Food, Drinks & Traditional Dishes in Syracuse

A brilliant, rustic pasta dish that perfectly captures the ingenuity of traditional local cooking. Spaghetti is tossed with garlic, anchovies, and a generous amount of toasted breadcrumbs, adding a fantastic, crunchy texture to every bite. What makes it truly special is the final step, where the pasta is lightly fried in the pan until slightly crispy. It is a fiercely beloved, simple recipe that relies entirely on the high quality of its few, robust ingredients. You will find it served in almost every traditional trattoria in the city.

A deeply traditional and historic dessert intrinsically linked to the feast day of Saint Lucy. It consists of boiled whole wheat berries mixed with sweetened ricotta cheese, candied fruit, and often generous shavings of dark chocolate. It was created to commemorate the end of a severe famine, when starving citizens immediately boiled a miraculous shipment of wheat without taking the time to mill it. While traditionally eaten in December, some local pastry shops offer variations of this hearty, sweet pudding year round. It is a dish that beautifully tells a story of local resilience and faith.

A breakfast tradition that borders on a religious ritual during the blazing hot summer months. The granita here is a semi frozen, incredibly smooth dessert made using premium, locally grown almonds, resulting in a rich, nutty, and highly refreshing flavour. It is served alongside a warm, sweet, tufted brioche bun, which locals eagerly tear apart and dunk directly into the icy mixture. The contrast of the warm, buttery pastry against the cold, sweet almond ice is absolute perfection. It is a mandatory morning experience for any visitor.

A spectacularly indulgent local creation that closely resembles a stuffed pizza. Two thin layers of crispy, oven baked dough are heavily filled with savoury ingredients like wild boar, local cheeses, cured meats, or even sweet fillings like pistachio cream. The top crust is then generously brushed with olive oil, oregano, and parmesan, creating an incredibly flavourful and satisfying bite. It originated in the nearby towns but has become a staple comfort food throughout the city. Sharing a large, hot pizzolo with friends is a quintessential local dining experience.

While these famous fried rice balls are beloved across the entire island, the local variation boasts a distinct cylindrical or slightly elongated shape. They are typically filled with a rich, slow cooked meat ragù, peas, and gooey caciocavallo cheese, encased in saffron tinted rice and a perfectly crispy breadcrumb shell. Biting into one fresh from the fryer provides an incredible contrast of textures and deep, comforting flavours. They are the ultimate, portable street food for munching while exploring the ancient alleyways.