Location: Messina
Top Restaurants in Messina
Top Things to do in Messina
Where to Eat in Messina: The Best Restaurants and Bars
At Sicily’s northeast tip, Messina is the first city being kicked by mainland Italy’s boot, just three miles across the Strait of Messina. It's a main port of entry for visitors via hydrofoils and ferries. Trains board the ferry, too, before continuing service. The 12th-century Norman cathedral, rebuilt after a 1908 earthquake destroyed it and much of the town, is the most famous attraction.
Things to do in Messina
1. I Ruggeri boutique restaurant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 912 reviews
Open every days. Day off Sunday
Reviewed By Marco R - Hong Kong, China
It's the second time that I've got the chance to visit this little restaurant that does local cuisine with a very interesting modern twist.
The food is superb. The service is kind, efficient and engaging. The desserts are heaven. The wine list very interesting.
I will surely be back to try more of their specialities!
2. Kajiki
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 363 reviews
Japanese Restaurant-Catering
Reviewed By MarkusP - Italy
So happy to see some more "ethnic" food options in Sicily. Fresh authentic sushi in a cute little restaurant in the downtown area of Messina. A little on the pricey side, but comparable to other sushi restaurants. It seems to fill up quickly, so it would be wise to reserve a table ahead of time.
3. La Tonnara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By SATraveller25 - North Brunswick, New Jersey
La Tonnara is a lovely and clean restaurant with friendly and attentive staff. They offer a decent range of wines, fish appetizers and entrees, and various meat appetizers.
Everything was fresh and well cooked. Leave some space for dessert and try the lemon cake! Excellent way to finish off a perfect dining experience!
4. Amici Miei
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 479 reviews
Reviewed By GenovaValli - Weymouth, United Kingdom
Great small restaurant with superb service from owner and staff. Fish lovers paradise.. we went with some Italian friends who frequent often so that says something! We left choice of local wine to the owner and it was superb. Four of us shared aperitivi and then a primo of swordfish and tonno.. followed by the chefs own version of cannoli with pistachios. The owners party piece seems to be cooking some dishes at your table with a lot of flourish ! Great evening.
5. Ristorante ai 2 Laghi
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 284 reviews
Reviewed By Martino56 - London, United Kingdom
Had originally visited this place in the 70's with my parents. Just on tip of Sicily, at the mouth of the Straits of Messina, 2 artificial lakes breed mussels and all around the lake a continuous line of restaurants. You order your spaghetti with mussels and the waiter crosses the street, into a boat, brings a bunch of mussels out of the lake and 20 minutes later they are on your table.
Marvellous food, good wine, and beautiful scenery. You dont feel at all being in Sicily, it could be Miami.The prices are very reasonable. A meal for 2 the cost of 5 pints in Central London.
6. Marina del Nettuno Yachting Club
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 248 reviews
Marina del Nettuno Yachting Club is a prime class restaurant located inside the Tourist Port Marina del Nettuno, in Messina. Here you can have a taste of the local cuisine especially fresh fish. The ideal position allows you to eat with a unique view of the Strait of Messina, in front of beautiful boats, right next to the sea. We use only local quality ingredients, in order to give you the best Sicilian experience ever.
Reviewed By Marco R - Hong Kong, China
I had been there for an aperitivo last October and I was particularly impressed about the stunning location and the friendly service. Last night I went back with my family and some old friends: everything was great! Amazing vodka sour, good vodka spritz, tasty little aperitivo treats... then we decided to stay also for dinner. The antipasto was a dream: different fish specialties that we shared in the centre of the table. Then we moved to first and main courses and everything was traditional yet creative. Well done to Ivo and the guys who work there providing an approachable and cozy service!
7. Bar De Luca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 285 reviews
Reviewed By PuertoRicanNomad - Milan, Italy
They have some of the best Sicilian granitas in town and always have hot brioches. The employees always take care of you quickly and with a smile. I lost count of how many times I went here this summer. I can't wait to go back next summer!
8. Taverna San Paolo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 169 reviews
Reviewed By David H - Vancouver, Canada
My wife and i visited here for dinner and were very happy with it all. The place is charming, nicely decorated and warm, cute upstairs area by bar (where we sat) and a few tables downstairs including some larger ones for larger groups. Wine list was good, lottos Sicilian and regional wines, at a good range of prices from 12-50euro, and unlike some restaurants, the 12euro selections were good wines.
Wr suggest the fried bread with cinghiale lard appetizer (5 euros) and definitely have the fungi lasagna, even if you split it between two of you. One of the nicest pasta dishes we have had, Other stand outs are the typical Messina beef rolls or the large plate selections of meat and cheeses.
The owner Danny (originally from New Jersey) and his wife were very pleasant and took time to speak with us about Messina and were great hosts. The waiter was efficient and pleasant.
We absolutely think this is applause to stop for dinner when passing through Messina, and definitely a must place to visit if staying in lovely Messina for a few days. And really, peopel should spend time in Messina rather than drive through it...it is a wonderful place.
9. Gelateria Pasticceria Ragusa Eventi srl
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 202 reviews
Reviewed By mcmuffy - Woodstock, Georgia
The head waiter on our ship recommended this place for the best cannoli in Messina. We were not disappointed! We also had granitas with the cannoli and they were delicious, too! The owner, whose English was limited, was able to successfully advise us to have the cafe or chocolate granita since lemon granita would not go well with the cannoli. He also brought out a lemony tasting brioche bread and showed us it was meant to dunk in the granita. It was a wonderful experience and we enjoyed sitting outdoors in the sweet perfumed air of Messina.
10. Antica Badia fuoriporta
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 226 reviews
Reviewed By BigLumumba87 - Athens, Greece
Excellent food, nice atmosphere and most importantly very friendly and helpful staff. We visited the restaurant after a random person in the street suggested it to us and it turned out to be a very good choice. The restaurant is very small, nicely decorated inside but the weather was good so we dinned outside on the only table there is on the pavement (smoking not allowed inside). Starters, pasta and desserts were simply amazing! The staff, apart from the waitress, don't speak English but this made the experience very entertaining :) They are all very friendly and helpful with any questions someone might have about the city.Nice selection of wines also.
The only negatives I can think of, but really aren't, is the huge wi-fi password and that the prices are slightly on the expensive side.
Strongly reccomended!
