What to Eat in Catania, Sicily: 12 Local Foods to Try

Catania surprised us at almost every meal, from stuffed sardines I'd never tried to a pasta named after an opera. I ordered pasta alla Norma at lunch on our second day, and sarde a beccafico a few days later because I just love sardines. Only later did I find out both were born right here.

Heads up: some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

In this guide 6 sections

That's the fun part of eating in Catania. The city has its own dishes, and once you know them, every counter and menu gets more interesting, from the pastry cases on Via Etnea to the fish stalls at La Pescheria.

Cream and I spent a week in Catania in November 2026. We stayed near Villa Bellini and ate our way through the city. I still left with a list of things I didn't have room for! If you're wondering what to eat in Catania, my answer starts with an arancino and a plate of pasta alla Norma.

What to Eat in Catania? My Quick Answer

I'd start with two dishes and work out from there.

• The two you have to get: an arancino and a plate of pasta alla Norma. If you eat nothing else, eat these.
• For breakfast: granita with a warm brioche, or a cannolo with your cappuccino.
• For lunch: horse meat off the grill on Via Plebiscito, or fried seafood by the fish market.
• To drink: a seltz with lemon and salt from a street kiosk, or a bottle of Spuma.
• Only in Catania: minne di Sant'Agata and the green olivette at the pastry counters.

Staying near Via Etnea? We'd pick one of these three. They're close to most of the food on this page.

The 12 Foods to Try in Catania

1. Arancino // The One You Have to Get

We ate arancini at four different places in one week. I'd do it again. Mine was usually the classic ragù. Savia's Norma-style one had eggplant inside. It was a great surprise.

• What it is: a ball of rice stuffed with meat ragù and cheese, breaded and fried. In Catania it's shaped like a cone, a nod to Mount Etna.
• Where we ate it: Savia, Spinella, MM Street Food (a squid-ink one), and Canusciuti.
• What it cost us: €2.80 at Savia's counter, €3.30 at a table (November 2026).
• When to eat it: any time. It's a counter snack, and plenty of locals have one for breakfast.
• Skip it if: you don't eat meat. Ask for the spinach one instead.

In Catania it's an arancino. Palermo calls its round version an arancina. Look for the pointed tip. I ranked every one we tried in the best arancini in Catania.

2. Pasta alla Norma // Catania's Own Pasta

First, it looked beautiful. Then I tasted it. It was out of this world! My first plate was at Tarricrii, a lunch spot near Via Etnea. I loved how the eggplant and basil paired with the ricotta salata.

I didn't even know pasta alla Norma existed before this trip. I definitely didn't know it was invented in Catania. It's a standout pasta dish. I'd order it again in a heartbeat.

Two days later we ordered it again at Trattoria Da Aldo, and it was the winner of that lunch. It was really nice and light with that eggplant.

• What it is: short pasta (usually rigatoni or maccheroni) in tomato sauce with fried eggplant, fresh basil, and grated ricotta salata, a salty aged sheep's cheese.
• Where we ate it: Tarricrii (Wednesday lunch) and later at Trattoria Da Aldo. We also had the Norma flavors inside an arancino at Savia.
• When to eat it: lunch or dinner, as the first course (primo) before a meat or fish plate.
• Skip it if: you don't like eggplant, because it's the whole point.

Its name comes from Norma, the opera by Catania's most famous son, Vincenzo Bellini. A local playwright is said to have tasted it and called it "a real Norma" (a masterpiece). Italy even has a national pasta alla Norma day on September 23, the day Bellini died.¹

Next time, I'd love to try more of them to see who does the best pasta alla Norma in Catania. Our favorite sit-down spots are in the best restaurants in Catania.

3. Cannolo // Five Cannoli in Seven Days

We had a cannolo almost every day, and by the end of the week we'd tried them at five different shops, from the big names on Via Etnea to a trattoria after lunch. Five shops in a week! No two were the same. Some had a light and fluffy cream. Others were thick enough to be a whole dessert.

• What it is: a fried pastry shell filled with sweetened sheep's ricotta, often with pistachio or chocolate on the ends.
• Where we ate it: Savia, Spinella, Don Peppinu, Tarricrii, and Crema e Cioccolato.
• What it cost us: €3 at Savia's counter, €4 at Savia's tables and at Don Peppinu (November 2026).
• When to eat it: after lunch or with an afternoon coffee. Ask for one filled to order if the shop does it, so the shell stays crisp.
• Skip it if: you're not a ricotta fan. Get a granita instead.

We ranked all five in the best cannoli in Catania.

4. Granita and Brioche // Catania's Breakfast

I wasn't sure about granita for breakfast at first. Ours was half pistachio, half chocolate. Then I dipped the warm brioche in, and that's when it clicked. It works in November, too.

• What it is: a smooth, creamy shaved ice (almond, pistachio, coffee, lemon, and more) served with a soft brioche with a little topknot, the brioche col tuppo.
• Where we ate it: Savia, at an outdoor table.
• What it cost us: €3.80 for the granita and €2.10 for the brioche at a table (November 2026).
• When to eat it: breakfast, the way locals do, though bars serve it all day.
• Skip it if: you need something savory in the morning. Get an arancino instead (locals do).

I put our favorite morning spots in the best breakfast in Catania.

5. Horse Meat // Grilled on Via Plebiscito

Of everything we ate in Catania, this lunch felt the most local. We sat at plastic tables on the sidewalk with bread and a jug of house wine while the grill man worked inside, and the food came out on plastic plates. We went back the very next day.

• What it is: horse meat grilled over charcoal, sold as thin slices, sausages, and meatballs. Via Plebiscito is the street for it.
• Where we ate it: Trattoria Achille, at Via Plebiscito 734.
• What it cost us: €5 for a plate of thin slices and €2 a meatball, from the English menu (November 2026).
• When to eat it: lunch, or after dark, when the grills on Via Plebiscito fire up again.
• Skip it if: you won't eat horse. The same grills do pork, chicken, and fish too.

It tastes a lot like beef. Our favorite was the thin slices. I wrote up both lunches in our Trattoria Achille review.

6. Panino con la Polpetta // The Horse Meatball Sandwich

At Achille, we watched a lot of people order a big sandwich to go. Inside were the horse meatballs we'd ordered on a plate. The sandwiches came out faster than our plates, and people ate them standing by their Vespas. It looked great! I wish I'd gotten one, and next time I will.

• What it is: grilled horse meatballs (polpette di cavallo) in a bread roll, sometimes with cheese or grilled onions.
• Where to find it: the grills and polpetterie along Via Plebiscito.
• What it costs: we didn't buy one. A meatball on its own was €2 at Achille (November 2026).
• When to eat it: lunch, or in the evening, when the grills fire up again.
• Skip it if: you won't eat horse. The same grills do pork sausage (salsiccia) too.

It's the easy way to try horse. I'd grab one on the walk down Via Plebiscito.

7. Sarde a Beccafico // Stuffed Sardines

I didn't even realize this was a Catania dish! I just love sardines. When I saw stuffed sardines at the fish market restaurant, I knew I had to try them.

It was my first time trying them, and it turned out to be an incredible dish that I'm still thinking about. The sardine flavor stands out. Its stuffing is light, but not so light you miss it.

• What it is: two sardines sandwiched around a filling of breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley, then breaded and fried. In Catania they're fried flat in pairs, never rolled and baked.
• Where we ate it: MM Street Food Piscaria, Via Pardo 26, right by La Pescheria.
• What it cost us: €6 a portion (November 2026).
• When to eat it: lunch near the fish market,, right by the fish market.
• Skip it if: oily fish isn't your thing. Get the fried calamari instead.

I'd get it again.

8. Cipollina // The Onion Pastry

We had a cipollina at both Savia and Spinella. Savia's was my favorite of the two. It came down to the crust, which was flakier and more buttery.

• What it is: puff pastry filled with soft onion, tomato, ham, and cheese, baked until flaky. It sits next to the arancini on every tavola calda counter.
• Where we ate it: Savia and Spinella.
• What it cost us: €2.80 at Savia's counter (November 2026).
• When to eat it: a savory snack between meals, or breakfast if you skip sweets.
• Skip it if: you avoid onion. Get a cartocciata (a baked roll with ham and mozzarella) instead.

I'd pick one up with your arancino at the counter. Then eat them both in the park, as a lot of locals do.

9. Seltz Limone e Sale // The Kiosk Drink

You'll find these little drink stands all over Catania. They're so cute! We got the classic, lemon and salt. It was crisp, tart, and refreshing! We had some hot days in November, and it was so good on those.

• What it is: sparkling water (seltz) poured over freshly squeezed lemon juice with a pinch of salt. It fizzes up as the salt hits it.
• Where to find it: the chioschi (street kiosks) on squares and corners around the city. Many also do syrups (mandarin, tamarind, or mint).
• When to drink it: a warm afternoon, or after a heavy lunch.
• Skip it if: you hate salty drinks. Ask for it senza sale (without salt).

Salt sounds odd until you try it. The old-school version is the speciale, made with a splash of anise. I'd stop at any kiosk you pass.

10. Spuma // Sicily's Old-School Soda

I'd never had Spuma before. On the menu, the translation said "foam drink". That was interesting enough that I had to try it.

It had a light, floral flavor. It reminded me of elderflower. Not too sweet, either. Now I want to try the other kinds.

• What it is: an old Italian soft drink, sweet and lightly fizzy, sold in a light (bionda) and a dark (nera) version.
• Who makes ours: Tomarchio, a soda maker from Acireale, just up the coast, bottling drinks since 1920.²
• Where to find it: bars, kiosks, and casual restaurants. Ours came with lunch at MM Street Food.
• What it cost us: €3 at MM, from a lunch bill of two drinks for €6 (November 2026).
• When to drink it: with lunch, especially with anything fried.
• Skip it if: you want something dry. Get a seltz instead.

We had ours with fried fish. I'd pick it over a Coke.

11. Minne di Sant'Agata // Catania's Most Famous Cake

We saw these in Savia's pastry case. Two white domes, each with a red cherry on top. The sign just said "cassatella". I really want to try one because the story behind them is so interesting, and since pastry shops in Syracuse sell them too, I'll get my chance there.

• What it is: a little dome of sponge or shortcrust filled with sweet ricotta (often with chocolate chips and candied fruit), covered in white icing and topped with a candied cherry.
• The story: they're made for Saint Agatha, Catania's patron saint, whose breasts were cut off in her martyrdom. Hence the shape.³
• Where to find them: pastry shops (pasticcerie) all over the city. We saw ours at Savia.
• What it costs: €3.20 at Savia's counter, from the price sign (November 2026).
• When to eat them: all year, and everywhere during her feast, February 3 to 5.
• Skip it if: thick, sweet icing is too much for you.

I'd ask for a minna (one) or minne (more than one). Some shops call them minnuzze or cassatelle di Sant'Agata.

12. Olivette di Sant'Agata // Green Marzipan Olives

We spotted trays of these little green "olives" on Savia's pastry counter in November. They look so cute! I love that they're shaped like little olives. We didn't really know how to order them, so I just took a photo. They're sweets, not olives.

• What it is: almond paste flavored with liqueur, shaped like little olives, colored green, and rolled in sugar.
• The story: legend says Saint Agatha stopped to tie her sandal on the way to her trial, and an olive tree sprang up on the spot.³
• Where to find them: the counters of pastry shops around the city.
• When to eat them: mostly around her feast in February, though some pastry shops keep them all year.
• Skip it if: marzipan is too sweet for you. They're pure almond paste and sugar.

I'd buy a few to share. They're tiny.

What to Eat at La Pescheria, Catania's Fish Market

Our market meal was a Saturday lunch at MM Street Food, right on the edge of La Pescheria. My pick was the sarde a beccafico. We shared a plate of fried calamari and octopus too.

Walking the stalls is half the fun. We watched fishmongers cut up whole swordfish and tuna. Nearby streets are full of cheese and salami. I'd look for the cheeses crusted in pistachio.

• When to go: mornings, Monday to Saturday. The stalls start packing up around lunch.
• What to eat: fried seafood and sarde a beccafico at the restaurants around the market.
• What to bring home: pistachio cream, pistachio cheese, or a bag of olives.

More Catania Foods to Look Out For

I would have eaten more if I could. I just couldn't! These are the other Catania specialties I'd look for next time.

• Crispelle: fried dough stuffed with ricotta or anchovy, sold hot at friggitorie (fry shops). The sweet crispelle di riso are rice fritters drizzled with honey.
• Siciliana: a fried calzone from Catania's hot counters, filled with tuma cheese and anchovies.
• Cartocciata: a baked roll of bread dough stuffed with ham and mozzarella, rarely seen outside Catania.
• Scacciata: a folded, stuffed bread pie (broccoli, cheese, sausage, or anchovies) that shows up on every Christmas table.
• Masculina da magghia: Catania's own net-caught anchovies, protected by Slow Food and sold salted at the market.⁴
• Bronte pistachios: grown on Etna's slopes in the province of Catania, and in everything from cream to arancini.
• Etna wine: red Nerello Mascalese and white Carricante from the volcano, poured by the glass in most bars.
• Martorana fruit and torroncini: marzipan fruit and soft nougat bars, piled high in pastry shops around the Festa dei Morti on November 2.

Is a Catania Street Food Tour Worth It?

We did all our eating on our own, mostly on foot, and we walked past a lot of counters full of food we couldn't name before we knew what to point at. It worked. But it took us days to figure out what to order and where.

A street food tour is the shortcut. It's best if you only have a day. A guide orders for you and explains what you're eating. I'd compare Catania food tours and pick a morning one, when the market is busiest.

• What most tours cover: La Pescheria, an arancino, a cannolo, horse meat on Via Plebiscito, and a seltz at a kiosk.
• Who it's for: first-timers, short stays, and anyone who wants the stories behind the food.
• Skip it if: you like to wander and order by pointing. Use the list above instead.

The Two Things You Have to Eat in Catania

If a friend asked me what to eat in Catania, I'd say the arancino and pasta alla Norma. Those are the two you have to get. Got more time? Try as many Catania-only dishes as you can!

My favorite bite of the week is still that first plate of pasta alla Norma at Tarricrii. We ate it at an outdoor table on the street. Next trip, I'm going on a Norma hunt.

Next Steps for Your Catania Trip

• The best arancini in Catania
• The best cannoli in Catania
• The best breakfast in Catania
• The best restaurants in Catania
• Trattoria Achille, for horse meat on Via Plebiscito