Otto Geleng Restaurant — Restaurant in Taormina

5/5 – This restaurant deserves 3 Michelin stars.

The service, the food, the experience, the view — everything about this place is extraordinary. I've dined at many restaurants around the world, including a number of Michelin-starred ones, but this restaurant in particular has completely blown me away. It’s changed my entire perspective on what true service and hospitality can be.

The staff were gentle, friendly, warm, and truly enchanting. People often feel intimidated by Michelin-starred establishments, and honestly, the luxurious setting initially gave us that impression — but our servers and the sommelier instantly dissolved that feeling. They made us feel completely at home from the moment we sat down.

Photos simply don’t do this place justice.

We also visited another Michelin-starred restaurant just outside of Taormina — also a 1-star — and quite frankly, that place severely lacked what this restaurant did so effortlessly. If that one deserves 1 star, this one deserves 3, without question.

I’m from New York City, home to some of the best restaurants in the world — and yet, even those don’t compare to what we...

My husband and I had a fantastic dinner at Timeo. I don't have to say much about the view over Taormina except that it is absolutely magnificent. We were warmly welcomed and served with great care from start to finish. Here you can tell immediately that the focus is on the guest, there is nothing missing. A blanket was brought to me as soon as the waiter noticed that I was a little cold when it got dark. It was also positive that great importance is attached to hygiene and the order in which to wear masks for staff and guests. A small bottle of disinfectant gel is available at the table. With regard to the selection of dishes and drinks, we were given very professional advice and the sommelier was also available to answer any questions. The food was absolutely great, very fresh, delicious and prepared with attention to detail and more than deserved the Michelin award. It is also noted that the staff, available at all times, could speak fluent English, German and Portuguese. Thanks to the whole Team of Timeo, we really enjoyed our stay to the fullest....

I surprised my (now) fiancé with a reservation at Otto Geleng at the stunning Hotel Timeo the evening before we checked in for our first trip to Taormina. We arrived a little early and enjoyed cocktails and aperitivo in the outdoor bar, surrounded by beautiful gardens with breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. At our reservation time, we were seated right away and began an exquisite eight-course surprise tasting menu. Each dish was memorable, and we felt genuinely cared for throughout the evening. Our waiter and sommelier were especially outstanding. If there’s one area for improvement, it would be the pacing of the courses — a few arrived back-to-back, along with extra surprise dishes, when a slightly slower flow would have allowed more time to savor and digest. That said, the experience was still exceptional, worthy of five stars, and one we would...