Babbalù — Restaurant in Palermo

Palermitan Cuisine at its Soulful Best Strolling down Via Maqueda, hungry, on a mild May afternoon, we instantly felt a calling when passing by the fresh, contemporary-style bistro, Babbalù. It was somehow different and exciting, so we entered, which turned out to be the most special culinary experience during our stay in Palermo. The bistro was packed with local delicacies: from caponata (a heavenly eggplant ratatouille) and different pastas (anelletti, busiate, crespelle), to arancine (the famous stuffed and fried rice balls), eggplant involtini (rolls), and much more... We were warmly welcomed by a super-kind lady – the owner and creator of the stunning array of food on display – who enthusiastically explained everything about each dish. So we ended up ordering everything. Just kidding: to our delight, she put together an amazing selection of the maximum number of specialties we could enjoy for a 'light' Palermitan dinner. And that’s exactly what it turned out to be: the 'New Sicilian Cooking', their ars poetica, written above the entrance, means depth of flavor, layers of intense yet harmonious aromas, going hand in hand with freshness and lightness. Thanks to this unique approach, our first encounter with caponata siciliana (slow-cooked and rested step by step for two days) was love at first bite, so we couldn’t resist ordering it again. Even in the chocolatey desserts we had, layers of refined, bitter flavors added an extra dimension to the compositions. Another, more human aspect that made our time here truly special was the heartfelt conversation we had with the lady, who shared fascinating details about Sicilian and Palermitan cuisine, the arancine (Western Sicily) vs. arancini (Eastern Sicily) tradition, and the Arabic influences embedded in local gastronomy. Wishing all travelers the same unique and soulful culinary encounters in Palermo, and all...

Honestly our best meal on our trip! This feels like such a hidden gem even though it’s on one of the main historic tourist streets. The lasagna noodles were so soft if felt like they were melting while eating it. The menu is small and phenomenal. Our group’s highlight was the lasagna classica, the eggplant parm appetizer. They also had freshly squeezed orange juice and delicious vegetarian lasagna. The woman who served us was so warm and welcoming. There is cute outdoor seating...

This is a great place to try a variety of well made Sicilian dishes, in a casual and relaxed manner. Great lunch menu.

We enjoyed the arancino ragu, the caponata, the aubergine rolls, the aubergine tower and the anchovy bread. All washed down with a Sicilian beer.

Delicious!

Sit out on the street and watch the...