Ristorante Il Bell'Antonio — Restaurant in Catania

This review is based more on service not food. My husband and I sat at a table, we had just walked by and wanted to try a pasta dish. It was our last night here and wanted to share a few dishes at a couple restaurants just to be able to try a couple more things. My husband had his heart set on pizza which they did not have so we wanted to share a pasta dish so that we wouldn’t be so over full when we found a pizza to split next. We had done the same thing on other nights over the past week and no restaurant cared. At every place we ate we paid for drinks, our table fee to sit at a table, our food, and left a tip. However, this restaurant was not nice to us when we said we’d like one dish only and had explained how my husband really wanted pizza next. The waiter said we had to order 2 meals and was pretty rude about it so we said it was ok we would just leave, in a nice way. Even though he was rude about it He said he would ask his manager and he came back and said the manager said it was fine so I ordered a pasta dish. When he brought it out he slammed it in front of me and walked away. He never came back to ask if I needed anything. Every other table had bread, he did not bring mine. I did not complain about it or ask for any. My husband did not feel comfortable sharing it with me after being treated rudely so he didn’t eat any. Even the couple sitting next to us were surprised at the way we were treated. When I asked a waitress for a to go box for the rest she said no. Also, it was a weeknight and they had many empty tables, so I could understand if we took that table and there were others waiting then I would understand them being annoyed. We then paid our bill including drink, pasta, and the per person fee for sitting there. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just appreciate our business when so many tables were open, isn’t it better to have 20 euros for a small plate of pasta then let the table sit empty! And we only were there for less than 30 minutes so it was a quick turnover of the table. What a shame they were so rude about it, it really put a damper on...

By far the worst experience I have had in Italy, Europe and possibly my life. I was walking around Catania with my family as turists and needed a place to stop and take a drink, we found this place and decided it could be good to go in, mistake. We ordered a bottle of wine and were not really feeling like eating, very shortly the weiter, and consequently the head of house asked us to order food, and since we were not feeling like eating we let them know thats all we were having, then the owner started harrassing us and showing his xenophobio by the way he made his staff treat us. They were rude, we were constantly looked down on and very rudely our table was picked. No sign said we had to order food. Italy has been great to us, but unfortunately experiences like this kind of ruins a family trip. I would advise all tourists to stay away from this place as the service is absourdly rude, bad, xenophobic and classist. The absolute worst place to enter in Catania, a city otherwise filled with beautiful people and great places to eat. As I didn't tried the food, personally I can't speak of it, but having in mind the way we were treated, it can't be good. Save your Euros for better experiences and better place, which basically means anywhere...

Sometimes, what makes a restaurant truly special isn’t just how good the food is. Sometimes, it’s the people—the kindness around you—that brings more joy than the best meal ever could. And this place is exactly that: a restaurant full of genuinely kind-hearted and incredibly helpful people.

With only an hour and a half left before our flight, we suddenly realized we had lost our passports on the street. In the middle of our panic, running in every direction, these amazing people went above and beyond to help us. They made sure our luggage was safe while we searched, and when we finally found our passports, they were just as happy as we were—maybe even more so. They helped us call a taxi and even offered us a glass of prosecco to calm our nerves.

Every single member of the team was so warm, so caring, that I felt like I had known them for years. If you believe in supporting good-hearted people, this is the place to go. And I have no doubt that the food they prepare is every bit as wonderful as they are.

Note to the staff: We made it to our flight! And we’ll always remember you with gratitude...