Al Fresco giardino, pizza e bistrot — Restaurant in Palermo

Very beautiful space with real fruit trees apart of the venue. The food was better than the service but still lacked in flavor beyond salt salt and more salt. As for the service itself, it was not great at all. On the walk-in we were greeted by one host who stopped himself mid “Bon” when he looked up and took a look at us IFYKYK and went to grab a waiter who HE thought would better suit us. So the second waiter comes and greets us happily when he realizes we look the same only for him to not speak our language and have to grab the original guy who then comes back, looks at us again and goes to grab a third waiter who again looks like us but this time speaks English and seated us. His service was good but he seemed to be the king of languages as he was tapped often to assist many other tables. The rest of the waiters refused to even stop at our table even when we needed simple things like napkins, water (which we had to ask for tho it was given to other tables once they sat) and a fork. Also the venue is in the midst of a hotel and windows are open for all to see who is inside whether they are clothed or not. Experience it for yourself if need be but there’s many other options. No pics from me this time but the pics others have posted...

I got food poisoning here, which ruined my trip to Sicily. I came in for dinner without a reservation, and they offered me a table for an hour. Great. I ordered a pizza.

I did think it was strange how “wet” the dough was and how the cheese and ingredients just slid right off of it. But who was I to judge? I’m just an American tourist in Italy. I spent the next three days sick and bedridden.

My guess is that they were in such a hurry to get me out in time for the next reservation that they undercooked the pizza to be able to serve it to me quickly.

Responses to business’ reply to my review:

The business claims they don’t have timed tables. However, when I came in without a reservation on Valentine’s Day, that’s exactly what they offered me: they told me I had to finish my meal before the following reservation time for the table at which I was seated.

The business said “it would have been appropriate” for me to speak with the business personally in the days following the food poisoning. Why would I do such a thing? What would be the purpose?

The quality of their dishes clearly isn’t “indisputable”. I’m disputing it right now. Some humility and compassion might serve this business well...

Very nice food, but at the end of the day something was missing.

Since I can't put my finger on it, I'll just chuck it up to a lack of the chef's magic touch on the salad and the pasta. That said, the fries were great, nearing the kind of perfection one seems to come across only occasionally when one least expects it. The kinds of fries that look unassuming, but then melt in your mouth without losing their supple cruchiness, gently - nay, invisibly - becoming one with the finer aspects of one's gastrointestinal quintessence.

While the service is lovely as well, for me the highlight has to be the setting itself - having tables separated by natural barriers (low rows of bushes/hedges) creates a genuinely enjoyable labyrinthian effect without leaving one feeling isolated. This makes Al Fresco a perfect place to go for drinks as the sun sets, although I personally would have preferred if kids weren't so brazen with their precious youth and energy as to turn the place into a blasted playground, thank...