Gluttonous Taormina guide with addresses for food jerseys. In the footsteps of the Grand Tour to rediscover – this all-Italian summer – the Sicilian pearl of the Ionian Sea
Rediscover Taormina in the year of the revival of Italian tourism. In 800 the Ionian pearl – lying on a natural terrace overlooking the sea and protected by the watchful gaze of Etna – it was a mandatory stop for travelers of the Grand Tour, especially during the winter period. In the modern era, however, it has become a sought-after summer destination, without losing that allure that has captivated intellectuals and artists from all over the world. According to ENIT (National Tourism Authority) estimates, 2020 records a 55% drop in international arrivals, a serious blow to the economy of the Sicilian town which has always been able to count on a high spending foreign clientele, with Americans in top of the list.
After an initial moment of concern, due to the cancellation of reservations due to the effect of Covid-19, the first positive signs of recovery are felt, and starting from July the large hotels, the pride of Taormina, have resumed their regular activity. The Belmond Group – luxury brand of hospitality founded 40 years ago and now acquired by the French holding Lvmh, which boasts in its portfolio icons such as the Cipriani of Venice, the Caruso of Ravello, the Splendido of Portofino and the legendary Orient Express train – is present in Taormina with two structures: the Grand Hotel Timeo and the Villa Sant’Andrea, the latter directly overlooking the Bay of Mazzarò, with private access to the sea. A season different from the others, with an increase in Italian presences and the forecast to recover the lost months in autumn and winter, taking advantage of the mild Sicilian climate. Belmond hotels are the perfect base for discovering Taormina in a gourmet key, starting right from the three restaurants – including theOtto Geleng of the star chef Roberto Toro – and from the bar on the panoramic terrace of the Timaeus, where theEtna Spritz, the only Italian drink in the magazine's ranking of the best cocktails in the world Condé Nast Traveler Usa. Here are all the tips for a tasty holiday in Taormina.
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo and Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea
In 2019, exactly one year after the opening, the Otto Geleng gourmet restaurant of the Grand Hotel Timeo obtains the coveted Michelin star. An important recognition for the executive chef Roberto Toro that sees thus rewarded the research and experimentation work carried out with his brigade in the Timeo kitchen. Open only for dinner for 16 guests, arranged in eight tables, which can savor the chef's creations while admiring the breathtaking panorama of the Bay of Taormina, with the summit of Etna that stands out on the horizon. Alternatively, always on the terrace, there are the Timeo Restaurant, with a selection of the great classics of Sicilian and Mediterranean cuisine, and then the Literary bar, perfect for an aperitif at sunset accompanied by the notes of a piano and a cocktail prepared by barman Claudio Adelfio, like new Milan – Taormina based on Cynar and Etna bitters. For a fish-based lunch or dinner, go to the Oliviero restaurant del Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, partner structure connected to the Timaeus by a free shuttle service.
Via Teatro Greco 59 – Taormina (Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo)
Via Nazionale 137 – Taormina (Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea)
Kistè – Easy Gourmet
Kistè is the original food and wine container wanted by Pietro D'Agostino – starred chef del La Capinera restaurant, mainly characterized by a fish cuisine – together with his partner, the sommelier Morena Benenati. The restaurant is located in the heart of the historic center of Taormina, inside a historic fifteenth-century building. New this year, a drink list divided into 12 zero km cocktails that pay homage to Sicily. The creations are designed by Mattia Cilia, among the best bartenders in the world, and made by the student Sofia Mammana, young Sicilian promise of mixology. The raw materials used – as is the case for the menu proposals – are personally selected by the chef who signs the label with the "Io Pietro D'Agostino" brand: the Pantelleria wine of the Francesco Rizzo company, the Mediterann liqueurs- IO from Giardini D'Amore, the fragrances of orange blossom and jasmine, chestnut honey, medlar and citrus from Sicilian black bees by Claudio Meli, fruit and seasonal vegetables.
Via S. Maria dè Greci, 2 – Taormina
Osteria Santa Domenica
The local of Gianluca Savoca, a few meters from the Ancient Theater, is the landmark of the inhabitants of Taormina. Opened in 2014 as a wine bar, two years later it evolves and transforms into a restaurant. Among the strengths is the wine list, with a rich and targeted selection of labels that reveals the owner's great enoic passion. Well 350 wine labels, between small natural productions and big brands, which can be requested by the glass. The menu includes few and targeted courses, ranging from the mountain flavors of the inland areas of Sicily to the classic traditional fish-based recipes, always accompanied by excellent Sicilian bread with grains. Among the dishes to try are the fresh pasta tagliolini with Palazzolo Acreide truffle and Mazara red prawn. Note of merit for the tasting of Etna extra virgin olive oil, served as soon as you sit down at the table. Upon request, Gianluca Savoca also organizes cooking lessons including a morning walk for shopping and a slush break.
Via G. Di Giovanni, 47/49 – Taormina
Minotauro pastry since 1979
The best pastry shop in Taormina is located in a small alley in the center, a few steps from the Ancient Theater. In the laboratory of Rosy and Nuccio Cingari substitutes and essential oils are banned to make room only for natural products, such as the delicious Sicilian sheep ricotta and Avola almonds. Among the specialties to try are the biscuits of the Messina tradition: piparelle is 'nzuddi with carob flour. As soon as you cross the threshold, your gaze is captured by the colorful marzipan fruit, made with 50% almonds and hand painted by Nuccio.
Via Di Giovanni 15 – Taormina
Roberto – the Wizard of Cannoli
Walking through the maze of narrow streets in the center, you come across the laboratory of Roberto Chemi, better known in the city as the Wizard of Cannoli. The dessert par excellence of Sicilian pastry is certainly the specialty to try: the crispy wafer is filled on the spot with a small spatula, just like it was in ancient times. The sheep's milk ricotta used is not blasted and is characterized by a balanced percentage of sugar and the addition of a pinch of cinnamon and a drop of liqueur, following the family recipe handed down by his father, who was also a pastry chef in Taormina.
Via Calapitrulli 9 – Taormina
Bam Bar Taormina
Thanks to word of mouth – and social networks – the Bambara family bar has become an obligatory stop for the Sicilian granita. You can choose from 24 fresh fruit flavors and 7 other proposals with the addition of milk. The most popular granita is the almond one, accompanied by the inevitable Brioche with Tuppo, and then the seasonal mandarin (in winter) and figs (in summer).
Via di Giovanni, 45, 98039 Taormina ME
Morgana Lounge Bar
The trendiest venue in Taormina is the ideal stop for those who want to spend an evening full of fun. Great music, designer furnishings that change every season, a small internal garden with the inevitable bougainvillea and a selection of cocktails home made that they prefer Sicilian ingredients (agave, prickly pear, jasmine, passito di Pantelleria): this is the formula for the success of the cousins Christian Sciglio is Guido Spinello. "Malandrina" is one of the specialties of the Morgana drink list, made with Belvedere Vodka, fennel syrup, lemon juice, elderflower and lime, scekerato and served with ice.
Descent Morgana 4 – Taormina
Naxos Archaeological Park – Taormina
Since 2013 the Archaeological park of Naxos – Taormina has the management of some of the most important monumental and landscape sites in the province of Messina: the Archaeological Museum of Naxos with its collections, the Ancient Theater, Villa Caronia, the Naturalistic Museum of Isolabella, the archaeological areas of Taormina and Francavilla, Palazzo Ciampoli and the Basilian Monastery and Church of Saints Peter and Paul. From 1 July the Ancient Theater – second most visited site in Sicily after the Valley of the Temples – has resumed the usual time of view (every day from 9 to 19) while the positive news of this post-Covid phase, which has led to a remodulation of the times and ways of activities, is the tourist package (21.50 € per person) which, together with the entrance ticket, also includes a one-hour tour accompanied by professional and multilingual guides (free for children up to 10 years old).
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