Trattoria di De Fiore — Restaurant in Catania

A local friend recommended this place, he said "they are a bit slow, but worthy!" Well! We arrived and the waiter said "you will have to wait a little", even if there weren't many tables...We sat down in a weird looking dining room with lots of different stuff on the wall: old theatre posters and antiques which made the room looking very odd. After a while the waiter came back to take our orders, one antipasto to share and two primi. Then we waited. We waited for nearly an hour for a cold starter which from the way it was presented it looked like it was prepared in 5 minutes, 40 minutes before being brought to the table. For the first courses we had to wait at least another 20 to 30 minutes, and they were inedible: the ‘caserecci alla norma’ were overcooked and bland, my husband bravely tried to at least eat half his portion. I couldn't. We left the table and went to pay and realised that we were the only table left ... shocked by the 41 euros and the zero apologies for the wait, we left the restaurant VERY disappointed and much more hungry than before.

Translated with DeepL.com...

This was our second visit to Trattoria di De Fiore over the course of three years. The first time we visited the restaurant, we were suspicious whether it would be any good, despite the fact that we had found the recommendation on Lonely Planet.

We were not disappointed at all. In fact, the food was so good - the Norma, the fish platter, the amazing desert (friend ricotta with LOADS of sugar). Everything was melting in your mouth. We ended up eating way more than we could have done. It was a painful walk back to the Airbnb.

When we had to make our plans for our second holiday in Sicily, we made sure we’ll get a night in Catania just so that we can visit the restaurant again. I don’t think I’ve ever been as satisfied about returning to a place as I was this time around. Nothing has changed, apart from gimmick with the name. The food is just as hearty and authentic as it was back in 2016. Sra Fiore is just as energetic and nice as she was back then. This time around, though, we didn’t overdo it with the food. We’ve...

Hidden Champ Restaurant - Don't let the quiet atmosphere fool you! This charming Sicilian family-run restaurant is a true gem. While they may not always have everything on the menu available, what they do serve is exceptional. Their vegan pasta options are fantastic - the pasta pomodoro and norma are absolutely incredible. The prices are remarkably reasonable for such high-quality pasta, especially considering it's located right around the corner from much pricier hipster establishments. The family who runs it is genuinely lovely, and despite the relaxed, uncrowded setting, the food quality is outstanding. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for authentic, delicious pasta without the fancy...