Stigghiola is grilled lamb or veal intestines, wrapped with spring onion and parsley around a wooden skewer and charred on charcoal braziers, the Albergheria after-dark Palermitan street snack.
Stigghiola has been documented in Palermo since the 16th century as the working-class street meat of the Ballaro and Vucciria quarters. The Spanish word 'estiglio' (entrail) gave it its name. The technique is to wrap cleaned lamb or veal intestines around a wooden skewer with spring onion and parsley, then grill on charcoal braziers until crisp at the edges. The brazier vendors (stigghiolari) on Piazza Carmine and along Via Castro Filippo maintain a near-unchanged form across 400 years. Standard accompaniments are a squeeze of lemon, salt and a plastic cup of cheap white wine; the snack costs two euros and is eaten standing on the cobbles.
3 editor picks for Stigghiola in Palermo, ranked by editorial score. All Palermo signature dishes · Stigghiola across every city.
Stigghiolari del Ballaro ★ 4.5
albergheria · Piazza Ballaro, 90134 Palermo
The Ballaro stigghiolari fire charcoal braziers along Piazza Ballaro and Via Carmine from dusk in Palermo, grilling lamb intestines on skewers.
Mercato Notturno Borgo Vecchio ★ 4.3
borgo-vecchio · Piazzetta Mulino a Vento, 90139 Palermo
Borgo Vecchio's night market on Piazzetta Mulino a Vento in Palermo fires charcoal braziers from 20:00 for grilled meat, panelle and frittole.
Antica Focacceria San Francesco ★ 4.1
kalsa · Via Alessandro Paternostro 58, 90133 Palermo
Antica Focacceria San Francesco on Via Alessandro Paternostro opposite the basilica is Palermo's 1834-founded sit-down street food room, serving.