La Cucina Dei Colori — Restaurant in Catania

Located in the heart of Catania, La Cucina Dei Colori offers a vibrant mix of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes, with a focus on local ingredients and creative pairings. With indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant’s indoor space features long communal tables that encourage a casual and social dining experience. They also serve a range of drinks and cocktails, including a refreshing Earl Grey Kombucha, which I thoroughly enjoyed during my visit.

I sampled the Millet Croquettes, Sweet and Sour Pumpkin, and Vegan Pulled. Unfortunately, despite ordering a starter and a main, everything arrived together on the same plate, which felt a bit rushed.

The Millet Croquettes were nicely prepared but not exceptional, and at €8 for just three small pieces, the portion felt overpriced. The Vegan Pulled was underwhelming—lacking in bold flavors or seasoning that could have made it stand out. On the bright side, the Sweet and Sour Pumpkin was deliciously tangy and full of flavor, a definite highlight of the meal. However, I found the inclusion of sharp rosemary stalks in the dish problematic; these should have been removed or at least flagged on the menu as they could be a choking hazard—like the vegan equivalent of fish bones!

Portion sizes were modest for all the dishes, which left me wanting more. While the food was enjoyable overall, the prices felt steep for what was offered, especially given the small servings. The picture above was starter, main and side dish. This portion size I would consider a main course alone. And €24 euros for this is a steep price.

La Cucina Dei Colori does have a lot going for it: a welcoming atmosphere, diverse menu options (from starters and mains to desserts), and a commitment to using local products in their drinks and dishes. However, I would recommend they focus on improving portion sizes, presentation, and ensuring that potentially hazardous elements like rosemary stalks are addressed. For now, it’s a spot worth visiting for its creative vibe and standout items like the Sweet and Sour Pumpkin, but with room for improvement...

The food here was absolutely delicious! It was healthy, colourful and something just what I needed, although there could have been a bit more of it on the plate.

Staff were attentive and informative of how the system worked, the shared table was fine, if not a little loud at times, but I don’t think they are selling them self as a sleepy place, rather a place for friends to come and eat and connect.

The desserts weren’t super imaginative but were delicious still and tasted very fresh.

I wasn’t a fan of street vendors being allowed inside and not being asked to leave, that created a bit of an unpleasant atmosphere as it puts you on the spot when you’ve come to a place to relax and eat and not be bothered.

I did like the fact that they had sold out of several items, which tells me they don’t over order their produce and create ( too much ) waste.

I would come back to try the other dishes they do as overall it was a good experience and not too...

Lovely little place with simple decor and cozy environment (although some of seating is odd, like facing a wall). The first time I was here I just had some sides and was SO impressed with their flavours I had to come back!

First time: Cabbage with lemon, sweet and sour pumpkin wedges and fennel stewed in wine and raisins. Simply and incredibly savoury and sweet. Huge portion sizes for sides as well! I came back yesterday and the main was slightly more disappointing: the pulled protein with veg was only lukewarm and the flavour was OK but not compared to the sides! I had the raw chocolate cake as a dessert. It definitely tasted “vegan” but it was rich nonetheless and tasty with pistachio crumbles and a fine chocolate sauce. All good portion sizes.

You can pay by card. One minor complaint: only forks are given for silverware, and no knives. You have to ask. So silly!! There is also the standard ridiculous...