Michelin-Starred Dining, Sicilian Style

I strongly believe that in order to truly understand the heart and soul of a region, you need to have an authentic dining experience. This is also a great opportunity to indulge in luxury on your vacation, so you should always look out for Michelin-starred restaurants where you will be able to enjoy tantalising dishes that use the freshest local ingredients and culinary techniques.

Sicily is one destination where food is woven into the fabric of the island. Here they use a distinctive blend of Arabic, French and North African methods and ingredients along with classic Mediterranean cooking. This creates a unique and mouth-watering dining scene; it is easy to see why Sicily holidays are so popular with food connoisseurs.

You do not always want to travel far from your hotel to sample the best culinary delights, so this is my personal recommendation for Sicilian style Michelin-starred dining with luxury accommodation.

San Domenico Palace Hotel, Taormina

This superb hotel is a stunning fifteenth-century monastery sitting on beautiful sloping grounds with gorgeous ocean views. The five-star hotel also offers supreme luxury and comfort, but it is the food, both onsite and nearby, that makes this the best place in Sicily for food lovers.

Onsite: Restaurant Principe Cerami

You do not have to leave the hotel for fine dining, as this excellent restaurant boasts two Michelin stars and is one of three restaurants onsite. The inventive and daring menu from local chef Massimo Montaro combines impressive haute cuisine with classic Sicilian flair, all using the freshest local ingredients. One previous guest highly recommended the magnificent homemade ravioli with ricotta cheese, which is garnished with pine nuts, wild fennel and anchovies tartare.

Be sure to ask for a seat on the picturesque terrace, where you can take in mesmerising views of the ocean whilst indulging in sumptuous and inventive cuisine.

Offsite: La Capinera

You will also want to get out and explore the great city of Taormina, so I recommend visiting the Michelin-starred La Capinera. In addition to enjoying incredible food on the peaceful terrace away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, you can also try your hand at Sicilian cooking with the lessons that are available here. Sicily holidays are not complete without getting in the kitchen yourself and seeing how it is done firsthand. This is a great way to pick up new skills and impress at your next dinner party.

Osteria RossoDiVino

Food and art is combined brilliantly at this daring concept restaurant, which is just a 5-minute stroll from the hotel. Chef Fabio Scordo works in an intimate open-plan space where you can watch him create his artistic dishes, all of which are made with fresh local ingredients and part of a constantly changing menu.

Many will be happy to hear that wine also plays a large role in the Osteria RossoDiVino dining experience. They have an enormous wine selection to choose from and the expert staff are on hand to recommend the perfect glass/bottle for your particular dish. Perfect.

In addition to the delicious cuisine and beautiful settings that you find at the wonderful eateries, you will also find that the chefs are eager to share their secrets and converse with customers; this is all part of the culinary scene here and what makes Sicily holidays so special. If this sounds like your kind of trip, get in touch today and we can get the ball rolling on your holiday.