A city with a glorious past, countless verses and poems have been dedicated to ancient Agrakas. From Pindar, who called it the most beautiful of mortal cities, to “The Road of Agrigentum” by Salvatore Quasimodo. But it is Pirandello, Nobel Prize-winning author, who began his journey into the heart of the human mind and soul from Agrigento, his hometown. Two thousand five hundred years of history are not enough to contain the grandeur of Agrigento, which, now declared Italian Capital of Culture 2025, is trying to be reborn, starting precisely from its glorious past. A difficult rebirth, in which the restaurant scene, timidly but proudly, plays its part. Amid new ventures and established names, it appears faithful to the land and dedicated to preserving its precious resources.
Fine dining inspiration, immersed in the history of ancient Agrakas
The new Agrigento wave stops at Carusu, the fine dining venue of young under-30 chef Alen Mangione
Young chef-patron Alen Mangione of Carusu, located overlooking the Hellenistic-Roman quarter and nestled in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, has clear ideas. His cuisine is rooted in tradition while pushing forward with experimentation and research. His dishes reflect a desire for innovation and creativity, combined with devotion to local ingredients. The atmosphere is intimate and refined, with only 24 seats in total. The dining room is managed by his brother, and the approach is clearly fine dining. There are three tasting menus: “The Vegetables,” “Freehand,” and the “Carusu Experience.” On the à la carte menu: “Seppia Mascariata” (stuffed cuttlefish, onion crumble, chilli pepper and white wine sauce); “Porca Vacca” (Modicana beef tartare with its fat, cocoa nibs, nasturtium and passion fruit); “Le Boccole” (boccole pasta with hare ragout, purslane and Piacentino Ennese); “Il Piccione” (pigeon variation with peanuts and fermented blackberries).
Carusu Restaurant – Valle dei templi Agrigento
Akropolis: Dinner Overlooking the Greek Temples, Surrounded by Myth and History
Nestled in the archaeological park of Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, Akropolis Restaurant offers a unique and striking panorama, with magnificent views of the Temple of Concordia and Juno to the east and the Temple of Hercules to the west. Founded in 1999 from an ancient family tradition of Sicilian restaurateurs, the kitchen is in the hands of resident chef Davide Giambruno, who draws daily inspiration from Sicilian land and seafaring traditions. Signature dishes include: scallop ceviche marinated in yuzu with avocado cream and diced cucumber and cherry tomato, or fresh egg pasta cannolo with Sicilian beef brisket, vegetables, and Madonie provola fondue.
Ristorante Agrigento Akropolis, immerso nella valle dei templi.
La Scala: The Connection to the Land by Chef Vincenzo Santalucia in the Heart of Via Atenea
Often described in Pirandello’s writings, Via Atenea is the literary drawing room of the city. La Scala restaurant, housed in the historic late 19th-century Palazzo Grenet, is where chef Vincenzo Santalucia showcases his culinary philosophy rooted in Sicilian ingredients and local identity. Respect, tradition, bold flavours, and a deep sense of belonging to the land define his cuisine, which favours seasonal Sicilian produce, and plays with simplicity and culinary research.
Ristorante La Scala – Chef Vincenzo Santalucia
Ambrosia Restaurant at Doric Hotel: An Eco-Sustainable Farm-to-Fork Project
Overlooking the Temple of Juno, Ambrosia at the Doric eco boutique hotel emphasises environmental sustainability and uses vegetables, almonds, oil, and pistachios grown on its own farm. This dream-turned-reality belongs to architect and hotel owner Enzo Agrò, who is passionate about sustainability. The menu is a culinary journey that narrates the island through simplicity, history, and variety of dishes and ingredients. Highlights include sea soup with “tenerumi” (tender greens), red mullet with tripe, and the grand finale: the “Telamone Dorico” dessert. Inspired by the Telamon from the Temple of Zeus, symbol of Agrigento as Capital of Culture 2025, it features double textures of Raffadali DOP pistachio, almond brittle, late-season mandarin reduction and ricotta.
Home – DORIC Eco Boutique Resort e SPA – Sicilia Hotel 5 Stelle
Trattorias, osterias and the tradition that endures
Osteria del Capitano: a safe haven by sailor-chef Salvatore Cozzitorto
Zero waste, local identity, seasonality, and sustainability. These are the keywords of Salvatore Cozzitorto's manifesto at Osteria del Capitano in the heart of Agrigento’s historic centre. A former long-haul ship captain and one of Italy’s youngest merchant ship commanders, Cozzitorto dropped anchor in Agrigento in 2024 to launch his culinary project. His food tells stories of land and sea, built on carefully selected ingredients, artisanal techniques, a preference for small local producers, and a focus on humble cuts and ancestral cooking, reinterpreted with a contemporary flair. This modern osteria pays homage to the past with dishes like “Pane cunzato” – a new take on the Sicilian street food classic with sourdough bread cream, cherry tomatoes, Ragusano fondue, sardines, oregano – and spaghetti with summer courgette, garlic cream, pic-pac tomato, pink shrimp, and “tenerume”.
Caico Trattoria e Cantina: flavours of the sea and salt in authentic dishes
It was 1952 when Umberto Caico and his wife Concetta opened their trattoria in San Leone, Agrigento’s seaside district. A winning formula that has withstood the test of time and generations. The kitchen stays true to the spirit of the Sicilian trattoria, where fresh ingredients and the simplicity of the dishes reign supreme. Chef Calogero Patti prepares daily catch with an immediacy that evokes the sea.
Cusà – Cucina di Mare: Between Street Food and Traditional Dishes
Originally launched as a Fish Lab by young entrepreneurs Federica Barbadoro and Salvo Li Vo, Cusà celebrates a cuisine that starts with street food and evolves into traditional Sicilian dishes that embody a dynamic, youthful Sicily. Fish is the undisputed star of the menu, from grilled octopus sandwiches and seared mackerel rolls to gourmet dishes. Notable pasta options include “Summer Spaghetti” with lemon pesto, mint, and shellfish tartare, or the Busiata “chi sardi” with sardines, raisins, pine nuts, crispy breadcrumbs, and wild fennel.
Expanificio Osteria e Buvette: History, Tradition and Creativity
Steps from the Pirandello Theatre, Osteria Expanificio is housed in a former post-war bakery. It brings Mediterranean tradition and history to the plate. Also a tavern and cocktail buvette, Expanificio offers a culinary experience where traditional Sicilian cooking meets creativity. Highlights include sardine “a beccafico” skewers, goat robiola ravioli, and paccheri in pepper cream with sausage.
Le Boccerie: From Dawn to Dusk with Alessandro Ravanà’s New All-Day-Long Concept
In the heart of Via Atenea, Alessandro Ravanà is the soul behind Le Boccerie – a hybrid of pizzeria, kitchen, and food shop. A new all-day-long format from morning to night with a diverse menu spanning pizza, preserves, pastas, mains, desserts, wine, and drinks. A real taste lab where food is both cultural heritage and culinary ritual. Historical recipes like “Macco di fave” (fava bean purée), “Timballo di Pasta N’caciata,” and a varied pizza menu pay homage to tradition.
Il Re di Girgenti: From Camilleri’s Novel to Sicily, Heart of the Mediterranean
Founded by Alfonso Sanfilippo, the restaurant takes its name from one of Andrea Camilleri’s famous novels, “Il re di Girgenti.” Offering not just breathtaking views over the Valley of the Temples but also an interior design that evokes authentic, historical Sicily. The menu is redolent of seasons, the Mediterranean, and the island of Sicily – a land shaped by countless peoples and stories.
Ginger People&Food: A Restaurant Born from a Social Project Where Sicily Meets Africa
Much more than just a restaurant, Ginger People&Food in the historic centre of Agrigento is a project by the social cooperative Al Kharub, aimed at providing employment opportunities for disadvantaged people. With a strong social and cultural impact, the cuisine explores the common roots between Sicilian and African food, fusing traditions and quality local ingredients in a gastronomic journey that transcends borders. Chef Mareme Cisse from Senegal, winner of the 2019 Cous Cous Festival in San Vito Lo Capo, brings Africa to the plate. Symbolising this fusion is the traditional couscous made from Sicilian durum wheat semolina, hand-rolled and steamed, available in vegetable, meat, or fish versions.
Granofino: The Gastronomic Hub Focused on Contemporary Pizza
A true gastronomic hub combining pizza-making with traditional local cuisine and a refined meat selection. After a recent revamp, chef Mario Ciulla’s menu offers seasonal, local ingredients and a wide variety of dishes. These include Sicilian red beef carpaccio with wild rocket, 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano shavings, and lemon pesto; wholemeal Timilia gnocchi with three-meat ragù; or a Sicilian red beef sirloin with sautéed cremini mushrooms, marinated green tomato, almond and rocket pesto. Among the pizzas: the “Vespucci,” a Roman-style pala topped with DOP Bologna mortadella, Raffadali pistachio pesto, and Andria stracciata.
The White Art of Agrigento: timeless flavours
At Terre Dunci bakery, white art becomes a sustainable project rooted in the local area. Artisanal bread made with sourdough, double fermentation, and ancient Sicilian grains from the farm’s own production, alongside other products such as oil and almonds. Terre Dunci also offers pizza by the slice, Roman-style pizza, focaccia, sandwiches, arancine, panelle, baked pasta, “anellini” baked pasta and many other specialities, not forgetting sweets, biscuits, artisanal panettoni and Easter colombe. Also on Via Atenea is Infurna, a historic pastry and gelato shop dating back to 1980, known for its traditional almond pastries, cannoli, cassate, and marzipan fruit.
Panificio ad Agrigento | Panificio Terradunci
Agrigento and the Projects for Promotion and Enhancement of the Territory: The Phoenicians, Casa Diodoros, Travelling on an Olive Oil Thread
History, commitment to social agriculture, and land valorisation. Three projects born in Agrigento all share the aim of enhancing local traditions and products. “Travelling on an Olive Oil Thread,” a collaboration between the Agrigento prison “Pasquale Di Lorenzo” and Val Paradiso, a Sicilian olive oil producer, combines land, training and social reintegration by offering inmates real opportunities for personal and professional development. Its flagship product is “La Rupe” extra virgin olive oil, made from olives grown and hand-picked inside the prison’s agricultural estate, and processed at Val Paradiso’s mill.
The Phoenicians Association revisits the roots of Agrigento’s Siceliot (Greek-Sicilian) cuisine through historical and culinary research, promoting ancient Mediterranean life practices through guided tours, events, recipe books, and historical reenactments. The Diodoros Project, instead, promotes the artistic, cultural, and agricultural heritage of the 1300 hectares of the Valley of the Temples. It supports scientific research, technological innovation, and the marketing of local agricultural products under the Diodoros brand. Casa Diodoros, a rustic building 150 metres from the Temple of Concordia, serves as a hub for these products and for experiential tourism, including cooking classes and workshops. It also safeguards ancient varieties of olives, vines, pistachios, almonds, and other traditional Sicilian fruit crops.
Produzione e vendita olio extravergine di Sicilia – Val Paradiso
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