Latteria Mamma Iabica — Restaurant in Syracuse

this establishment hit it out of the park on all fronts. beginning with the ambience of the restaurant, it's set in a retro vibe; think 60's. two separate dining rooms with the left dining room access to an open kitchen where you can see the chefs in action.

the appetizer was excellent, we ordered the fried catch of the day which happened to be mackerel. the fish was fried well and balanced off with a beet salad which added a nice tartiness to the dish.

the mains were fantastic as well - each was very well balanced and had some amazing flavours. the whitefish pasta dish had some bold flavours matched with great texture. the squid ink ravioli was also quite bold and the mild taste of the ricotta inside the ravioli balanced out the strong flavours of the squid ink. the highlight was definitely the octopus, cooked to absolute perfection - I think they may have sous vide the octopus before adding it to the sauce because it was tender and had a good bite all at once.

lastly don't miss out on the desserts, all three were excellent, my favourite being the mille foglie. the home made sorbet also had a wonderful taste - lemon with what tasted like a hint of cardamon.

thoroughly enjoyed this place and which I could've ordered more as all of their dishes slapped.

coperto x 3 - 7.50€ mascolino - 12.00€ carciofi - 8.00€ tonnarelli ragu pesce - 18.00€ ravioli al nero - 18.00€ polpo camilleri - 18.00€ sorbetto - 4.00€ torta - 7.00€ millefoglie - 6.00€ acqua minerale - 3.00€ cafe - 2.00€ total...

The fact that locals soak up all the reservations here should tell you everything you need to know. It's the widest array of authentic South Sicilian dishes - comfort food, updated just enough to make it restaurant worthy - I have ever seen. We were fortunate enough to have our concierge pleas our case for us, and we got a table for two, with the promise that we would eat and leave quickly to clear out for the next guest with a reservation. The chef came out and explained the dishes, and the staff were all professional enthusiasts too making it a great epicurean experience you should not miss while in Siracusa.

We had the cuttlefish with fennel, meatballs, white pork pistachio pasta and braised lamb on wilted spinach. The experience was part of the pleasure as one of the dining room evokes moms apartment kitchen, with embroidered tablecloths over 1950s style tables and chairs. The other dining room, with an open kitchen, evokes the country...

One of the most amazing meals we’ve had in Sicily. The food is complimented by a thoughtful decor that is almost retro in its throwback to the owners childhood.

The octopus with a potato purée is a must order dish! It was tender and seared for that crispy exterior. My wife said it was the best octopus she’s ever eaten.

The fresh fish of the day in a matolatta style (onion, capers, green olives, garlic, salt and herbs) was great - very different to other fish dishes we’ve been having on this trip. The owner recommended the type of fish and we were not disappointed.

Finally the Ricotta Mille-feuille with a mandarin topping (you have options for 5 toppings) was creamy, crunchy with a nice touch of sweetness.

The best complement we can give this restaurant is that we wish we lived in the neighbourhood so this could be our local...