Scialai Restaurant — Restaurant in Syracuse

We were looking for a way to celebrate busy yet peaceful Siracusa and found the perfect place in Scialai Trattoria which is located a stone’s throw away from the the Duomo Piazza off Via Cavour, one of the many side streets that draw away/towards the piazza.

Our host welcomed us with a brief explanation of how to eat the Siciliano way which is good if you are new to the area and a beautiful array of the fresh pastas which accompany many of dishes is there to see as you enter. There are several choices of dining area and we chose outside in the courtyard garden as it was a pleasant evening with a cooling sea breeze.

The menu is very extensive and there is something for almost every taste. As I vegetarian I had absolutely no problem with my choices and the waiting staff were both pleasant and timely without being intrusive.

As it was our last night we decided to go with the starter, pasta first course with main for my carnivorous partner and dessert. The drinks included local specialities in what was our final celebratory meal in what has been an amazing tour of Italy🇮🇹

I would certainly recommend a visit to Scialai Trattoria if you are in Siracusa for a warm Sicilian welcome, a hearty supper and a seat at the table in a place enthusiastically enjoyed by the locals.

Thank you all for a lovely and memorable romantic evening...

Disappointing Experience – Avoid at All Costs

From the outside, the restaurant looked quite promising. However, things quickly went downhill. Upon entering, we asked a simple yet important question: whether the dairy products used were pasteurised. Shockingly, no one — not even the chef or the owners — could provide a clear answer. This demonstrated a worrying lack of knowledge about their own ingredients. I sincerely hope no one with a severe food allergy makes the mistake of dining here.

The food itself was equally underwhelming. We ordered the meatball pasta, only to witness the meatballs being reheated in a microwave. They turned out exactly as you'd expect — dry, flavourless, and frankly inedible.

The seafood platter was another disappointment. It was nothing more than a salty mess drowned in olive oil. There was no finesse, no balance — just an oily, over-seasoned plate masquerading as a seafood dish.

This place seems to rely solely on its location on a popular street to draw in unsuspecting tourists. It’s not authentic cooking — it’s a tourist trap, plain and simple.

Avoid...

Bella la terrazza ma resta un ristorante per turisti. Centralissimo a Ortigia non ci mangerete male, i piatti proposti sono piuttosto classici, ma non sarà nemmeno tutta questa indimenticabile serata di alta cucina regionale. Personale molto cortese anche se un po scoordinato. Prezzi corretti.

Belle terrasse mais reste un restaurant pour les touristes. Très central à Ortigia, vous ne mangerez pas, les plats sont plutôt classiques, mais ce ne sera pas vraiment une soirée inoubliable de haute cuisine régionale. Service et accueil ok. Prix ​​corrects

Beautiful terrace but in the end just a restaurant for tourists located in the heart of Ortigia. Food is ok, pretty classic local dishes but do not expect the dinner of a lifetime. Friendly staff even if a bit uncoordinated....