Best Restaurants in Cefalù, Sicily: Where To Find the Best Food and Drink

Cefalù is one of my favourite destinations in the world: I’ve visited four times, having stayed twice in the old town and twice visiting on day trips when staying in Palermo.

Cefalù is a stunning medieval town with features that date back as far as the Roman times and a beautiful cathedral that sits on the square under the iconic Cefalù rock. The beaches are lovely and have some of the rare sandy beaches of Sicily, and the sea is that stunning turquoise colour we all want to dive into on our summer holidays. But aside from all of this, a big pull to this town as a holiday destination is the food – the restaurants in Cefalù are excellent!

Here are my tried and tested recommendations, my favourite restaurants in Cefalù for dinner, as well as great places to grab street food from and enjoy aperitivo in this lovely town in Northern Sicily.

Local Food In Sicily

Like most of Italy, it’s hard to eat badly in Sicily; the quality and simplicity of ingredients used in Sicilian cuisine sets you up for some seriously delicious meals.

There are certain elements and features of Sicilian cuisine that feel decidedly separate from the food you’ll see on most menus on the Italian mainland. One of them is the use of pistachios in Sicily – not just in gelato and cannoli, but widely used in pasta dishes, given that the pistachios sourced in Bronte in the East of Sicily are considered the best in the world.

Being an island, seafood naturally features heavily: tuna is a historically huge part of Sicilian food, with various old tuna fisheries dotted around the coast, and you’ll see the famous red prawns of Sicily (gambero Rosso) on the vast majority of menus.

Another huge part of Sicilian cuisine is their street food. Whilst Palermo is the best place to get stuck into Sicilian street food, but you’ll still find food places in Cefalù specialising in arancini (fried rice balls), panelle (a fried chickpea flour snack) and Sfincione, a Sicilian pizza with a thick, fluffy, focaccia style base.

Restaurants in Cefalù: Best Places To Eat

Tinchite Taverna & Putia

Tinchite has been a repeat offender on every trip of mine to Cefalù – in the very best of ways. This is mostly down to their incredible pasta a Taianu, a traditional dish that hails from Cefalù itself. Think slow cooked beef and aubergine in a tomato sauce, baked in a dish with rigatoni. My God it’s good. And the portion is HUGE. Which all makes sense when you learn ‘tinchite’ means ‘abundance’ in Italian!

The food is excellent, there is indoor and outdoor seating and the queue for those who haven’t booked on a summer evening speaks for itself.

Al Faro

Walk a little out of the old town in the opposite direction of the station, and up a gentle hill you will find some restaurants set on terraces that look down onto the rocks and sea below, perfectly situated for a sunset dinner.

Al Faro is one of them, where I enjoyed an excellent tuna tartare followed by perfectly cooked pistachio and prawn pasta. The accompaniment of the glow of golden hour made this meal one to remember.

Da Sasa

Just by Al Faro sits Da Sasa, with the same beautiful views its neighbour boasts. Da Sasa is predominantly a pizzeria, so if that’s what you’re after with a view to kill on the side: make a reservation here.

Ostaria del Duomo dal 1979

You can probably tell from the name, but Ostaria del Duomo sits in the square underneath the gaze the duomo. It has a covered terrace, serving as a good place for lunch in the shade, and enjoys the buzz of the piazza at night time when the duomo is lit up. I had a truly excellent pistachio pasta dish here!

Locanda del Marinaio

Excellent seafood restaurant recognized by the Michelin Guide and, moreover, by my local Air BnB host. Locanda del Marinaio has outside seating out the front of the restaurant which captures the buzzy atmosphere of the old town in the evening, or you can request a table on the terrace by the sea.

Cefalù Street Food

Antica Focacceria Sapori Siciliani

Small place serving traditional street food to take away, including the best arancini you’ll get in Cefalù. They also serve panelle and fantastic pizza by the slice. Do yourself a favour and get a selection to eat for lunch on the beach.

Pistìa e Passìa

Great little place serving boxes of different pasta to take away as well as traditional Sicilian street food like panelle, crocche and arancini as well as cannoli for something sweet.

Sfrigola Cefalu

Sfrigola specialises in arancini, so if you’re keen to try different flavours and fillings of this classic Sicilian street food, this is the spot for you.

Gelato in Cefalù: My Favourite Spots (I’ve tried A Lot)

I’ve never had a bad gelato in Sicily. The below are all tried and approved by yours truly.

Squagghio

I’ve tried a lot of it, and Squagghio is officially my favourite gelato in Cefalù. This does have a lot to do with the fact that last time I went by, the gentleman working there added a topping of pistachio cream to my gelato when I banged on about how much I love it. Ethereal.

L’Angolo delle Dolcezze

An excellent Gelateria not too far from the station, the pistachio gelato has chopped and whole pistachios in it – sublime. My best mate often reminisces about the peanut butter gelato she had from here.

Santa Lucia

Just up the street from Squagghio, so you have an easy detour and a solid alternative if the former is shut.

Mon Chou Chou

Inconspicuous spot also near the station – good option for a last minute gelato before heading back to Palermo! Also serves pastries and cakes.

Sapore di Sale Gelateria

My most recently tested gelato in Cefalù. A very good option close by to the duomo and piazza.

Granita in Cefalù

Amorelli Graniteria Siciliana

The number one spot to try Sicilian granita in Cefalù. Look out for the turquoise shop front and the queue of people keen to try Cefalù’s best granita.

Cefalù Bars: Perfect Pit Stops for Aperitivo

Enoteca Le Petit Tonneau

This iconic wine bar is best when you can secure one of the 3 small tables out on the balcony that looks directly onto the beach below and out to sea. Grabbing a booking here at sunset requires some planning and a booking in advance without question, but it’s well worth it. Beware it may be extremely hot at sunset in August though!

Gramòs

This wine bar is a bit newer and I only discovered it was there on my most recent trip to Cefalù (September 2026). A wine bar set on different levels, with a table on the balcony of the first floor which has amazing views of the beach and ocean (but gets pretty hot in the heat of the sun), and plenty of tables on the shaded decking at beach level, a stone’s throw from the waters edge.

I had some bruschetta here which was fine, but nothing compared to Rossorubino (read on below), though the paninis looked really good and were very well priced. Cocktails as well as plenty of wine options were on the menu, and whilst service was a little slow, the views were worth it.

Enoteca Rossorubino

Rossorubino is a lovely little wine bar that very conveniently gets the late afternoon sun. Perfect for a glass of Sicilian wine, but they also do a good spritz. Their small plates are really great too; the buratta bruschetta is the perfect accompaniment for an early evening sundowner.

Chiosco Marina Bay

Tiny bar on the beach serving beers, spritz and snacks to take away, or you can perch at one of the few stools outside if you get lucky. The bar is up the few steps you see at the beach by the molo; perfectly situated to keep your thirst quenched as you sunbathe all day.

Cathedral Coffee

Cathedral Coffee is quite touristy, but for good reason; situated in the square looking up at the duomo, this is a fantastic spot for a coffee and pastry to start the day (their pistachio cream filled croissants are fantastic).

It’s a decent spot for aperitivo too, when you can enjoy the golden glow of the duomo as the sun beats down onto it in the last hours of the afternoon.

Duomo Bistrot Lounge bar

Another great spot for a drink in the shade of the cathedral, Duomo Bistrot Lounge bar does a very good Aperol and always serve you a little aperitivo of olives, crisps and nuts with your drink.

Neo Mediterraneo Vibes

Fancy cocktail bar hidden away in the beautiful cobbled old town streets of Cefalù, also serving small plates.

Capriccio Siciliano Wine Bar & Taverna

Good wine bar with a friendly owner and with plenty of outdoor seating, serving charcuterie and cheese boards. If you’re after something more substantial, there are some Italian classics on the menu including a lasagna made from the owner’s grandmother’s family recipe.

Antica Porta Terra

Antica Porta Terra sits in the sunshine in the first square you get to as you enter Cefalù old town from the station. Great spot for aperitivo and watching the world go by, perched on seats that face the afternoon sun at tables painted in the traditional way Sicilian ceramics are.

Amorelli Food & Drink

Not to be confused with the granita spot of the same name, Amorelli is somewhere you can sit on plump cushions on the steps that lead down to the bar itself, taking advantage of the afternoon sunshine as you make your way through a couple of cocktails. Last time I passed this spot it was evening and there was live music playing – beautiful.

Tentazioni Mediterranee

The perfect spot for resonably priced aperitivo, Tentazioni Mediterranee serves small plates of olives, cold meats and cheese cuts alongside fantastic wine and, of course, spritz. Extra points for offering a charcuterie sized and priced for one person – great for the solo travellers!

Zagaro Juice Bar

Cute, popular juice bar in the old town serving smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, coffee and cocktails.

Practical Tips For Eating Out In Cefalù

Cash vs Card

Everywhere in Cefalù takes card; the only place I’ve been better off with cash is when enjoying street food in Palermo’s markets.

Tipping Culture

Italy doesn’t tend to engage with tipping culture: almost nowhere will include a service charge and rarely do they expect tips. Perhaps as places get more popular with American tourists, this will change.

Reservations

I would definitely recommend getting reservations for places in peak times; Cefalù is a popular destination and you may well get turned away from somewhere if you don’t have one. This isn’t true of every restaurant and you’re not going to starve, but if there is somewhere you want to eat in particular, best to err on the side of caution.

Cefalù Food Tour

Why not get to know Sicilian cuisine properly with a food tour around Cefalù? With this tour you’ll be guided around the town by a local with passion for Sicily’s food: stopping off at a market for tastings, a local cafe for aperitivo, a winery and a full traditional lunch – all mixed in with the best sights and viewpoints of Cefalù.

Cooking Classes In Cefalù

Go one step further in your quest for knowledge of local food with this Sicilian cooking class set in a former 15th century monastery – an idyllic way to spend a day.

Learn how to cook arancini, panelle and cannoli along with other Sicilian dishes to make up 4 courses of delicious food you’ll then enjoy with the group. And yes, there is aperitivo and Sicilian wine to enjoy during your meal, too!

My Favourite Place To Eat In Cefalù

Tinchite has long been my favourite restaurant in Cefalù – and I think the crowds agree, after all there is always a queue! It’s fantastic value for money and the local speciality, pasta a taianu, is worth going for alone. 

In my opinion the best gelato is either Squagghio or L’Angolo delle Dolcezze, judged purely on the standard of the pistachio and the former’s willingness to add some pistachio crème as a topping for me that one time.

For drinks I love Rossorubino – their bruschetta is a level up from any other I’ve had in Sicily, and on my most recent trip I loved having a few glasses of Grillo at Gramòs, which is a newer wine bar set overlooking the beach and sea, near to the medieval gate.

Final Thoughts: Cefalù As a Destination For Sicilian Food

You will never be short of options for a great meal or spot to drink in Cefalù, and if you decide to spend a week there on holiday, you’d easily be able to eat somewhere fantastic for every mealtime over the time you spend there.

Ensure to book if there’s somewhere in particular you definitely don’t want to miss, but don’t be afraid to wander and find new gems that have popped up – the restaurants in Cefalù seem to be growing in number and calibre every time I visit.

For all of my recommendations on how to spend your time in Cefalù, including where to stay and how to spend your days, be sure to check out my full Cefalù travel guide here. If you’re planning a wider Sicily trip, you can find all of my Sicily blogs here.

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