Enoteca Le Petit Tonneau — Attraction in Cefalù

We made a reservation here and left a deposit of EUR 15 pp to secure the reservation. Once we arrived (8 minutes before our reservation) we were greeted by three servers/owners standing outside the restaurant who pointed out that the reservation was actually for 19:00 and it was not yet that time. We were not offered a seat at the bar, not informed that our table was not ready, etc.

We left, sat on a bench across the street and went back at 19:00. We were seated on the terrace (which is the only redeeming quality that this place has) which has a view of the beach. The terrace was quite warm and it was only May so I shudder to think what that place would be like in July/August.

On the beach below there were people playing music, so any hope of a relaxing evening with the sound of the water as background noise were immediately shot down - while this is not their fault, it's worth noting.

The wine list - for a wine bar - left a lot to be desired. The menu reads like "rose wine from sicily" or "red wine from sicily" "sparkling wine" etc. without any information on the winery, the grape, etc.

The food menu is deeply boring and overpriced - to add insult to injury, there is a 15 EUR pp minimum order if you sit on the terrace between certain hours. Six small slices of bruschetta are EUR 10, there are also a few platters for EUR 20-30 which we didn't have so I won't comment on them. The bruschetta was fine, but at that point we were just thinking 'let's spend as much of our deposit as possible, in as little time as possible, and make a reservation for dinner elsewhere'.

We got two Aperol spritzes (which were fine, albeit on the smaller side), for EUR 7 each, and a small bottle of water (plastic bottle) that was EUR 2. There was also a cover charge of EUR 1 pp if you get food.

Even when exiting through the small terrace door, the staff don't make way for you and you are forced to squeeze yourself through, while they show new patrons to the table you were just sitting on.

When we went to pay our bill came to EUR 26, and before she could explain in a faux-apologetic tone about how they can't give us the EUR 4 because we paid a deposit, we were out of there and on our way to our recently acquired dinner reservation.

The place is an absolute tourist trap to the most accurate definition of the phrase. If you really want to be charged too much money for an 'alright' drink and 'decent' bruschetta, then sure, the...

la dolce vita! these words are redefined when you are actually in italy, particularly in sicily. life really became sweet while i was exploring the narrow streets of Cefalù. starting with breakfast at piazza del duomo, a lazy afternoon at spiaggia kalura, and evening strolling around the beach side, i found new meaning to what italians call la vita. what really made the whole day feel magical was a dinner at le petit tonneau. if you think that what qualifies for ‘dolce vita’ is necessarily a ride on an expensive yacht, dinner at a michelin restaurant, or lavish shopping, you may not be wrong. but i think that italian ‘dolce vita’ proposes simplicity. simplicity in flavors, experiences and leisure. owners of this enoteca offer exactly that. they offer a simple menu, great variety of wine and a cozy table at their terrace. and let me tell you, that was quite enough to enjoy this sweet life to the fullest. the fish and bruschetta plate was so simple and beautiful. all the ingredients were authentic and delicious. their bruschettas, especially pistachio pesto one was to die for. smoked fish, arugula, lemon - that might not be a lot, but it is all you need for an immaculate dinner. pair it with white wine, suggested by the owners (i’m a big rookie in wines), and dive into la dolce vita, white the sun sets on the horizon. to get a seating at the terrace you need to book in advance for a one hour slot, which is a perfect amount, if you know how to really enjoy this italian life. during that hour i saw the sun set under the horizon and the sky change its colors so many times. simplicity of it all really allowed me to soak up the sweetness of life to the very last bit, until it was time to leave. i really want to just say ‘grazzie mille’ again to the beautiful owners of le petit tonneau. you guys are amazing and I do hope to be able to visit your beautiful place again...

Big disappointment. There are three tables on the balcony, where only two of them have a clear view of the sunset (at least in July). In our case, we were appointed the third table, where only one of the seats could see the sunset (note that we had made a reservation 3 days upfront). Five minutes later the other table cleared and we asked if we could move there, but this was not possible.

When the food arrived (cold cuts consisting of cheese and meats), there was no explanation on what was what. Also there were no plates and nothing to put the olive pits in et cetera.

The cheese was very dry and had a rubbery (and somehow crumbly) consistency/texture. I initially thought I ate something I wasn’t supposed to, like some wax peel, but it was just the cheese. The meats, however, were good.

All in all, it is clear this place thrives on tourists that come to see the sunset and drink some wine but limited additional effort is taken. You might as well get a nice bottle of wine and enjoy it on the beach. The overall price-quality balance was not quite right.

To be sure; we’re Dutch and very familiar...