Ristorante Sotto Sale — Restaurant in Favignana

I am no inspector from the well known French restaurants guide and never will be, but after eating my way through some of the world's finest dining rooms, I can say with conviction that Ristorante Sotto Sale deserves recognition. This intimate sanctuary tucked away on Via Garibaldi achieves that rare harmony between place, product, and passion that defines truly great dining. Barbara and Carola orchestrated our evening with grace that can only be described as choreographed perfection. These remarkable women moved through the dining area like dancers, anticipating needs before voiced, explaining dishes with scholarly passion yet the warmth of old friends. Their blend of competence and genuine hospitality created that magical alchemy where service becomes what is meant to be. The food was in my view exquisite. Chef subtle fusion of Sicilian tradition with Japanese influences speaks in confident whispers rather than shouting for attention. The wine by the glass was decent, though the full list clearly caters to the most discerning palates. Regretfully, my children don’t drink 😢, leaving more excellent local Etna Bianco for their grateful dad. In a world of forgettable starred establishments, Sotto Sale belongs with the transcendent ones, not because it chases recognition, but because it achieves something rarer: a dining experience that becomes memory...

We were blown away by the service we received from the moment we walked into Sotto Sale.

Maria was fantastic, an absolute asset to the restaurant and, to be honest, a main reason we’d come back again. She felt like a long lost friend from the moment we sat down, suggesting the best dishes in English for us and recommending exquisite wines that were very reasonably priced (not the top end that she could’ve blindly sold us on).

The Crudo Di Mare starter (assorted sashimi) was deliciously fresh, a Japanese touch that hit the mark. But the mains were absolutely scrumptious. The Fusilloni Gamberi Rossi Crudi (prawn pasta) was exquisite, one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had in my life. I could eat it every day. My husband had the Spaghetti Burro Affumicato (anchovy pasta) which was just as good and again, showcased the island’s seafood.

I honestly can’t thank Maria and her team enough though. She entertained us through dinner but was never intrusive and gave us excellent recommendations. Nothing was too much and we walked away with a three course meal each, a bottle of wine, glass of dessert wine and fantastic service for €60 each!

Maria continued to greet us whenever she saw us on the island and going out of her way to say hello.

Thank you so much to Maria and the team at Sotto Sale, you were the highlight of our trip...

Incredible. My family and I (mum, dad and 20 year old daughters) went for dinner after seeing good reviews, and let me tell you the reviews are right. Absolutely lovely staff, with the main guy just being so passionate and knowledgeable about the food/wine they serve. He was able to lean us towards certain dishes, which were deffo the correct choices! We got 1 starter, 4 mains, 4 deserts and 1 bottle of wine and it came out as €220 (£55 each) which for the quality I would say is worth it!! Stand out dishes - Tuna Cheek for starter was sooo beautiful, so tender and flavorful. The red snapper ravioli, so yummy! And the amber jack was just wow. For desert we tried all 4 one each! Each had lovely elements and were overall great, but would highlight the aubergine tarte tatin and the think pink!! Also the wine we had was lovely, they had an extensive wine list that would not disappoint! Would 1000% love to go back...