The short version: eastern Sicily eats differently from Palermo — pasta alla Norma with fried aubergine and salted ricotta, granita with a brioche for breakfast, the freshest seafood off La Pescheria market, arancini shaped like the volcano, and the green gold of Bronte pistachios. Here is what to order in Catania.
At a glance
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Pasta alla Norma | Pasta with fried aubergine, tomato, ricotta salata, basil |
| Granita & brioche | Almond, pistachio, coffee or mulberry ice with a soft brioche |
| Arancino | Catania’s pointed, volcano-shaped fried rice ball |
| Pesce spada / seafood | Swordfish and the day’s catch from La Pescheria |
| Pistacchio di Bronte | The prized DOP pistachio from Etna’s slopes |
La Pescheria and the sea
Catania’s food begins at La Pescheria, the raucous fish market behind Piazza del Duomo, where swordfish, tuna, anchovies and shellfish are sold under the shadow of Etna. Seafood is the city’s strength — grilled swordfish, pasta con le sarde and the anchovy the locals call masculini. A Catania food tour threads the market with the street-food stalls for the full picture.
Pasta alla Norma, arancini and street food
The dish to order first is pasta alla Norma — tomato, fried aubergine, basil and grated ricotta salata — supposedly named for Bellini’s opera, the composer being Catania’s own. The city’s arancino is pointed like Etna and masculine (the Palermo–Catania spelling debate is a Sicilian sport). Street food runs to cipollina (onion pastry), crispelle and, for the bold, zuzzu and horse meat, a Catania speciality grilled at roadside stalls.
Granita, pistachios and the sweet side
Breakfast in summer is granita with a brioche col tuppo — you dunk the brioche into almond, pistachio, coffee, lemon or mulberry ice. The green thread through the sweets is the pistachio of Bronte, a DOP nut grown on Etna’s lava that goes into pastries, pesto and gelato. Nearby Etna is also serious wine country — pair a day of eating with our Etna wine guide and an Etna wine tour, or cook the classics on a Taormina cooking class.
Frequently asked questions
What is the signature dish of Catania?
Pasta alla Norma — pasta with fried aubergine, tomato, basil and salted ricotta — named after the opera by Catania’s own composer, Bellini.
What is the difference between a Palermo and Catania arancino?
Palermo’s arancina is round and feminine; Catania’s arancino is pointed like Etna and masculine. Same fried rice ball, endless debate.
What is Bronte pistachio?
A prized DOP pistachio grown on Etna’s volcanic slopes around Bronte, intensely green and used in everything from pasta to gelato.
How do locals eat granita?
For breakfast, especially in summer, dunking a soft brioche col tuppo into it — almond and pistachio are the classic flavours.
Taste eastern Sicily
Book a Catania food tour or an Etna wine tour, and plan the trip from the Sicily hub.
Recommended experiences to book
More guides
- Palermo Street Food Glossary: Arancina, Panelle, Sfincione, Meusa and Where to Eat Them
- Marsala Wine Explained: Styles, History and the Salt Pans
- Sicily Cooking Classes: Arancini, Pasta alla Norma and Cannoli
- Etna Wine Explained: Nerello, Carricante, the Contrade, and Taormina or Catania for the Tour
- 5 Days in East Sicily for Food & Wine: Catania, Taormina, Syracuse & Etna
