Don Camillo

Beneath the Catalan stone vaults of Don Camillo, Ortigia’s historic character becomes part of the meal. Set on Via della Maestranza in the island heart of Syracuse, this is an address for an intimate dinner with a strong sense of place. The restaurant dates from 1985, and its appeal rests on the meeting of historic rooms, refined seafood cooking and a notable wine cellar.

Chef Giovanni Guarneri has guided the kitchen since the beginning, treating Sicilian tradition as something to develop rather than simply preserve. Local ingredients remain central, but flavours from elsewhere are welcomed into the repertoire. The menu gives that philosophy substance: red prawns marinated with gin and Maldon salt come with oyster mayonnaise, crisp seaweed and juniper smoke; Syracuse potato gnocchi are paired with clams, red prawn tartare and datterino tomato foam. These are specific, expressive combinations rooted in the restaurant’s attention to ingredients.

For a first visit, look to the dishes that connect the kitchen’s history with its continuing experimentation. Spaghetti delle Sirene, with prawns and sea urchins, is listed as dating from 1986; the black langoustine roll in sea urchin sauce from 2004. The published tasting menus offer another way into the cooking: Miteco centres on seafood, while Archestrato brings together fish, meat and vegetables. The wine list merits attention in its own right, combining established classics with smaller producers from Italy and beyond.

Allow room for a proper meal rather than a single-course stop: à la carte dining requires at least two courses per person, excluding dessert. Consult the official website for the current menus and table requests, and plan around the stated Sunday and public-holiday closures. For wine-minded diners, reading the list alongside the menu is a useful starting point.