vucciriaDaily 18:00-02:00
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 and serious aperitivo carte.
Signature pour: Etna Rosso by the glass, Frangiflutti house cocktail
Wine focus: Sicilian and natural wines, Nero d'Avola, Etna Rosso
Food: Sicilian sharing plates, panini, charcuterie
Tip: Book the upstairs lounge; aperitivo runs from 18:00. Frangiflutti is the house cocktail; Etna by the glass on the wine list.
vucciriaTue-Sun 18:00-01:00
Botteghe Colletti on Via Alessandro Paternostro in Palermo's Vucciria is a natural-wine bar with a Sicilian-only list, cicchetti-style snacks and a fortnightly producer-meet pour.
Signature pour: Catarratto by the glass, Aglianico del Vulture
Wine focus: Sicilian natural wines, Catarratto, Carricante
Food: Cicchetti, charcuterie, cheese boards
Tip: Closed Monday. The fortnightly winemaker visits are worth the seat; check Instagram for the calendar.
libertaTue-Sun 18:00-01:00
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 retail.
Signature pour: Marsala Vergine, Etna Rosso by the glass
Wine focus: Sicilian wines, Etna Rosso, Marsala DOC
Food: Aperitivo plates, charcuterie
Tip: Bottle retail open by day; bar from 18:00. The Marsala flight is the educational pour.
libertaMon-Sat 11:00-23:00, closed Sunday
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 reference for locals.
Signature pour: Nero d'Avola Riserva, Grillo by the glass
Wine focus: Sicilian wines, Italian regional bottles
Food: Charcuterie, cheese plates
Tip: The third-room degustazione bar opens 19:00; cheese and charcuterie are the standard pairings.
politeamaTue-Sun 19:00-24:00
Enosteria Sicula on Via Torrearsa in Palermo's Politeama runs a small-room Sicilian wine bar with sharing plates, by-the-glass producer rotations and a fortnightly tasting series.
Signature pour: Nero d'Avola Riserva, Grillo
Wine focus: Sicilian wines, producer focus
Food: Sicilian sharing plates
Tip: Book ahead at weekends. The producer-of-the-month flight is the value tasting.
ZisaTue-Sun 18:00 to midnight
A'Putia on Via Gaetano Daita is the Palermo salumeria-and-wine-shop pouring Sicilian naturals. Panini, seasonal plates and at least 30% natural wines on a small terrace near the Zisa palace.
Signature pour: Etna red or Pantelleria skin-contact white by the glass
Wine focus: Sicilian and Italian naturals, minimum 30% natural list
Food: Sicilian salumeria, panini, seasonal plates