Florio Restaurant — Restaurant in Palermo

Disappointing Experience - Lack of Transparency and Poor Value

We dined at Florio Restaurant at Villa Igiea with high expectations, but the experience was ultimately frustrating and disappointing - largely due to a serious lack of transparency and poor communication from our waiter, Roy.

We ordered the seabass listed on the menu at €37, but were told it was unavailable and offered snapper instead. At no point were we informed that this substitution would cost €120. It was only when we received the bill - and questioned the price ourselves - that Roy explained it was because the snapper was “400g per person.”

This was more than three times the original price, and we were not given the basic courtesy of being told beforehand. It’s not the cost itself that was the issue, but the lack of transparency and the sense that the decision was made for us without proper consent.

To make matters worse, the snapper was full of bones - we pulled out at least ten ourselves - making it difficult and unpleasant to eat. At this price point, and in a hotel of this calibre, I would expect significantly higher standards of preparation and care.

To put it in perspective, we had dinner the night before at Seven Restaurant - and the difference was night and day. Better food, clearer service, more respectful pricing, and none of the confusion or disappointment we experienced at Florio.

And to top it off, a 15% discretionary service fee per person was added to the bill - which, under the circumstances, felt entirely unjustified.

It felt like a deliberate upsell, handled without clarity or respect for the guest. If this is how Florio does business - quietly switching dishes and inflating the price with no warning - then I would strongly recommend others dine elsewhere in Palermo. There are far better meals, with far more integrity, to be...

We had an amazing dinner at Florio, inside the beautiful Hotel Villa Igiea. The place is stunning, with a perfect mix of elegance and charm. Francesco, our waiter, was terrific and really made us feel welcome. The service was top-notch!

We started the evening with some exquisite champagne, and the food was just delightful. I have to mention how accommodating they were with gluten-free and dairy-free options — they even had fresh gluten-free pasta for me, which was a huge plus!

To top off the evening, the restaurant surprised us with a gift: free strawberries for dessert. It was the perfect way to end the night. Highly recommend Florio if you’re looking for a special...

She said YES at Ristorante Florio!!! Marco, Vincenzo, and Giuseppe helped to make the night truly special and memorable. They had amazing suggestions and we were able to trust them with their offers and choices of wine for us. Everything was phenomenal from the food, wine, and service to the atmosphere with the music (great pianist) and the surrounding garden and marina. Such an amazing night we will never forget. Thank you Ristorante Florio for this exceptional experience. Can’t wait to...