Casa Trimarchi - Ristorante in Ortigia — Restaurant in Syracuse

We recently visited Casa Trimarchi. We chose this restaurant based on their menu posted on the street which mentioned home made pasta, vegetables from their own gardens and supporting small local farms. We came early in the evening, place was not that busy, there were free tables inside and outside. We waited to be seated which took a few minutes, we opted for inside because the weather was not the best but after realizing how hot inside was we chose to sit outside. We were seated at the end of the alley. It took some time for the waiter to come back with menus. He left and meanwhile we decided on our meals and drinks. Even though they were not busy the waiter was standing by the entrance but did not come back to us to ask about our choices for a while. Finally we ordered both our courses and drinks and we mentioned that we will also order dessert later. Again we waited till drinks came and shortly after the first course. The food was delicious. We had Buffalo mozzarella, eggplant in tomato sauce, boar and octopus raggu. After the first course we ran out of drinks but our waiter was not around and we waited for a while and finally we had to ask another waiter to clean up the table and bring us water. We received the second course which was brought by a different waiter, but no water. After we finished the second course and waited again for someone to come we waved on another waiter who was serving tables down the alley. We asked for the bottle of water and ordered the desert. She brought the water and later desert and started to clean up but she was busy with her own tables so took some time. We were done deserts and waited for 20 minutes. There was interest from anyone if we needed anything or wanted to pay.... We decided to leave and pay inside. It's striking that no one asked us if we liked the food or if everything was ok. Another thing that makes us not to come back here is speeding motorcycles in the alley where the tables are which is only 3 meters wide... There were a couple of incidents where a motorcycle almost hit a chair or a person. We dined in Ortigia for the last 10 days in many restaurants and this was the worst customer service by far and the situation with tables placed in such a busy alley takes away all that great...

Service was excellent from the moment we entered the restaurant until our departure. I am enthusiastic about the quality of the food and the wines. We had salads with fennel and la caponata for appetizers. My friend and I both thought la caponata, a dish of mixed vegetables cooked in olive oil, was delicious. The flavoring and the particular vegetables made this an excellent dish. Our partners each had the salad, and both though its taste was good, but each wished the fennel had been sliced rather than cubed, which is probably a difference in American versus Italian style. For main dishes, my partner had steak, which she ate but stated that it was a little tough, something that we’ve found as typical in Sicily. My dish of Greek-style octopus was really superb as were the stuffed calamari and the pasta with fish. The fish in the pasta dish far surpassed expectations for its wonderful flavor. We shared a bottle of Grillo. One of us had a glass of very nice Nero D’avila, and another had a glass of very tasty Madeira after dinner. The deserts consisted of a ricotta tort and a Sicilian specialty of soft marzipan around some delicious interior ingredients. All in all, a reasonably priced and...

I was walking through Ortigia and smelled the goodness from the kitchen of Casa Trimarchi, and when I returned to my hotel I booked one of the only remaining tables that night. (I also extended my stay in town so I can eat again in the restaurant the second night, never have I done this!)

All I can say is, I’ve eaten around the world and this place is one of the best restaurants I’ve encountered. The wait staff is attentive and knowledgeable, kind and cares for their customers. It’s clear that people return here often because of the quality of the food and the overall experience. After I had the pasta Alla Norma, I told the servers Gabriella and Elisa with a tear in my eye, “now I can die.”

The wine selection is perfect for the cuisine. I’m somewhat reluctant to leave such a gushing review, understanding that at some future point it may be difficult to even get a table here, nonetheless I would be negligent not to recommend this wonderful restaurant, clearly the highlight of a month-long trip through Sicily, and France. Casa Trimarchi is the winner! I hope to make it back before too long and bring some good friends along !! Thank...