12 splurge places in Palermo, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Palermo. All Palermo food.
Bye Bye Blues ★ 4.8
mondello · Via del Garofalo 23, 90151 Mondello
Bye Bye Blues on Via del Garofalo in Mondello, the room where Patrizia Di Benedetto became Sicily's first female Michelin-starred chef in 2010.
Tip: Closed Tuesday lunch. The 6-course tasting is the entry point; book the patio in summer.
Limu ★ 4.8
bagheria · Via Ciro Scianna 177, 90011 Bagheria
Limu in Bagheria 15km east of Palermo holds one Michelin star under chef Nino Ferreri inside the 1565 Torre Ferrante, a lemon-themed contemporary Sicilian.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. The lemon-themed tasting is the signature; book the upstairs terrace at sunset.
Bye Bye Blues ★ 4.7
mondello · Via del Garofalo 23, 90151 Mondello
Bye Bye Blues on Via del Garofalo in Mondello was Sicily's first female-chef Michelin-starred room under Patrizia Di Benedetto, holding the star from 2010.
Tip: Closed Tuesday lunch. The 6-course tasting is the entry point; book the patio April to October.
Casa Charleston ★ 4.6
politeama · Via Generale Vincenzo Magliocco 19, 90141 Palermo
Casa Charleston on Via Magliocco in Palermo reopened in 2025 in its original 1967 home, the former Pasticceria Mazzara, with a ground-floor cafe and bistrot.
Tip: Cafe-bistrot at ground level for lunch; the first-floor restaurant is the formal Sicilian carte. Book the upstairs two weeks ahead.
MEC Restaurant ★ 4.6
loggia · Via Vittorio Emanuele 452, 90134 Palermo
MEC Restaurant on Via Vittorio Emanuele opposite Palermo Cathedral holds one Michelin star inside an Apple-computer museum, chef Carmelo Trentacosti.
Tip: Closed Sunday. The caponata with Modica chocolate is the signature opener; book the balcony table.
Gagini Restaurant ★ 4.5
vucciria · Via dei Cassari 35, 90133 Palermo
Gagini Restaurant on Via dei Cassari between the Vucciria market and Cala harbour in Palermo serves a contemporary Sicilian carte inside the 16th-century.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead. The wine pairing is entirely Sicilian; the natural-wine extension flight is worth the supplement.
Osteria Mercede ★ 4.5
liberta · Via Sammartino 1, 90141 Palermo
Osteria Mercede on Via Sammartino in Palermo's Politeama runs a 25-cover seafood-only fine-dining room with raw plates, ricci di mare pasta and grilled red.
Tip: Book a week ahead at weekends. The 8-course tasting tracks the day's market catch.
Gagini Restaurant ★ 4.4
vucciria · Via dei Cassari 35, 90133 Palermo
Gagini on Via dei Cassari between Vucciria and Cala in Palermo is a contemporary Sicilian fine-dining room inside the 16th-century workshop of sculptor.
Tip: Closed Monday. The wine pairing is entirely Sicilian; the natural-wine extension flight is worth the supplement.
Osteria dei Vespri ★ 4.3
kalsa · Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6, 90133 Palermo
Osteria dei Vespri on Piazza Croce dei Vespri in Palermo's Kalsa quarter occupies a wing of Palazzo Gangi (the Visconti film Il Gattopardo location).
Tip: Closed Sunday. The two tasting menus run 65 and 85 euros; the wine list is one of the city's deepest.
Casa Charleston ★ 4.2
politeama · Via Generale Vincenzo Magliocco 19, 90141 Palermo
Casa Charleston on Via Magliocco in Palermo relaunched in November 2025 in the former Pasticceria Mazzara space (the restaurant's original 1967 home).
Tip: Bistrot lunch is cheaper than the first-floor fine-dining service. Book the upstairs tasting two weeks ahead.
Corona Trattoria ★ 4.1
liberta · Via Guglielmo Marconi 9, 90141 Palermo
Corona Trattoria on Via Marconi in Palermo's Liberta is a family-run seafood room opened in 2015 by Gianni Corona, daily catch from the Palermitan fishermen.
Tip: Book three days ahead at weekends. The chef's tasting tracks the day's catch.
Ristorante Cin Cin ★ 4.0
politeama · Via Daniele Manin 22, 90139 Palermo
Cin Cin on Via Manin near the Politeama theatre in Palermo is one of the city's senior fine-edge rooms, ranked in L'Espresso's top 5 Palermo tables.
Tip: Dinner only Monday to Saturday from 19:00. The wine list is entirely Sicilian; ask about Etna by the glass.