Spinella Catania Review: Arancini, Cannoli, and Prices

Spinella was the first thing we ever ate in Sicily. It was our arrival day in Catania. It was already dark, we wanted to eat something, and we had no idea what to order.

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Spinella wasn't busy and had plenty of open tables, so we just sat down there and asked our waiter to help us figure out the menu! I'm so glad we did. The next day Spinella closed for its holidays and stayed closed until after we left Catania.

So our Spinella Catania review comes from one night. It was a good one. We gave it a 9.

Is Spinella in Catania Worth It? My Quick Answer

Yes, we think Spinella is worth it. It's a historic pastry shop and bar on Via Etnea, and both of our first Sicilian dishes there were so good.
Order the ragù arancino (it's huge) and the ricotta cannolo with pistachio ends.
Price: a cannolo was €4 at a table on the November 2026 menu.
Closed Wednesdays. Open 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM the rest of the week.
Why not a 10? I like a lighter cannolo, and the cipollina's pastry wasn't as flaky as it looked.
Our score: 9/10

Spinella at a Glance

Order first: the ragù arancino and a ricotta cannolo
Table prices: cannolo €4.00 (about $4.50), cappuccino €2.80, granita €3.50, November 2026 menu
Hours: 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM, closed Wednesday
Where: Via Etnea 292-298, across from Villa Bellini
Since: 1936

Staying in Catania? Our first hotel pick below is on upper Via Etnea by Villa Bellini, a few minutes' walk from Spinella.

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Where to Stay in Catania

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Spinella's lit pastry counter under the arcade on Via Etnea at night, with diners at the outdoor tables. — 📍Pasticceria Spinella on Via Etnea at night

What We Ordered at Spinella

We didn't know a single Sicilian dish yet, so we asked our waiter what to get. We ended up with an arancino and a cannolo. We got a cipollina too, and with a bottle of water that was our whole dinner.

Spinella's Ragù Arancino

When the arancino came out, my first thought was wow, how do we eat this? It was huge! We didn't know what to expect.

A smiling traveler holds up a huge cone-shaped ragù arancino on white paper at an outdoor table at Spinella at night. — 📍Our first arancino ever, at Spinella, and what was inside

Spinella's ragù arancino broken open in white paper, showing rice, meat ragù, and melted cheese, with a cipollina on a plate behind. — 📍Our first arancino ever, at Spinella, and what was inside

It was a ragù arancino, the pointed one. Inside we found the ragù and a lot of melted cheese that we didn't know was going to be stuffed in there too. What surprised me most was the meat. It was tender and slow-cooked, closer to pulled beef than the ground beef I expected.

We really loved it. Spinella's menu also lists butter and Norma (eggplant) arancini, and I'd come back for those.

The Ricotta Cannolo

I'd say the cannolo blew past what I expected. It was so yummy!

A smiling traveler holds up a Spinella ricotta cannolo with chopped pistachio ends over a plate at a night-time table. — 📍The ricotta cannolo at Spinella

Spinella fills it with a thick ricotta cream. I really liked the shell too. It's a thick, heavy cannolo, and to me Spinella's is a full dessert on its own.

The Cipollina

A cipollina is a Catania puff pastry filled with ham and onion, plus melted cheese. I loved the inside.

A Spinella cipollina torn open in two hands, showing ham, melted cheese, and tomato and onion inside the puff pastry. — 📍The cipollina at Spinella, torn open

Only the pastry let me down a little. It looked flaky, but it wasn't as flaky as it looked.

I took photos of the menu at our table that night, so everything in the table below comes straight from Spinella's own printed prices for November 2026. Arancini and the other savory snacks are in a tavola calda section, but our photo cut off their prices.

A hand holds Spinella's worn menu open to the breakfast and pastries page, with a cannolo siciliano at €4.00. — 📍Spinella's menu: pastries (left), coffee and gelato (right)

Spinella's worn menu open to the coffee and gelato page, next to the tavola calda list of arancini and cipollina. — 📍Spinella's menu: pastries (left), coffee and gelato (right)

Item	At a table
Cannolo siciliano (ricotta)	€4.00 (about $4.50)
Cassatina siciliana	€4.00
Brioche	€1.80
Cornetto	€2.20
Caffè espresso	€1.70
Cappuccino	€2.80
Granita	€3.50
Brioche con gelato	€5.00
Bottled water (50 cl)	€1.70
Birra Moretti	€3.50
Glass of wine	€5.50
Aperitivo (with a snack board €12.00)	€8.00

Spinella table prices from the menu, November 2026

How to Order at Spinella

We sat down at a table outside, and I'd do that again for a first visit. Menu headings are in English and Italian, and our waiter was happy to help us choose.

Service was great. No issues at all. A lot of online reviews complain about it, but we had no complaints. You just have to know how ordering works in Europe. Call your waiter over when you're ready to order and again when you want the bill, because in most of Europe they won't come back to your table until you ask. That's common all over Europe.

What We Didn't Love

For me, the cipollina's pastry was the only thing that didn't live up to how it looked. I loved the filling but wanted more flaky layers.

A blue paper notice taped to a cafe window in Catania saying the shop is closed for holidays from November 4 to November 18. — 📍Closed for holidays in November

Our timing was the other letdown. On the very next day Spinella closed for its holidays, and the notice on the door said November 4 to 18. My one regret is that we only got one night there, and I really wish it had been open more so we could have gone back and tried their other things. If you're coming in the off season, I'd check before you go.

Spinella's cannolo is also a lot. If you want a light snack with your coffee, I'd get one to share.

Spinella Hours and Location

We got to Spinella after dark on our first night, and it still had plenty of free tables. It stays open until 10:30 PM on all but Wednesdays, so it's an easy stop after dinner or after an evening walk in Villa Bellini across the street.

The lit Spinella sign with its cartoon Sicilian man on the stone front of the shop at night, a cafe chair in front. — 📍Spinella's sign on Via Etnea

Address: Via Etnea 292-298, Catania
Across from: the Villa Bellini gardens
From Piazza Duomo: walk north up Via Etnea for about 1.3 km (under 20 minutes)
Hours: 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM; closed Wednesday
Since: 1936¹

Pasticceria Spinella, Via Etnea 292, Catania

This map comes from Google Maps.

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Pasticceria Spinella on Via Etnea, across from Villa Bellini

Why We Gave Spinella a 9

Spinella was our first impression of Sicilian food, and it was a great one. We sat outside in the dark feeling a little lost. We had no idea what Sicilian food would be like.

I personally like a lighter cannolo, and the cipollina's pastry let me down a little, so Spinella gets a 9 from us instead of a 10. Still, I'm just so happy we were able to go that first night, because it turned out to be our only chance to eat at Spinella before it closed for the holidays. By morning it was closed!

Next Steps for Your Catania Trip

FAQs About Spinella in Catania

Is Spinella in Catania open on Wednesday?

No, Spinella is closed on Wednesdays. The rest of the week it opens at 7:30 AM and closes at 10:30 PM, according to Spinella's website (checked November 2026).

How much is a cannolo at Spinella?

A ricotta cannolo (cannolo siciliano) was €4.00 at a table on Spinella's menu in November 2026, about $4.50.

Is Spinella in Catania worth it?

Yes. We gave Spinella a 9 out of 10. The ragù arancino was huge and full of tender beef and melted cheese, and the ricotta cannolo is thick and rich, like a full dessert.

Is Spinella next to Savia in Catania?

Yes, Spinella and Savia are neighbors on the same block of Via Etnea, across from Villa Bellini. Spinella is at Via Etnea 292-298 and Savia is on the corner at 300-304.

What arancini does Spinella have?

Spinella's menu lists arancini with butter (burro), spinach, ragù, and Norma (eggplant), among others. The ragù one is the cone-shaped arancino.

What is a cipollina in Catania?

A cipollina is a Catania street snack made of puff pastry filled with onion, tomato, mozzarella, and ham. You'll find it in the tavola calda (savory) section of most pastry shop menus in Catania.

Spinella, Catania: Our Review of the Historic Pastry Shop on Via Etnea