Trattoria da Pietro — Restaurant in Palermo

We’ve been on a two-week trip across Italy from top to bottom, and have been making a point to find more quiet and authentic local spots to eat. Pietro’s was far and away the highlight of our entire trip for warmth, local hospitality, and outstanding food quality.

We made a reservation a few hours in advance not knowing much about the menu other than the seafood emphasis. When we showed up, Pietro was still in the middle of preparing a multi course meal for us and our kids as if we were going to Nonno’s for Sunday dinner.

All of the seafood was fresh caught - Pietro is from a long line of fishermen - and was hands down the highest quality we’ve had anywhere in Italy. Best mussels of our lives. Fresh whole octopus (with a very hands-on presentation from Pietro!) and delicately prepared sardines. Phenomenal eggplant parmigiana better than we can describe.

He was also thoughtful enough to prepare chicken and meatballs for the kids that were impossibly good, as well as a fresh watermelon and chocolate granita to keep the kids happy.

The highlight of the meal was a fresh fish pasta - super bright, buttery, garlicky, indescribable. High bar but hands down best pasta we’ve had in Italy.

Pietro kept us company the entire dinner as well, showed us how he was working in the kitchen, and made us feel a part of the family. We can’t recommend strongly enough, and look forward to returning soon as old friends.

Pietro, Thank you for an amazing...

We had a fantastically enjoyable evening with Pietro! I booked a table a couple of nights ahead and was amazed to find he had opened just to serve me and my daughter. We sat outside which added to the fun. As others have noted, he improvises a feast offering you choices based on what is best that day so we started with 4 delicious oysters, moules marinières and a vast plate of phenomenally good octopus salad with potatoes and red onions. This was followed by a mountain of the best spaghetti vongole we have ever eaten - there were 40 cleaned out shells on my plate alone by the time we had finished. Pietro chose the perfect white wine (a Grillo) to accompany it all and insisted we share a freshly made cannolo with a bonus dessert of strawberries in peach juice alongside for lightness. All of this for only €80 - we felt a good tip was in order! He is such a warm-hearted, welcoming man, wanting to share his love of good food and of life itself with his guests. All this was communicated despite neither of us speaking very much of the other’s language. As we left, he was worried about us walking for half an hour to get home and gave me his phone number in case of trouble, such a sweetheart! Highly recommended for an evening you...

Pietro 🙏🏻 is a rare gem. When we arrived, I was not in the mood for "typical Italian", so he made me the best aubergine of my life, mouthwatering good. He doesn't have a menu, which means, that HE IS the menu: Buying daily the freshest, most incredible local fish & ingredients, his cooking is way beyond what he is asking for. He cooks his dreams and best intentions. He is a real medicine man, putting all his love into everything he cooks, making the world a better place, one plate at a time. His heart is bigger than a football field. While eating there, at a point I had the feeling, that this place IS where Michelin star cooks go eat for learning and inspiration. And I was right. At the end, we had the opportunity to have a friendly conversation with him and he mentioned, that one of his son happens to work at a Michelin star restaurant. Well, I don't believe that we need more Michelin star restaurants in this world, yet we are in dire need of a cook like Pietro is. His food is truly incredible and I have a reason to come back to Palermo,just to eat at his restaurant one more time. Thank you Pietro, can't recommend you enough! A note: The ambient is simple. He plays his favorite music, which was authentic, so I...