Ristorante Mates

Excellent small and nice restaurant- one of the best, if you are traveling in the region. The service is very good, the food as well and the atmosphere builds on an ancient olive oil mill that used to exist on the place. Don’t miss it.

Enjoyed the drive up to this mountaintop village and definitely worth the drive to experience the locally made olive oil, sausage, cheese, caponata and all the delights on this tasting menu. The owners are so friendly and create a wonderful atmosphere!

99% of restaurants are disappointments; this is not one of them. Very good food and such nice people as well. I would make a big detour to come back.

We stayed around the corner at B&B Sotto Le Stelle, sister property of MATES. Clearly these guys have it figured out. You walk into Caltabellotta and signs pointing you to the B&B and MATES are front/center. Anyway, great dinner experience. Energetic, delightful host and personable, attentive service. Pictures say it all about the quality of the (5 course) meal. Delicious, nuanced blend of local/traditional recipes. The chocolate mousse is made with olive oil too!

Tucked away after a brief uphill journey, this charming family-run restaurant is a hidden gem worth the trek. The warmth of the owners makes you feel right at home from the moment you step in. They offer a flexible fixed menu that allows you to skip a course if you choose, which is perfect for lighter appetites. The antipasti and primi are simply exceptional, bursting with local flavor. Don't miss out on the panelle - outstanding! A delightful spot that combines great food with genuine hospitality. Highly recommended!

Incredibly outstandingly good. Wow. Don't miss. Stay at the unique b&b of the family (sotto le stelle) and go for a dinner at mates. You'll thank us later on for a unique experience.

We really enjoyed our meal here and give 5 stars but be aware that the set menu at lunch does not include the 2nd course - only the entree, first course (pasta) desert, water and coffee for €28. We were disappointed to find out we couldn't try the capacollo (pork) or the beef dish. These are only served at night and is a €35 set menu I think. So I guess we need to come back at night to try the meat dishes.....

Lovely Saturday lunch at this rustic place on top of a mountain. Pistachio pasta with aubergine and pork in particular made an impression. Like most Italian food, simple and tasty. Apart from us the place was not particularly crowded. A couple of other Italians and the owners family eating with the staff. The sourrunding village is well worth a visit too ;)

Our dinner at MATES on our first night in Caltabellotta is one that we'll be talking about for a long, long time. It will be included in the stories we tell (to anyone who will listen) of our wonderful vacation in Italy, and our special time in Sicily. It is that good! MATES is a perfect little restaurant in a beautiful, rustic building in the heart of Caltabellotta. This is family-run, authentic Sicilian - and the family (the Augellos) are delightful. Sons Giuseppe and Leonardo were our servers in the dining room, providing excellent service that was both friendly and professional (and adorable). Father Felice was our gracious and welcoming host, and mother Laura provided the amazing culinary experience from the kitchen. There is no set menu - but trust Laura and you will not be disappointed. The quality and hospitality at MATES are unsurpassed! We started with a variety of antipasti which included (among other things) cheese and cured meats, eggplant caponata, and fresh sheep milk ricotta - all were beautifully flavored and complimentary to one another. Primi piatti included risotto with spring vegetables and fusilli pasta dish with eggplant. Così delizioso! Our stomachs were quite full when the secondi piatti showed up - but we could not resist the delectable slow-roasted pork shank, accented with fresh rosemary and accompanied by perfectly roasted potatoes. There was also a lovely beef dish - though the pork outshined it. And now for the dessert. You need look no farther than Laura's cannoli, which like everything else, are made in-house. To say they are the best in the world is, well, completely accurate! At least in _my_ world. And I have done some cannoli'ing. I have cannoli'd across Italy, and in the Little Italys of NYC and San Diego, and from San Franciso's North Beach to Boston's North End and Providence's Federal Hill. After having cannoli at MATES, no one else compares. Essi sono la perfezione! To sum it up: Quando si visita la Sicilia (che si dovrebbe), è necessario trovare la strada per Caltabellotta (si dovrebbe!) e godere di una cena meravigliosa con Augellos a MATES. Il vostro stomaco e il vostro cuore vi ringrazierà! E 'stato un privilegio per mangiare qui! P.S. The Augellos also own the nearby Solto le Stelle B&B which I will review separately but also worth 5 stars - rest your head at Solto le Stelle and feed your belly at MATES and you will be so very happy. You will fall in love with Caltabellotta (and the Augellos) as I did!

This was a once in a lifetime experience. We ate at Mate several times in this Quaint Mountain village. It's to hard to describe in words the ambiance, service, and beyond delicious food. It's a must go to. Even if it's out of your way. Find a way to get there.

Dinner last night, our first in Caltabellotta. Terrific. Service was very good. Food was wonderful. Lovely antipasti; fabulous homemade pasta with locally produced ingredients, and the best cannoli I have had. Highly recommended. Looking forward to returning tonight!!

Amazing food. Best lamb chops in the world! Must try if you are in Sicily! Loved it. Best restaurant in Sicily

MATES, the best kept secret in Caltabellotta! This family owned restaurant has it all, a delicious "made from scratch" menu, wonderful service & beautiful ambiance evoking the best of Sicily! We ate there several times while visiting beautiful Caltabellotta & loved it more each time! Can't wait to go back & dine with our new Sicilian family at MATES!

Fantastic food and service! The service seemed genuinly happy to serve us. One of us told the waitwr she was allergic to garlic, as a response the kitchen created a special dish just for her. Talk about good serv The food was very good and the waiter even told us the recipe! If you ever visit Caltabelotta I can really recommend it. Everyone who ate here was really impressed.