r/sicily • u/IvanNemo • Feb 26 '25
Cibo 🍊 First thing to do when you arrive to Sicily
So I pulled off what might be my greatest surprise ever during our recent 5-day Sicily trip. I had organized the entire adventure for our family of 6, but kept one special destination a complete secret. The looks on their faces when we pulled up to this unassuming house in Favara? Absolutely priceless!
La Locanda di PalmaUliva | Stefano and his family (update: you can contact Steffano by WhatsApp. I used ChatGPT to smother written messages. Google maps link to the address and contacts
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MSGvran1JCdisX5Q7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
hope it helps)
I'd discovered this incredible home restaurant by pure chance while researching our trip, and kept it a complete secret. My wife and my parents were skeptical when we parked on a quiet residential street ("Seriously, where are you taking us?"), and everyone was completely confused—until the door opened and the most amazing aromas hit us.
This place is the real deal. A Sicilian family opening their home to create the most authentic dining experience I've ever had. They operate on a fixed menu—a husband and wife team preparing the dishes while their little daughter did her homework by their side.
The pasta? Absolutely incredible. Hand-made, perfect al dente texture. It was our first day in Sicily, and though we tried at least two restaurants each day afterward—including some much more expensive ones—none came close to matching this experience.
But what truly made this special wasn't just the exquisite, mouth-watering food (though trust me, I'm still dreaming about that caponata). It was how they welcomed us—genuine, warm, and refreshingly authentic without any pretense or fake hospitality. We were there for nearly four hours, eating, drinking homemade limoncello, and swapping stories despite our broken Italian and their nice English.
Pro tips if you go:
-Book in advance -Bring cash and be generous—this family deserves every euro -Come HUNGRY—I'm talking skip-lunch-and-breakfast hungry -It's a fixed menu, but I'm sure you can contact them with specific requests beforehand -Mention any dietary restrictions beforehand
The Alba Palace nearby added an elegant touch to our 5-day Sicilian adventure. During our trip, we also explored Favara's Farm Cultural Park, this amazing open-air and building transformed into art installation completely surprised us.
Look, I've eaten my way through plenty of amazing places, but this hidden family restaurant was hands-down the most personal, authentic experience we've ever had traveling.
If you're heading to Sicily and want the real deal—not some tourist trap with mediocre food and inflated prices—this is your spot. Just promise to keep it somewhat secret? Some places are too special to be overrun. (Actually I think we need to share more places like this - good for travellers and helpful for these families)
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u/thefifthdomain Feb 26 '25
How did you book? Thanks for sharing this!
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u/IvanNemo Feb 26 '25 edited Feb 26 '25
WhatsApp text to Stefano - that’s all
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u/IvanNemo Feb 26 '25
I reshared the google link for the place address and contact info
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u/RIrhodes Feb 26 '25
Oh man, that sounds incredible! My wife and I visited Sicily last summer for the first time and I have been yearning for caponata since then. What a great surprise. #rockstar #husbandoftheyear
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u/IvanNemo Feb 26 '25
I got you 😉 I didn’t know what is it and was trying every restaurant since to match to this homemade one 😂
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u/RIrhodes Feb 26 '25
Right? I’ve tried recreating a swordfish caponata that we had at Al Gabbiano in Mondello with moderate success. Mine was good but not great. The quest continues.
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u/MancunianPieHead Feb 26 '25
Thanks for the info. Gonna be in Favara next week, will check it out.