Five places to try excellent fish dishes in Catania. Fish restaurants overlooking the sea and restaurants offering mouth-watering typical dishes. In Sicily fish is a must, tasting it in the right places certainly makes the difference.
As soon as we talk about Sicily, of Catania in particular, the thought goes immediately to the delicious dishes: sweet and savory, to the granitas, to the arancini and to the hot food specialties. But we must not forget that Catania rises on the sea, and the most delicious specialties served on the tables of restaurants throughout the city come from the sea.
Thus we begin a short journey between 5 places that offer the best fish in the city of Etna and in the neighboring towns.
Trattoria Paranza
Located in via Calì 11, is located in a central and strategic area: a short distance from the historic center of Catania and a few tens of meters from the port. It looks like a trattoria but the quality has very little to do with this term: always fresh fish and a lot of variety with the addition of excellent quality and professionalism from the chef. The specialty? Obviously the Paranza, so everything related to mixed fries. All accompanied by excellent wines, which you do not hope to find in a "trattoria". But what you expect after a seafood dinner is typical mandarin sorbet, delicious! Even the price doesn't mind: perfectly average (between 30 and 40 euros), and we always tend to approximate down! The only negative? Parking: the only solution is on the street, but the area is very chaotic, especially on Saturday nights. But rest assured. Once you enter the restaurant, the friendliness and helpfulness of the waiters and owners will make you forget everything.
The Snack
We find this simple place moving from the city center, on seafront of Catania, it is not very big and, for the area, perhaps it is better in summer (the waterfront in winter is very windy and offers little alternatives for a stroll after dinner). The purely Spanish name is linked to the Spanish cook. And the combination fish-Spain leads us straight to a one-of-a-kind dish: paella! El Chiringuito is one of the few places able to offer this dish ... but not only does it serve it well prepared and rich in condiments, it is served abundantly at the table (in a pan in the center of the table and everyone can take as much and as many times as they want) and , if you like, “with the flame” or with a torch that inevitably draws an expression of surprise and joy on the faces of the diners. The value for money is excellent as well as the alternatives it offers to fish dishes: El Chiringuito, in fact, also offers very good ones pizzas and appetizers different.
Trattoria i Malavoglia
Whether it was in school books or hearsay, anyone who knows the Toscano family, called "Malavoglia", narrated by Cock. Today there is no longer any character of that family as there is no longer Verga to narrate the enterprises, but in the fishing village of Aci Trezza, the fishing tradition is still the master and Malavoglia become a trattoria where you can taste the best of fish Mediterranean! The restaurant is located on the Promenade of the Cyclops and, not surprisingly, sitting down to enjoy excellent fish presupposes being able to enjoy an excellent view of the stacks and the Lachea island. The fish served comes directly from local fishermen: this distinguishes its freshness. All accompanied by excellent wines, even locally produced! The flagships of this place are: spaghetti with sea urchins, linguine with seafood, tagliolini with lobster and sea green risotto. Here, as in many other places in Catania, the fish available to customers is displayed and everyone can choose the fish after having seen it and after having approved its freshness. Finally, you can also taste typical Sicilian sweets, obviously handcrafted! The price is moderate also thanks to the possibility of choosing the fixed price menus! The only flaw? Closed on Tuesdays, for the rest of the week open for both lunch and dinner!
The Terraces
Continuing the culinary itinerary on the coast, from Aci Trezza we move to Capomulini (fraction of Acireale), precisely, on the promenade Martinez. The restaurant is a terrace overlooking the sea so, for obvious reasons, it is open in the spring-summer period. The beautiful panorama is assured with a view of the Aci Trezza hill, the stacks and the nearby one Lachea island. It stands out for the kindness and helpfulness of the owners and waiters, ready to suggest the best dishes of the day. Of course, i tourist menus at 23 or 28 euros plus a drink, they are an intelligent and favorable idea for the customer who will be able to taste the most classic fish dishes here: linguine with seafood, spaghetti with cuttlefish ink, mixed fried foods… Another positive aspect? The possibility of the reserved parking on the pier, not far away, without which parking would be almost impossible.
Trattoria Incognito
Our trip ends in Acireale, in via Giovanni Verga 58. It is a restaurant managed by Incognito family which is divided between dining room and kitchen to offer kindness, cordiality and genuine products to its customers. The genuineness is linked to the choice of fish, also fresh here, in season and chosen from day to day. In fact, you will hardly always find the same dishes. The workhorse? The antipasti. The menu includes a disproportionate number, about twenty, and of all types, whether cooked or raw, fried or marinated. The price is absolutely honest and moderate with the possibility of a menu at 30 euros which includes a house appetizer, a first course of your choice, a dessert and excellent local wine! The restaurant is always open for lunch, reservations are recommended for dinner.
