Michelin-starred restaurant, modern Sicilian tasting menus, wine pairings

























Via dei Cassari, 35, 90133 Palermo PA, Italy Get directions
€100+

"Inside the brooding former studio of 16th-century sculptor Antonello Gagini in Palermo, this restaurant’s ancient stone walls and dramatic decor provide a striking contrast to the modern, slightly offbeat tasting menu. Guests sit at long communal banqueting tables for chef Mauricio Zillo’s inventive dishes, which draw on his Italian-Brazilian heritage with combinations like corallino with zucchini leaves and nasa shrimp or a cod parmigiana. Ceramic Teste di Moro perched on podiums and wrought-iron candlesticks heighten the theatrical feel, and while Palermo’s center buzzes and sweats outside, the dining room feels like a slow-motion, sultry cocoon where couples challenge their palates with beef carpaccio propped up by seafood broth as sommeliers introduce them to niche Sicilian wines." - Rosalyn Wikeley

"Situated in the lively heart of Palermo between the Vucciria and the small Cala port, this restaurant boasts a modern design and bold colours which are all the more striking for the charming old building which it occupies – the 16C studio of sculptor Antonello Gagini (hence the restaurant name!). The cuisine focuses on showcasing the quality of local ingredients, including wild rabbit from Pantelleria and donkey meat from the Nebrodi region, in dishes that are contemporary in style and full of flavour." - Michelin Inspector
"Gagini is located in the rowdy Vucciria neighborhood and is the crown jewel of the restaurant group behind Bocum Fuoco, Aja Mola, and Buatta. There’s an à la carte menu and tasting menus that start at €110 with the option to add wine pairings from their exceptionally curated list. Expect less familiar flavors than you’ll usually find in Palermo from Gagini’s Brazilian-born chef, like lemon verbena, smoked herring, finger limes, and puntarelle. Make sure to reserve a table well in advance." - linda sarris

"One of Palermo's Michelin-starred restaurants, where chef Mauricio Zillo creates contemporary dishes with local ingredients. Set in the atelier of 16th-century sculptor Antonello Gagini, it features an eight-course tasting menu paired with Sicilian wines."
"Gagini is located in the rowdy Vucciria neighborhood and is the crown jewel of the restaurant group behind Bocum Fuoco, Aja Mola, and Buatta. There’s an à la carte menu and tasting menus that start at €110 with the option to add wine pairings from their exceptionally curated list. Expect less familiar flavors than you’ll usually find in Palermo from Gagini’s Brazilian-born chef, like lemon verbena, smoked herring, finger limes, and puntarelle. Make sure to reserve a table well in advance." - Linda Sarris