Taverna Sveva — Restaurant in Syracuse

We went to the Osteria because of a recommendation in a guidebook which described the food as not too pricy and fresh. So we had high hopes when we went there, also due to the positive Google reviews. However, when we got there we were about 5 minutes before opening time and asked the waiter whether we could wait outside on a chair. He, however, pressed us to have a cocktail in the bar next door (even though we just had to wait 5 minutes) and then return. When we returned after having finished our cocktails we were seated and ordered our food. While we waited for our food it became quite busy and the staff had to turn people away or told them to return in an hour. When our food arrived we had to discover that they had messed up our order and forgot to bring us one of the two meals (we both ordered the swordfish and one plate of grilled vegetables to share). So one of us had to start eating in order for the food not to get cold. After about 5 minutes a waiter finally had the sense to bring us a second plate so that we could at least share the fish that had already been brought to us. After a while we got the remaining fish but also another plate of vegetables (which we hadn’t ordered). Aside from the circumstances in which we ate, the food in general was very bland and the fish was dry. It felt like it had all been pre-cooked and then re-heated. The whole atmosphere was very uncomfortable because you always felt like your time of your allotted time slot was running out since we could hear the staff calculate which table would be free next. When I witnessed a waiter trying to inconspicuously kill a cockroach that was running around the eating area I lost my appetite entirely. The final nail in the coffin was when the waiter asked me to please tip him in cash because he couldn’t for some unfathomable reason manage to put the tip on my credit card. I would definitely NOT recommend...

We ate here twice - first night we ordered a mix of veg and fish, second night pastas and veg plus desserts. Our 5 star rating is based on the standout dishes we tried which were the grilled season veg, sausage pasta, swordfish pasta and the cannoli desert. We have tried many cannoli during our almost two weeks in Sicily and we believe the cannoli at Osteria Sveva is the best. It comes deconstructed which is a refreshing take on cannoli yet doesn’t take away from any aspect of the traditional dessert. The orange tiramisu was also a really fun and pleasant surprise. Overall wonderful restaurant in a beautiful calm location with kind and quite relaxed staff. We didn’t make a reservation however we always arrived by 7:30pm and everyone else seemed to have a reservation and/or we saw people get turned away due to how popular this restaurant is. Make sure you stop by, its...

The best cannoli we had in Sicily. I know you don’t believe it, but just give it a try. We tried cannoli in multiple locations all described by some as “the best” including world famous Caffe Sicilia in Noto and I stand by what I said. The best cannoli. Period.

Over the course of our 4 visits we managed to try majority of the menu and there wasn’t a single weak spot. The food is authentic and simple. The tastes are just as they should be. It’s a kind of place where you order even the things you would never try because you know it will be good and it is.

Prices are adequate and generally lower than in other restaurants in Siracusa.

The staff is very friendly and you don’t feel so much as a tourist which makes it a very authentic experience.

Overall, amazing value for money. We will come back and...