Ancient Saint Francis Focaccia Shop

Absolutely incredible food in such a cool location! I got the sarde a beccafico, a sfincione, and the famous pane con la milza.

Service here was slow and a bit impersonal. I ordered a few premade items that just needed warming up, but it still took about 30 minutes for anything to arrive. The food was pretty good, but the overall experience felt mechanical and lacked any sense of warmth or attentiveness.

I went there for the Panino Con La Milza E Formaggio and it was great! I like the local too, it looks like an old traditional style. I enjoyed it!

It took five minutes for us to be seated - there were many waiters around but there was not even an acknowledgment of us. I wish we had walked away because the pasta was unpleasant. Salty beyond imagination. The wine and the physical atmosphere were nice at least.

We had just arrived in town and our Airbnb host suggested we head down to this place for a quick dinner. We were just going to have a cocktail and an appetizer but ended up having the shrimp linguine with pesto and I had ordered the rice balls sample, but ended up getting a different sampler plate, which I enjoyed. Their service was quick and the food arrived fast. Everything was warm and when I flagged the server over to question my meal, she explained each of the different rice balls that I had received and the items on the plate. The setting is a small square right front of the cathedral. The only two negatives were the panhandlers that were coming through either playing music begging for money or selling flowers or just begging for money and the second being as I remember on a previous trip to Italy there is a cover charge per person and this was three euros each. Remember no tipping necessary.

Currently this place is ranked a 3.9 and it's far better than that. It's one of the best authentic sicilian places I've been to. The service is fine but the food is excellent and the decor feels like it's been here for a very long time

We were recommended this place as a great place to get a sandwich, however we turned up at 11.30am (perhaps too early) and the place was dead. So maybe try later in the day if you want to experience this place in its full glory. We had a pleasant coffee and arancini anyhow, so wasn’t a complete waste of time.

Welcoming waiter, who explained us typical Sicilian food and it was simple bit good! The place itself looks amazing

While in Palermo, this was one of the stops our food guide took us to in order to have its famous spleen sandwich. The sandwich here is served slightly different than other locations as the meat is sliced very thin and its topped with shredded cheese. At first we were a little nervous about trying the sandwich but after the first bite i was pleasantly surprised that the cheese really cut organ taste of the spleen. In addition the thinly sliced meat gave it a good balance between the meat to fat ratio. I know a lot of people in our food group were apprehensive about trying it but to be honest my wife and I are pretty open to all types of food and our motto is that will always try something once.

A pair of middle of the road experiences in Palermo (2 of 2) - - - - - This place, Antica Focacceria San Francesco, has a long history in Palermo. It comes up on lists where you can get some authentic cheap eats. It's more of a place to get a quick lunch and keep moving rather than visit at night. It's very close to Palermo Centrale. It's actually smaller than I thought it would be ... and more vertical. It would make a great townhome in some trendy neighborhood. That's because there is seating downstairs and upstairs. I ordered a focaccia with ham and cheese in it. I also ordered a square of lasagna (or similar pasta). To that, I added a bottle of water to deal with Palermo being warm and dehydrating you. The food at Antica Focacceria San Antonio was decent - good, but nothing memorable. The price seemed about right. The only thing that was memorable, other than its having two levels, was the service. Another customer had just left. Behind the case, where the food was displayed, were only 2 squares of lasagna remaining in the pan. I told the employee which one I preferred. To this, the employee, who sort of reminded me of the fictional Al Bundy in "Married With Children," had to quip in an Italian with a Sicilian cadence: 'and, of course, you had to ask for the larger piece.' Did he know who the next customer would be and that he might want to favor that person? Or was he going to be putting it aside for him to eat on his lunch break? This is classically and hilariously Sicilian - where the service goes above and beyond ... or the person, like this guy, is a rude d-bag. It's what northern and central Italians imply when they say that Italy's south does not have a "via di mezzo," a balanced and more palatable middle of the road approach in interpersonal communication and transacting. Antica Focacceria San Francesco gets good reviews. Other people have had good experiences. I'd say my experience takes it down from a high 3 to a low 3. There are some things to know. First, except for Mondello (yes, like Larry) and Monreale on its hill overlooking the city, most of the key sights in Palermo lie in a narrow but long rectangular area going from the station to the Politeama Theater and can be managed on foot or using buses 101 and 102. This eatery is close to that rectangle. Then, the French have their own names for major Sicilian cities, such as Palerme, Catane, and Messine, and which I learned via in-flight monitors. (I guess they're entitled to do that since Normandy ruled the island from Ruggiero's (Roger's) court in Palermo from about 1100 to 1300.) However, what takes the cake here is seeing that Antica Focacceria San Francesco has a store inside Catania's airport on the other side of the island, along with many others. Many other popular eateries have done this, making these enterprises seem tacky and paving the way with which quality control could go a little south. Think Voodoo Donuts. When they go the airport route and charge too much - which they do at CTA, I'll be crossing the eatery off my list.

This review deserves a thick passionate Italian accent! Cue accordian music please. We were greeted like old friends by the owner and baker. This was not pizza, it was the most authentic focaccia..ever. The focaccia was fluffy, airy and crispy on the outside. it had just enough olive oil, salt and spices, we tried a few flavors to get a good feel for the flavor combinations. The result was a dream in my mouth! This experience elevated my definition of Sicilian sliced pizza and left me with a longing to go back whenever I am close to Berkeley.

All around one stop for a myriad of local dishes and snacks, including an excellent pani ca meusa. There is also an excellent enoteca across the way. ​

The First Restaurant Experience in Sicily Served Food & Some "Godfather History" I ate at the main branch of restaurant that is known for being one of the first and, for many years, an establishment that stood up against the Mafia and Cosa Nostra. Antica Focacceria's two owners stood against the Mob by refusing to pay the 'pizzu', or protection money. According to Michelin Star Chef #giorgiolocatelli , the consequence is even in recent years, the owners were in exile. Now settled in a confidential place in mainland Italy, they fortuitously and successfully managed the expansion of this Sicilian restaurant all over Italy. Proudly supportive, I sat at the very first branch of the restaurant, the gutsy one that courageously said no to mob bullying, the original Antica Focacceria San Francesco . And I went twice, too. On my plate: panele, all sorts of arancine #supportlocal #sicilianfood #sicilianrestaurant #sicilyunpacked #curious_eater #andrewgrahamdixon #giorgiolocatelli #palermosicily

An historic restaurant with a large area of outdoor seating in a beautifully lit piazza in front of the church of San Francesco. While considered perhaps a bit touristy by locals, we enjoyed a great meal in mid September while sitting outside. An institution since 1834, we enjoyed a variety of local dishes including an anti pasta sampler which was a great way to try a variety of specialties from arancini to focaccia to croquettes. We also liked the pistachio shrimp pasta and the baked ring-shaped pasta with a ragu sauce. Well-worn English menus were provide and the English skills of the waiters were decent here. Prices were very reasonable with our meal costing around €115 for 4 with a nice bottle of red wine from Etna. Recommended

The old school food and atmosphere was amazing. This gem is situated in the square in front of an old church. The restaurant boasts old school Sicilian recipes.

"Always ready, all day." Palermo is known for its street food, and Antica Focacceria San Francesco is a centuries-old, historic restaurant to try out the classics. Most of the items were preprepared, displayed behind the counter, and reheated to order, and the Schiticchio Vucciria was a variety platter that came with some of everything! The panelle were flat, rectangular fried flatbreads made of chickpea flour; the cazzilli di patate were oval-shaped fritters made of mashed potatoes; the sfinciuni was a thick, puffy, rectangular yeasted bread topped with onions, anchovies, and tomato (kind of a cross between focaccia and pizza); and the arancinette were mini fritters made of cooked rice--one fritter was stuffed with ham and mozzarella, one with ragu and green peas. But my favorite parts of the plate were the Focaccina Maritata and the caponata. The Focaccina Maritata was a mini sandwich made with calf spleen, caciocavallo, and ricotta in a round seeded roll. Definitely not for the squeamish eater, the sliced calf spleen (milza) was dished out from a huge boiling vat, and the shredded caciocavallo cheese added just the right touch of saltiness to the sandwich. The caponata was a refreshing, sweet, savory, sour, soft, crunchy, nutty mixture of cooked eggplant, tomato, celery, and almonds that made for the perfect side dish. Overall, this was a great casual eatery with super friendly service and unbelievable value prices!

Overall, the place is definitely a tourist trap! The food was terrible as it seems like things were simply reheated and not fresh, they were also bland or actually tasted bad. The price is okay, but you can probably get more authentic and tastier food elsewhere. I saw it had good rating on Google Maps and on Yelp, so I was surprised when I got here. In addition, the staff is a bit rude and snobby, and it took really long for the food to come out. I had the Arancina (rice ball with beef ragout, panelle (fried chickpea fritters), Sfincione (Sicilian style pizza, closer to bread though) and Pasta alla Norma (Classic Sicilian dish with macaroni, tomatoes, fried eggplant, ricotta cheese and basil). Something about the taste of the Arancina was a bit off also I think it was nearly soggy. The Panelle and the Pasta alla Norma were actually pretty decent, although after a while it did start to taste a bit bland. The sfincione seemed really unfresh and just reheated which was a huge turn off. I'll never come back to this place and I recommend you to skip this place because you're not missing anything anyways coming here.

Very nice place at night. Not expensive at all, great dishes and good quality! Tipical Sicilian food. The staff is cordial.

Single #1 BEST PLACE to Eat in Palermo. If you're visiting Palermo, and looking for the single # 1 best most authentic Palermo food experience, then Focacceria San Francesco is an absolute "Must Do" ... This is a historic eatery serving some of Sicily's most iconic food. You can get a sampler of Palermo's "Greatest Hits" of Pane Muesa (Beef Spleen and Ricotta Sandwich), Panelle, Arancini (Sicilian Rice Ball), and Canoli, all for just about 6 Euros ($6.50) ... The place is beautiful decorated with marble counters and tables.

Where else can you eat a hot spleen roll in a historic, mafia-free setting? We were there on a street food tour to try the spleen roll. Short walk through the old Jewish quarter from Quattro Canti. Bustling and noisy: kids, families and groups. Some were there for afternoon tea, or a sit down meal. The vat of simmering spleen and lungs took centre stage and a dapper gent skilfully doled out steamy servings in fresh rolls with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Smaller serves available for those just wanting to try. The roll was actually tasty without being strong or gamey like some offal can be. Give it a go!

If you ever plan to visit Palermo, avoid this terrible restaurant!!! Bad food, incompetent, unfriendly and arrogant service and terribly overpriced!!! The vegetables with the main course we're the same as my starter and nobody informed me about it. The chicken was cooked to death and dry as dust. I are two bites and left 98% of the plate untouched. When the waiter (calling this person a waiter is an insult for all waiters who do an excellent job!!!) took my plate, he didn't ask why I didn't finish my main course. He didn't care if I was a happy guest, because the place is packed anyway. I directed two ladies to a great restaurant nearby to save them from a crap experience. One of the WORST places I've EVER been worldwide. This place is an insult for palate and guests!!!

We spent our third night in Palermo here and had read a review prior to our visit that claimed it was a great place to eat, even though very touristy. We went for the set menu, because we really wanted to try out different dishes and a four-course meal for € 25 really is a good deal. Even more so when the food came and each single course was enough to get you stuffed! We had ordered two menus because there were the two of us, but we were almost full after the appetizer and had only eaten half our plate each. By the time our secondi piatti came, we didn't know how to stomach any more food. However, it was quite tasty, if not the amazing tasting food you might expect to get in Italy. Service was ok and the atmosphere in the Piazza was really nice, so it was an ok evening. We went back the next day for lunch because we were in the area and tired of walking, but that wasn't so great. We had the Caponata, which was a bit too sour, burrata, which was a bit lame, and a piadine, which was standard.

Decent food, horrible service in a beautiful spot. We waited ages to be served whilst 10 waiters just wanders around looking busy without doing anything. The grilled shrimps were good, the steak too and we had a very nice white wine from Etna doc for only €5 per glass. We will not be returning.

Great place to eat, we came for the dinner and there was only one table free. The staff was so busy but still friendly to us. We ordered a starter, a mix of Sicilian street food plus a spleen sandwich and everything was fresh and tasty. I had Rigatoni de Norma and my wife had pasta with swordfish. We had some local craft beer and everything was so tasty and fresh. The square was vibrant and alive even though it was almost midnight. If you want to eat some good and genuine food in Palermo, this is your stop.

This is not a restaurant, it's good you keep it in mind before going there. Antica Focacceria specialises in Palermo style street food, that is the snacks that locals eat at all hours, mostly from street vendors. So don't come here for pasta, pizza, fish because you'll probably be disappointed, but look for panelle, crocchè, pani ca miusa instead. The Focacceria is an institution in Palermo. Founded in 1834, it lived through an important part of Sicilian history. Including the dark years of Mafia control over most businesses in the old town. This place was one of the first to rebel and cry out for help and had police stationed in front of it day and night for fear of retaliation. You may get better Palermo street food elsewhere but for it's name and history this place deserves 5 stars.

Derde keer hier. A place to come back to! Ci ritorniamo!

Excellent place. Amazing. Choose from either the self service or the restaurant area.

The restaurant has two sections the restaurant section upstairs and the street food food downstairs. We tried both. The food was good. I found it nice that it was possible to sit down in the street food section. In most of the places one either needs to eat standing or has a very small spot to put their food on.

Arancini for sure and if you're adventurous Meusi. Don't go to Palermo without eating here.

Truly terrible in all aspects other than the setting. Wait staff was disengaged, food ordinary at best, even chairs were uncomfortable. It seemed locals ate solely from the street food menu Never got a check after a number of requests, so left 40 euros and left. Part of the problem was the disparity between expectations ...and reality as the place was beautiful and busy. Highly NOT recommended.

Super nice location - piazza San Francesco is very cute. The food is good, simple, cheap.

Beautiful interior, great street food, wonderful desserts. This place gets busy so you have to be assertive sometimes but all the staff I encountered spoke English when they saw my Italian faltering. Friendly service and the spleen sandwich was an experience!

A great place to try out their mixed plates of sicilian food. This is a very informal place, you queue at the counter to order your food and then collect it my handing over the ticket at the food and wine counters (separate). Main reason to go here is the food (of course - highlights are the eggplant rolls and the sardines by the way), the history and because this was one of the first businesses to stand up to the mafia.

We ate at the restaurant on the 3rd floor (2nd for Italians). Food was incredible and the food from the ground floor (street food) is available as well. The ground floor was packed and a bit confusing since I'm not fluent in Italian.

Stop by if in Palermo! Sicilian street food served in a deli / restaurant like setting. Went here for lunch one afternoon on our way to Capella Palatina. Order from the counter - it's a bit overwhelming but it's quite fantastic! Arancini and pane e panelle are the best - so so good!! Try the spleen sandwich if you wish - probably one of the most disgusting things I have ever had and especially as it got cold, it looks like what it is - spleen. Just because Anthony Bourdain tried it doesn't mean you should.

Good value for money and great place to eat Sicilian cuisine. As the place spreads over 3 sides of San Francesco beautiful Piazza in front of 13th century magnificent church, you have 2 choices, snack setting -cheap basic choice of main Sicilian specialties) on ground floor and Restaurant - on the rest of the place including 1st floor with nice tables, music and a menu of plates of local great food. You will not be sorry!

Hands down the worst dining experience of my 9 day Italy trip. Food was mediocre, at best. Service was horrible- 3 out of 4 dinners at my table were served with no explanation on the timing of the 4th. It came about 30 minutes later - no apology. Had to flag down a server anytime we needed anything and even then, I was ignored or put off.