Some of the best things we’ve eaten in Palermo have been
devoured far from a restaurant table, on our feet: the city’s
street-food vendors rival its fine-dining establishments in
innovation and excellence. Don’t believe us? Head to Ballarò
Market, one of the oldest of its kind in the city, where the
island’s Arabic, Italian, Mediterranean and West African influences
collide. Take a stroll through the organised chaos to feast on pane
e panelle (sandwiches stuffed with chickpea fritters), deep-fried
octopus, pani ca’ meusa (spleen and ricotta buns) and thick slices
of sfincione (fluffy Sicilian pizza), followed by ricotta-stuffed
cannoli and prickly pears.

Inspired by Parisian café culture, this cocoa-obsessed
destination is a bohemian haven on a hot Sicilian afternoon. Housed
inside the city’s historic public baths, near Piazza Marina, the
interior is all twinkling fairy lights, second-hand books and
upcycled furniture, with paintings and illustrations by local
artists on the walls. Outside, in the leafy courtyard, potted palm
trees and crumbling stone statues make for a characterful corner
where locals and expats like to while away a few hours with a good
book. Chocolate desserts feature heavily on the menu, but the
multi-layered carrot cake is worth a try, too. In winter, rich hot
chocolate is poured from vintage teapots at your table.

“What Balls” is the literal translation of this street-food
kiosk’s name, and a fitting one, as it only sells one thing:
arancini. With flavours ranging from prawn and pistachio (weirdly
good) to slow-cooked ragù (a classic) and, for those with a sweet
tooth, Nutella, it’s easy to make a full meal out of these iconic
Sicilian snacks. Order a local Messina beer, subtly flavoured with
sea salt, for the full experience.

This award-winning ice-cream shop has a small queue outside when
it opens at 10am (11am on Sundays) – a clear sign that the gelato
here is some of the best in Palermo. Flavours are strictly natural
– no bubble-gum blue or sickly sweet pink in sight – and owner
Antonio Cappadonia is meticulous in ensuring all ingredients have a
pedigree provenance. Peaches are sourced from Montagnola del Monti
Sicani; pomegranates from Caltavutoro; the almonds are Puglia’s
best; and pistachios are the vivid-green kind that grow so well in
Bronte, on the slopes of Etna. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer
number of flavours on offer, order a scoop of Antonio’s favourite,
the ingenious orange and fennel, which is inspired by a classic
Sicilian winter salad.

Trattoria Gagini takes its name from Renaissance sculptor
Antonello Gagini, whose 16th-century workshop once sat within the
restaurant’s thick stone walls. The spirit of Sicily’s historic
grandeur feels decidedly present here: guests share long, candlelit
banqueting tables for a tasting menu inspired by the island’s slow
food movement. Sicilian-Brazilian chef Mauricio Zillo’s menu won
him a Michelin star last year – a credit to his playful take on
classics. The wine cellar is well curated, with a focus on small
Sicilian producers and a growing selection of natural wines.

With a proud history dating back to 1834, Antica Focacceria San
Francesco continues to pull in workmen and large local families
come lunchtime, who bypass the bewildered tourists trying to work
out the ordering system. Go for the tabulè alla Siciliana (a
traditional couscous mixed with seasonal vegetables) or anelletti
al forno (little rings of pasta baked with ragù into a sort of
tart). Otherwise, keep it simple with an ancient grain-based
focaccia filled with caciocavallo sheep’s cheese, anchovies and
herbs, best enjoyed on a bench in Piazza San Francesco, one of the
loveliest squares in the city.

Eating out in Palermo can be a touch meat-heavy, but it wasn’t
always this way: the city has a culinary history of creative
vegetarian dishes, born out of necessity in the kitchens of the
poor. New kid on the block aTipico plays with this veg-focused
heritage, serving the likes of caponata (a thick-cut aubergine and
tomato sauce) and pistacchiosa (a traditional savoury pistachio
cream) with smoked and roasted tofu, and squid-ink risotto with a
contemporary twist.

The Bisso family’s first restaurant had to shut down after mafia
intimidation, but Dario Bisso remains staunchly against pizzo
(bribes). His new restaurant is located in Libreria Dante, an old,
1870s bookshop with many of the original period details and decor
still intact. The terrace on the pedestrianised road overlooks I
Quattro Canti, a magnificent baroque crossroads that marks the
historic and cultural heart of Palermo. Flavours from across Sicily
are worked into the menu: our order is an appetiser of polpette di
melanzane – aubergine meatballs – followed by an umami-packed primo
of homemade pasta with fried zucchini and mint, and a plate of a
Sicilian staple involtini di pesce spada – swordfish rolls covered
in tomato and breadcrumbs.