La Cucina Di Donna Carmela — Restaurant in Riposto

This was the best restaurant we visited in Sicily, easily the highlight of our trip. After several underwhelming meals in touristy spots, we began to question Sicily’s culinary reputation, despite having traveled extensively through Italy’s top food regions. Then we discovered La Cucina at Donna Carmela Resort, and everything changed. We had the four-course tasting menu and instantly wished we had chosen the seven - it was refined, creative, and showcased the best of local ingredients, even down to the perfectly fermented housemade bread.

The real standout was the wine experience led by sommelier Gian Luca. His pairings were impeccable, and his deep knowledge of Sicilian varietals and producers added rich context to every pour. It was the best wine service we’ve had anywhere in Sicily - engaging, thoughtful, and perfectly matched to the meal.

We were a group of six, spanning ages 14 to 80, celebrating my father’s milestone birthday traveling from both South Korea and Washington DC, and every course delighted us. The level of hospitality, warmth, and attention to detail left a lasting impression and truly captured the spirit of Sicily. Don’t miss this gem - and definitely ask for Gian Luca to guide your...

Last night I had an incredible meal at La Cucina Di Donna Carmela. The food was top notch, but what really made the experience stand out was the wine.

I have had wine pairings all over the world and at many 2 and 3 star Michelin restaurants, but I have never had an experience quite as good as this. The sommelier, Gianluca Canuti, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about wine. He asked some questions to get to know my preferences and then we were off on an amazing journey.

I had the "Top Four" degustation, which consisted of mostly meat dishes, so we stuck mostly to reds until the end. The flavors were expertly paired so that the food and the wine, while each great on their own, were pure magic together. My personal favorite dish was the tartare. Combined with the buttery, flakey roll and the tannins of the delicious (but still young) wine paired with it delivered a taste sensation that I won't soon forget.

If you are a lover of wine this experience is one that I can't recommend enough. Thanks, again, to the staff for a memorable meal! I will definitely be coming to stay at the resort again just to repeat...

From the moment we arrived the staff was incredibly welcoming. Everything was perfect as you’d expect from a restaurant of this caliber. All the different courses were very well balanced with flavours, with the amouse bouche taking inspiration from a cinnamon roll, making it savoury. The cheese, onion, and tomato ‘pizza’ was very soft and balanced, My favourite courses were the veal fillet, with soft meat and flavourful sauce, served with some bread; and the red prawn ‘bottoni’ filled with stracciatella and a zucchini sauce. Although these were my favourites everything was absolutely delicious. There is a very expansive selection of wines to choose from, with the staff ready to help with anything you may need. The bathrooms were probably the cleanest I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. I really hope I will get the chance to come back considering how great this experience was, and highly recommend to try this out...