Upscale in Palermo

Osteria Mercede ★ 4.8

liberta · Via Sammartino 1, 90141 Palermo

Osteria Mercede on Via Sammartino in Palermo's Politeama quarter is a 25-cover seafood-only room with nautical decor, carte runs raw plates.

Tip: Book a week ahead at weekends. The 8-course tasting tracks the day's market.

Trattoria Piccolo Napoli ★ 4.7

borgo-vecchio · Piazzetta Mulino a Vento 4, 90139 Palermo

Piccolo Napoli on Piazzetta Mulino a Vento in Palermo's Borgo Vecchio quarter is a 70-year family seafood trattoria; the carte changes daily with what.

Tip: Lunch only most days. Book one day ahead; the daily catch board is dictated verbally.

Trattoria Piccolo Napoli ★ 4.7

borgo-vecchio · Piazzetta Mulino a Vento 4, 90139 Palermo

Piccolo Napoli on Piazzetta Mulino a Vento in Palermo's Borgo Vecchio is a 70-year family seafood trattoria; daily carte dictated by the morning market.

Tip: Lunch only most days. Book one day ahead; the catch board is dictated verbally.

Bocum Mixology ★ 4.7

vucciria · Via Cassari 2-4, 90133 Palermo

Bocum Mixology on Via dei Cassari in Palermo's Vucciria is the city's senior cocktail bar, Gambero Rosso's Sicily benchmark, deep Sicilian-spirits list.

Tip: Aperitivo from 18:00. Frangiflutti is the house cocktail; the upstairs lounge is the seat to book.

Bocum Mixology ★ 4.7

vucciria · Via Cassari 2-4, 90133 Palermo

Bocum Mixology on Via dei Cassari in Palermo's Vucciria is the city's senior cocktail and wine bar, Gambero Rosso's Sicily benchmark, deep Etna list.

Tip: Book the upstairs lounge; aperitivo runs from 18:00. Frangiflutti is the house cocktail; Etna by the glass on the wine list.

Corona Trattoria ★ 4.6

liberta · Via Guglielmo Marconi 9, 90141 Palermo

Corona Trattoria on Via Marconi in Palermo's Liberta quarter sources seafood daily from the city's fishermen, with a modern raw-plate carte alongside.

Tip: Book three days ahead at weekends. The chef's tasting is the kitchen's verdict on the day's catch.

Enoteca Picone ★ 4.5

liberta · Via Marconi 36, 90141 Palermo

Enoteca Picone on Via Marconi in Palermo's Liberta since 1946 is the city's senior enoteca, three rooms of wine retail with a tasting bar, the Sicilian wine.

Tip: The third-room degustazione bar opens 19:00; cheese and charcuterie are the standard pairings.

Ristorante Cin Cin ★ 4.4

politeama · Via Daniele Manin 22, 90139 Palermo

Cin Cin on Via Manin off Via Liberta in Palermo is one of the city's senior fine-edge restaurants, a Sicilian seafood and meat carte ranked steadily.

Tip: Dinner only Monday to Saturday from 19:00. The wine list is entirely Sicilian; ask about Etna by the glass.

Botteghe Colletti ★ 4.4

vucciria · Via Alessandro Paternostro 77, 90133 Palermo

Botteghe Colletti on Via Alessandro Paternostro in Palermo's Vucciria runs a small-room natural-wine bar with a Sicilian-only list. Booking recommended.

Tip: Closed Monday. The fortnightly winemaker visits are worth the seat; check Instagram for the calendar.

Antico Caffe Spinnato ★ 4.4

politeama · Via Principe di Belmonte 107, 90139 Palermo

Antico Caffe Spinnato's pedestrian terrace on Via Principe di Belmonte in Palermo's Politeama is the city's senior cafe-bar for aperitivo, drawing the local.

Tip: The pedestrian terrace fills first in summer. Aperol spritz and Sicilian wines by the glass.

Botteghe Colletti ★ 4.4

vucciria · Via Alessandro Paternostro 77, 90133 Palermo

Botteghe Colletti on Via Alessandro Paternostro in Palermo's Vucciria is a natural-wine bar with a Sicilian-only list, cicchetti-style snacks.

Tip: Closed Monday. The fortnightly winemaker visits are worth the seat; check Instagram for the calendar.

Barril ★ 4.3

kalsa · Via Giuseppe Fiorelli 11, 90133 Palermo

Barril on Via Giuseppe Fiorelli in Palermo's Kalsa is a modern cocktail and natural-wine bar with a 50-seat dining room, drawing the city's young creative.

Tip: Book ahead at weekends. The natural-wine flight pairs with the small plates.

Ferramenta ★ 4.3

loggia · Via Giuseppe D'Alessi 31, 90133 Palermo

Ferramenta on Via Giuseppe D'Alessi behind the Palazzo Steri in Palermo runs a 30-seat speakeasy-style cocktail bar in a former ironmonger's shop.

Tip: Closed Sunday. The vermouth flight is the educational pour; book at weekends.

Buonivini ★ 4.3

liberta · Via Dante 8, 90141 Palermo

Buonivini on Via Dante in Palermo's Liberta runs a wine-shop-and-bar hybrid, full Sicilian wine list with rare Marsala bottlings, aperitivo plates and bottle.

Tip: Bottle retail by day; bar from 18:00. The Marsala flight is the educational pour.

Kursaal Kalhesa ★ 4.3

kalsa · Foro Umberto I 21, 90133 Palermo

Kursaal Kalhesa inside the Norman bastion walls on Foro Umberto I in Palermo runs a wine bar and small-plates room under vaulted ceilings, with a courtyard.

Tip: Closed Tuesday. The Sicilian small-plates carte runs from 19:00; the courtyard fills first.

Buonivini ★ 4.3

liberta · Via Dante 8, 90141 Palermo

Buonivini on Via Dante in Palermo's Liberta runs a wine-shop-and-bar hybrid, full Sicilian wine list with rare Marsala bottlings, aperitivo plates and bottle.

Tip: Bottle retail open by day; bar from 18:00. The Marsala flight is the educational pour.

Enosteria Sicula ★ 4.3

politeama · Via Torrearsa 3, 90141 Palermo

Enosteria Sicula on Via Torrearsa in Palermo's Politeama runs a small-room Sicilian wine bar with sharing plates, by-the-glass producer rotations.

Tip: Book ahead at weekends. The producer-of-the-month flight is the value tasting.

A'Putia Salumeria Panini e Vini ★ 4.3

Zisa · Via Gaetano Daita 5, 90139 Palermo

A'Putia on Via Gaetano Daita is the Palermo salumeria-and-wine-shop pouring Sicilian naturals. Located in Zisa. Open tue-sun 18:00 to midnight.

Ballarak Birrificio ★ 4.2

kalsa · Piazza Magione 28, 90133 Palermo

Ballarak on Piazza Magione in Palermo's Kalsa is the city's first craft brewery since 2016, four taps of house beer, brewpub kitchen with sfincione-style.

Tip: Piazza tables fill first in summer. Tap list rotates monthly; ask which beer is freshest.

Aperitivo Vucciria ★ 4.2

vucciria · Piazza Caracciolo, 90133 Palermo

The Vucciria piazza-bars on Piazza Caracciolo in Palermo light up from 19:00 with open-air spritz and beer tables, the city's biggest evening aperitivo scene.

Tip: Cash works fastest. The street-food carts within the piazza serve sfincione and polpo bollito until late.

Champagneria del Massimo ★ 4.2

politeama · Via Salvatore Spinuzza 59, 90133 Palermo

Champagneria del Massimo on Via Bara all'Olivella behind the Teatro Massimo in Palermo is a small-room champagne bar with 30 bottles by the glass.

Tip: Closed Sunday. The champagne flight is the value tasting; the back room is the quieter seat.