Grano Granis — Restaurant in Palermo

Me and my partner absolutely adore Italian cuisine and when in Italy we always aim to avoid tourist traps. We felt very privileged to dine at Grano Granis as they do offer a pristine Sicilian dining experience. We enjoyed every second, from being welcomed and seated to the very last moment when we settled the bill and kind staff waved us goodbye. The menu being only in Italian is a first good sign when it comes to wanting to avoid tourist places. It also makes for a fun adventure as you can learn a lot about different dishes you do not yet know. Nowadays you can google everything and if not, the friendly staff is there to answer any doubts or questions you might have (they also do not rush you to order which is so refreshing). One of us speaks average Italian and we try our best to communicate in Italian, though you can immediately tell we are tourists. With that in mind, I have to say that we were treated with utmost respect, patience and kindness and when our Italian failed the attentive staff politely helped us out in English.

We ended up sharing a Caponata and each one ordering Pasta alla Norma (we love this dish and make it often at home, so we had to try the real, authentic one) and all I can say is that our taste buds were in heaven and our stomachs extremely happy and satisfied as we left not too full nor hungry. We also must compliment the detailed service as you do not experience often that when one finishes the plate and other one is still eating, the service does not rush to the table to pick up the finished plate, but politely waits until both parties are done eating. We found it worth mentioning as we have had many unpleasant and rushed experiences with service in Italy (and elsewhere) so this was a very pleasant surprise even though it might just seem like an unnecessary detail.

All in all, the food was exquisite, the service was absolutely outstanding and impeccable - both girls that served us deserve compliments as they made us feel very welcome and thanks to them we really enjoyed our time at the restaurant. We left with huge smiles on our faces and will always remember this experience thanks to truly welcoming, kind and polite staff with such a positive energy. Thank you for making our evening in Palermo a one to remember! And of course, compliments to the chef(s), we will not forget the caponata (was hands down the best we had in Sicily so far) and after tasting your Pasta alla Norma, we will never dare to make one ourselves anymore as it can never compare ;) Grazie mille per tutto, we hope to...

As frequent ’Murican travelers, we believe dining out in a new city should be an experience, not an expectation. We want to eat as the locals do, not what I can open from a jar in my kitchen. So, when we found ‘GG’s’ after making it through the tourist-restaurant-gauntlet, only to be politely told we could not be seated immediately, we were intrigued. We could have waited, but were able to make a reservation for the next night, no problem! Be aware that a walk-in may not always be possible, so book ahead if possible.

We arrived on time for our reservation and were seated pronto. Since we are not fluent in Italian (and have teens), we needed more than the usual time for our selections but the staff checked in on us without being pushy. They were able to clarify a cooking method despite our language difficulties. We had to request bread which was unusual but not a hardship and always a good lesson in self-advocacy. I was impressed that we were immediately asked if we needed gluten free which is not a concern for us, but it shows that they take the gf offering seriously. Kudos.

The Nero wine was good table wine, and not too warm for us 😋. My son ordered the ravioli bolognese (note the ravioli are not filled with cheese but we agreed that they were still very tasty despite the revelation). My daughter ordered the scampi linguini which ‘comes with eyeballs’ but was deemed delicious after I removed the interesting parts for her. Again - ask the questions before you order, or find opportunities for learning moments when traveling with kids. My husband and I shared the insalata bresaola and the veal filets with potatoes. Both dishes were flavorful, uncomplicated, and a refreshing change from pasta and pizza as this was our 8th day in Italy (although my hubby talked me out of getting the gnocchi piccanti 🙄). It was just enough for a light meal for 2 since we sampled bites of the kids’ dishes, so maybe I will go ahead and order the gnocchi also next time, lol. The finale was the absolute best tiramisu we have ever had, and made by the owner herself. It was delicious and somehow as light as a mousse - sweet with a dusting of bitter cocoa and none of the heavy gut from previous experiences. My husband was very impressed and he does not even like coffee! My compliments and...

I am proud to announce the commissioning of the new, 'Don't Talk to Me as I Eat' award. 🤫🤤😵👼

There are very few places in my life that I have eaten at and I just did not want to speak a word until I was finished. If you are eating with me while I am in such a trance 🍄, please pretend like I am not there 👻. To me it's just myself and the edible work of art placed in front of me all within a small temporary bubble I call heaven.

Grano Granis is the the first restaurant in my heart and soul to earn the coveted award 🏅. The muse to all my Italian culinary aspirations going forward, especially in the gluten free department. I was so awe struck the first time, I went back a week later to make sure this place was real, it is in fact real but closer to otherworldly.

This is a family ran restaurant, son and daughter working the front, mom and pop working the back 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦. This family has been blessed with the culinary magic you can only read about in fairy tales.

Everything tasted so homemade, you literally taste the care and love with each bite. I made a joke of the name while at the restaurant but the 'fish meatballs' 🐟 are unbelievable. I literally took a bite and was stunned. The tomato sauce this family creates could seriously win awards as far as I'm concerned. Gluten Free was zero issue and I literally could not tell the difference between gf and not, which is a feat in itself. The 'lime sorbet' below is either whipped, has special cream, or was blessed by the gods themselves, I seriously couldn't tell but it was amazing. I used the lime skin as a spoon for the added flavor and just couldn't believe the experience I just went through; both times I went.

I can seriously go on and on, but I will be going back a third time before departing Sicily and be thinking of this place on the flight back to mainland Italy 🥲. It has been the best food I've had in all 4 towns I have visited in Italy.

Thank you Grano Granis. You hold a special place in my heart and I will forever sing your praises. I apologize for continuing to butcher the names of your wonderful dishes, but it made for a good laugh...