Il Baccanale — Restaurant in Taormina

An amazing experience reminding me of my childhood 😁

We have come to Taormina to venture into the realm of my childhood (being of Sicilian origin), where not only the air, the atmosphere, the sea, nore the buildings encompass the reflection of the culture and traditions but hospitality more over the kindness of the people mesmerized our stay.

The restaurant was highly recommended to us by a very kind young lady Stefania (working at shop a named "Made in Sicily" ) and thus we ventured into a great surprise.

I always say, that when you are next to the sea, eat fish, especially in Sicily, where the fish is the freshest

Therefore on the first night, we have had a mixed grill of fish, involtini di pesce spada (filled swordfish rolls), parpadelle with shrimp and pistachio, of course accompanied by a glass of red wine, white wine, a bottle of water, almond wine and espresso..

After taking a couple of bites, I was drawn back into my childhood memories, when my grandma used to prepare the specialities, the flavours, textures resembling the affection one can only have whilst preparing the meal "love".

It comes without saying, that during our 6 day stay In Taormina, we have always had dinner here and were always overwhelmed by the kindness of the personnel, the affection of the cooks, the passion of the owner and his family and of course the jewel box which the restaurant resembles.

I have also added a couple of other dishes which we have had but not all as I believe that if you are here,...

I really wanted to enjoy this place, but unfortunately, the food did not meet expectations. I ordered the tagliatelle with shrimp and pistachio, and the pasta was severely undercooked; it was far too al dente, almost hard and the overall taste was quite bland. The dish lacked flavour and balance, and there was barely any pistachio taste at all. Our food arrived within 6 minutes of ordering (we actually did time this), which raised concerns about the freshness and preparation quality.

While the service was actually very pleasant and the staff were friendly and attentive, it’s disappointing that the food didn’t reflect the same level of care. At first, we thought it might have just been an off day, but a few days later we met friends who had also recently dined here, and they shared a similar experience. They also found most dishes underwhelming, with the only standout being the lasagna.

Unfortunately, based on both our feedback, I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant at the moment unless there’s a serious improvement in the kitchen. I hope the kitchen takes this feedback into consideration, as the menu has potential, but execution and consistency really need...

This restaurant is truly spectacular. After many days of eating poorly in Sicily even in Taormina we finally found this place. We started with low expectations because we had already been disappointed by other restaurants, even those with great reviews. But this place… THIS is the spot!

First of all, the service was amazing. We were served by a super friendly Cuban waiter who made the experience even better.

As for the food: we ordered aglio e olio pasta, a swordfish carpaccio, and grilled swordfish. All three dishes were spectacular. It was the first time in Sicily that the pasta actually tasted really good. The carpaccio was fresh and flavorful, and the grilled fish was absolutely delicious.

On top of that, they offered us a complimentary tomato bruschetta fresh and tasty and at the end of the meal, they gave us a small glass of wine on the house.

The place is beautiful, with a truly Italian atmosphere, located on a charming flower-lined street in Taormina.

Highly, highly recommended for anyone visiting Taormina.

Don’t let the rating fool you. This restaurant is...