NEBRIS - Rifugio del Parco

Choose from four tasting menus at this restaurant, including one which changes depending on the chef’s inspiration and another which focuses on fish and seafood, all of which feature dishes that can also be chosen à la carte style. We particularly enjoyed the creamy Provola cheese risotto with lemon, wild herbs and black truffles, and the lemon dessert which made a fitting conclusion to our memorable dinner.

One of the most desirable and exclusive locations in Taormina, the St. George is situated in The Ashbee Hotel, an early-20C villa on the edge of Taormina’s historic centre which has retained all the charm of a private house with its elegant lounge and breathtaking terrace adorned with palm trees that frame the Straits of Messina. The cuisine comes courtesy of a partnership between Heinz Beck and resident chef Salvatore Iuliano. The three-starred Michelin chef’s instinctive elegance and gastronomic intuition combine with Calabrian-born Salvatore’s passionate and colourful take on Mediterranean

Situated just outside Randazzo, one of the villages with typical lava-stone buildings dotted around Mt Etna, this restaurant serves excellent local cuisine. Recipes featuring mushrooms and meat take pride of place on the menu, from antipasti such as the excellent mixed mushrooms to first courses of mushroom soup and mains that include a highly recommended “asado” (mixed grill) and an unmissable Nero dei Nebrodi capocollo ham.

Arrive at the restaurant before sunset to admire a spectacular view of the Aeolian Islands: the setting is breathtaking, and the extraordinary “plant-based” cuisine, as defined by Chef Davide Guidara refusing the stereotypes of “vegetarian” or “vegan”, is sure to move you even further. From his open-view kitchen, a single surprise tasting menu is offered (price included), conceived as a journey through numerous often playful tastings. Guidara, previously awarded as a Young Chef, shows great skill in highlighting the winter produce from his garden through preservation techniques such as ferment

Once through the entrance gate, make your way through an orchard planted with citrus trees to get to this restaurant occupying a charming, carefully restored 19C “palmento” (a building once used for fermenting wine) that has retained its magical and romantic atmosphere. Here, Giuseppe Raciti’s top-quality cuisine is showcased on themed tasting menus from which dishes can also be chosen à la carte. His dishes put Sicily centre stage, as does the excellent wine list, with specialities which the chef reinterprets in impressive, modern style. For us, the charcoal-grilled tuna ventresca with smoked

The elegant atmosphere at this restaurant is typical of Taormina and of Sicily’s old villas, with just eight tables laid out on a terrace adorned with bougainvillea and overlooking Taormina, the Bay of Naxos and Etna. The decor here shows real attention to detail, with an emphasis on the splendour of a grand old residence, while chef Roberto Toro creates typical Sicilian dishes reinterpreted with his own personal twist. His cuisine is showcased on various tasting menus, including a vegetarian option, from which dishes can be chosen à la carte style. We particularly enjoyed the chef’s signature

The kitchen here reaches a standard of absolute distinction. The two tasting menus, one more concise, one more extensive, present a proposition built upon the full and recognisable flavours of fresh, predominantly local produce, handled with solid technical skill within a contemporary Mediterranean idiom. Cultured references are not lacking, such as the measured use of French-inspired sauces or the judicious application of fermentation, lending depth without heaviness. The dessert chapter is a true final indulgence: after a first tasting served at table, the experience continues at a dedicated