Osteria Mercede — Restaurant in Palermo

Nestled discreetly a few hundred meters behind the illustrious Teatro Massimo, Osteria Mercedes beckons to those in search of a seafood oasis in the heart of Sicily. Here, the menu is a testament to the bounty of the sea, with fresh catches taking center stage in every dish.

The pasta al Nero di sepia is the undisputed star of the show, and it's not hard to see why. The al dente spaghetti, cooked to perfection, is blanketed in a rich, briny sauce infused with the essence of the squid ink. Every bite is a sensory experience, with the flavors of the sea bursting forth in a symphony of taste.

But the delights don't end there. Osteria Mercedes delivers on every front, from the attentive and knowledgeable service to the understated, yet elegant decor. The white and blue theme pays homage to the sea, creating a soothing and serene atmosphere that is the perfect accompaniment to the fresh seafood on offer.

Whether you're a lover of fish or simply in search of the perfect pasta dish, Osteria Mercedes is a must-visit destination for anyone visiting Palermo. With its exceptional cuisine, impeccable service, and tranquil ambiance, this gem of a restaurant is a shining example of the best that Sicily...

I read about Osteria Mercede last fall and finally got to eat here tonight!

It was not easy to get a reservation but through a combination of Facebook DM, Google Messenger, and the telephone, I was able to score a reservation!

We definitely ate with the ‘straniere’ at 7PM but I don’t care because the food was wonderful as was the service.

Do not eat here if you do not eat fish because that is all they serve -and- they do it really well!

They start you off with an amuse bouche of a cold octopus salad, served on wonderful seeded semolina bread - the standard everyday bread here in Palermo.

From there we ordered a cold seafood salad to share and a bottle of Cottanera’s cattaratto wine.

For mains, I had the seared tonno (tuna) with roast potatoes and caramelized sweet onions; she had the dentice (red snapper) with sautéed fennel. We were in heaven!

For dessert I had an incredible deconstructed cannolo made with sheep’s milk ricotta and bittersweet chocolate chips and she had the almond parfait.

Added to the wonderful meal, the service was delightful. I will be...

Outstanding,truly outstanding.

Great food,drinks and service on top of the reasonably priced menu. One of the best restaurants I’ve ever been and it is quite possibly in top 5 in all of Italy.

I love unpretentious restaurants with high quality honest food. Ticked all the boxes for me. Everything here was very delicious from a little surprise crostini all the way to dessert,coffee and Amaro.

Chatting with the owner was fun( he speaks excellent English). He is exceptionally genuine/real/cool and very thoughtful too(thanks for the apperitivo! ). Waiting staff were very kind and patient with my poor Italian language skills and made our evening very special.

I don’t think it’s easy to compete with their value for money. I haven’t come across a restaurant this good for a very very long time.

Can’t praise Mercede highly enough. This trip was for my 50th birthday and I am so glad that I chose Osteria Mercede.

Thank you Palermo, thank you everyone at Mercede. I will try to visit you again. It was worth the flight from...