionian fish catch. The city's signature dish is pasta alla Norma (tomato, fried aubergine, basil and salted ricotta), named for Bellini's opera, alongside pasta with sea urchin and calamarata. Street food is a daily habit: arancini (cone-shaped in Catania, filled with ragu or butter and ham), cipollina and scaloppina (savoury pastries), crispelle and the horse-meat grills of Via Plebiscito. Pistachio from Bronte appears in pasta, pesto, arancini and sweets. Desserts include cannoli, cassata, minne di Sant'Agata and granita served with a warm brioche col tuppo, usually eaten for breakfast. Etna's volcanic vineyards produce Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco, which suit most local dishes.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Catania.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Sicilian Pastry And Rosticceria
Catanese
Catanese Arrusti E Mangia
Catanese Grilled Meats
Catanese Meatballs
Cured Meats
Seafood
Sicilian Bread And Focaccia
Sicilian Pastry
Food tours & tastings in Catania
Eat your way through Catania with a guide.
Browse food experiences in CataniaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Arancini
The Catanese arancino is cone-shaped; ragu and pistachio versions are common
Find it at: Pasticceria Savia and Pasticceria Spinella, Via Etnea
Price: EUR 2.50-3.50 (about USD 2.88-4.03)
Fried seafood cones
Paper cones of fried calamari and prawns eaten beside the fish market
Find it at: Scirocco Sicilian Fish Lab, Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto 7
Price: EUR 8-15 (about USD 9.20-17.25)
Polpette di cavallo
Horse-meat meatballs grilled on pavement grills, served with lemon
Find it at: Via Plebiscito; Al Dusmet - Da Riccardo, Via Dusmet 121
Price: EUR 5-10 (about USD 5.75-11.50)
Seltz limone e sale
Sparkling water with lemon juice and a pinch of salt, sold from the city's street kiosks
Find it at: Kiosks around Piazza Duomo and Via Etnea
Price: EUR 1.50-2.50 (about USD 1.73-2.88)
Granita and brioche
Breakfast staple at the Via Etnea pasticcerie
Find it at: Prestipino, Savia, Spinella
Price: EUR 3-5 (about USD 3.45-5.75)
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
La Pescheria (Fera o Luni fish market)
The historic fish market with swordfish, tuna, sea urchins and loud vendors; several osterie around it cook the day's catch.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, about 7:00AM-2:00PM; best before 10:00AM (sources vary; confirm locally)
La Fiera (Piazza Carlo Alberto market)
The city's largest produce, cheese, olive and salumi market, close to Via Etnea and the Vermut aperitivo bar.
Hours: Monday-Saturday mornings (confirm locally)
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch usually runs 12:30PM-3:00PM and dinner starts around 7:30PM-8:00PM; many trattorie close one day a week, so phone the listed number to confirm.
Sit-down trattorie add a coperto (cover charge) of roughly EUR 1.50-3 (about USD 1.73-3.45) per person; a service charge is not standard and a small tip is optional.
Horse-meat grills on Via Plebiscito are busiest after 8:00PM; carry cash, point to a cut at the counter and ask for it grilled.
Fish at La Pescheria is freshest before 10:00AM; osterie nearby will cook fish bought that morning.
Book dinner ahead at Me Cumpari Turiddu (phone only, +39 095 7150142) and Trattoria De Fiore, which has few tables.
Pastry bars charge more for table service than at the counter, so eat standing for the lowest price.
Tap water is safe to drink; ask for acqua del rubinetto, or order a bottle of still (naturale) or sparkling (frizzante).
- Vegetarian
- Easy. Pasta alla Norma, caponata, parmigiana di melanzane and pasta with pistachio pesto are meat-free.
- Vegan
- Limited but possible: caponata, pasta al pomodoro, grilled vegetables and fruit granita without brioche. Ask for no ricotta salata on Norma.
- Gluten free
- Many Italian restaurants stock gluten-free pasta; say 'senza glutine, sono celiaco/a'. Arancini and brioche contain wheat or are fried in shared oil.
- Allergies
- Pistachio and almond are in many dishes and desserts, and seafood dominates near La Pescheria. Say 'Sono allergico/a a...' followed by the ingredient.
- Halal kosher
- Halal and kosher options are scarce. Seafood and vegetarian dishes are the practical choice.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-15/meal | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |