Top 15 Traditional Foods
in the Metropolitan City of Palermo

Iconsitt is an Italian producer of preserved seafood products based in Aspra, near Bagheria in Sicily. The company originated as a family business rooted in the long fishing tradition of the Balistreri family and specializes in processing and preserving Mediterranean fish using traditional Sicilian methods.

Its main focus is on anchovies, tuna, mackerel, and other species of oily fish sourced from the Sicilian coast, the Adriatic Sea, and the wider Mediterranean region. Production is based on the rapid processing of freshly caught fish to preserve its quality, texture, and natural flavor.

Over the years, the company has modernized its production facilities while maintaining a traditional and artisanal approach to selecting and processing raw materials. Iconsitt is particularly known for its careful selection of ingredients and for combining generations of expertise with modern food safety and quality standards.

In addition to its own Iconsitt brand, the company markets products under other brands including La Perla and Oro d’Aspra. Today, Iconsitt is regarded as one of Sicily’s notable seafood preservation companies, exporting its products to numerous international markets. Expand

Manfredi Barbera & Figli SpA is an olive oil producer based in Palermo, Sicily. The company was founded in 1894 and has been involved in the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oil for generations.

They focus on traditional methods and sustainability in their production processes. The company operates under strict quality control standards to provide premium olive oil.Expand

Miceli & Sensat is an olive oil producer based in Palermo, Italy. The company focuses on traditional methods and local Sicilian olive varieties.

They emphasize sustainable farming practices and high-quality production.Expand

Bona Furtuna is an olive oil producer located in Corleone, Sicily. The company focuses on sustainability and traditional farming methods.

Their olive oil is produced from ancient olive trees, utilizing organic farming practices. Bona Furtuna has a diverse product line that includes various types of olive oil as well as other specialty food items.Expand

Pastificio Donna Itriya – Grani di Sicilia is an artisanal pasta producer that meticulously selects semolina from the finest Sicilian durum wheat to craft pasta with a distinctly Mediterranean flavor. Their products are made using 100% Sicilian grains, combined with pure water, bronze die extrusion, and slow drying methods to preserve nutritional and organoleptic qualities.

This approach ensures a product that embodies the rich agricultural heritage of Sicily.​Expand

Feudo Mondello is a family-run pasta producer from Sicily that oversees the entire production cycle - from cultivating wheat to crafting the final pasta product. The Agosta family estate has been cultivated since the mid-19th century, and since 2017, it operates as a closed-loop system thanks to its own stone mill and artisanal pastificio located directly on the farm. The durum wheat, grown exclusively on their land, is stone-ground to preserve its full nutritional profile, including the bran and germ.

The resulting wholemeal semolina is used to make pasta extruded through bronze dies, which creates a rough and porous texture ideal for absorbing sauces. The pasta is then slowly dried at temperatures below 38°C to retain the grain’s natural color, aroma, and flavor. The assortment includes traditional Sicilian whole grain pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, penne, casarecce, fusilli, busiate, pipe rigate, and mezze penne - all characterized by their rustic nature, golden-ochre hue, and firm consistency that holds up beautifully during cooking. Feudo Mondello’s pastas are highly regarded among gourmet circles across Italy - not only for their rich nutritional value and low glycemic index, but also for their deep, authentic flavor that captures the essence of Sicilian tradition.Expand

Sicilia Naturalmente is a brand created by Margherita Tomasello, the heir to the renowned Tomasello family, which has long been recognized for its deep-rooted tradition in pasta-making on the island of Sicily. After the closure of the family’s historic pastificio, Margherita launched her own independent initiative with the goal of preserving the authentic spirit of Sicilian artisanal pasta production. Focusing on a limited yet premium-quality range, Sicilia Naturalmente is dedicated to using only ancient Sicilian durum wheat varieties such as Perciasacchi and Russello, prized for their rich flavor and high nutritional value.

The pasta is crafted exclusively through traditional methods: it is extruded through bronze dies to achieve a rough, porous texture ideal for holding sauces, then slowly dried at low temperatures in static chambers to preserve the natural color, aroma, and structure of the grain. Through the Sicilia Naturalmente brand, Margherita also promotes education and awareness about traditional techniques and heritage wheat varieties, organizing workshops and lectures that emphasize the importance of healthy, flavorful, and sustainably produced pasta. Sicilia Naturalmente is aimed at all those who value authenticity, clean ingredients, and a genuine taste of Sicily in every bite.Expand

Trinacria Agricola Srl is an olive oil producer based in Palermo, Sicily. The company produces high-quality extra virgin olive oil, sourced from local olives cultivated in the region.

Their production process emphasizes traditional methods combined with modern technology to ensure the purity and flavor of their oil. Trinacria Agricola Srl also adheres to sustainable farming practices to promote environmental stewardship.Expand

Named after Salome's dance to make Herod crazy with lust, torta setteveli (cake of the seven veils) unsurprisingly achieves more or less the same results. This traditional Sicilian birthday cake consists of an alternating combination of chocolate and hazelnut layers. From bottom to top: chocolate sponge, praline crunch, hazelnut Bavarian cream, chocolate sponge, hazelnut Bavarian cream, chocolate mousse, and finally, a layer of chocolate glaze on top. It is still unclear who had created this delicious cake, so some credit Capello of Pasticceria Capello in Palermo, while others claim that Luca Mannori from Prato made it first (and won the 1997 Pastry World Cup in France).Expand

One of Sicilian favorites, this seemingly simple pasta dish of supposedly Arabic origins is an amazing combination of flavors and textures, and represents a perfect example of Sicily’s diverse culinary heritage. The sauce for pasta chî sàrdi is delicately flavored with saffron and made with the freshest possible sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, and sultanas. As for the pasta itself, bucatini are the classic choice, but some prefer a thicker type of pasta like bigoli or perciatelli. Pasta with sardines is often associated with Palermo, although it is found all across the island in its many regional varieties. However, the dish should only be consumed between March and September, when wild fennel is in season.Expand

In Palermo, stigghiola is a staple street food item consisting of lamb, goat, or chicken intestines that are skewered or wrapped around onions or leeks. Prepared skewers are then grilled and served cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Originally developed as a frugal meal, stigghiola nowadays represents an authentic, local specialty. The dish is typically sold by stigghiularu, street vendors who are found at various local markets and fairs, specializing in the preparation of this delicacy. When served, stigghiola is traditionally accompanied by lemon wedges.Expand

A staple street food in Palermo, this simple sandwich comprises of a soft vastedda bun that is filled with strips of fried calf’s spleen and (occasionally) lungs. The star ingredient is the meat and the basic version, known as schettu, is only topped with a squeeze of lemon juice, while the only available other option is maritatu, which includes a topping of shredded caciocavallo cheese. Believed to have originated in the 15th century, the sandwich is a favorite among the locals, but also a must-try delicacy for anyone who visits Palermo. It is typically sold by street vendors scattered throughout the city.Expand

Frutta martorana are traditional marzipan sweets shaped to resemble fruits or vegetables. These treats can be found throughout Palermo and Messina in Sicily. It is said that frutta martorana originated in Palermo, in the Martorana monastery, where the nuns made them with a combination of almonds and sugar, shaped them like fruits, and decorated the empty, barren trees in their courtyard in order to impress a visiting archbishop. Eventually, the treats were sold to parishioners and became a great source of income for the church. The tradition is still alive in Palermo, especially on All Saints' Day, when frutta martorana can be found at most pastry shops in the city, with new varieties of the sweets, some of them even shaped like pane ca' meusa sandwich, a traditional street food item from Palermo.Expand

Iris is a traditional Sicilian fried dessert that’s particularly associated with the city of Palermo. The dessert consists of balls of yeasted dough that are stuffed with a mixture of ricotta cheese and sugar. The dough is usually prepared with a combination of flour, milk, sugar, eggs, yeast, and butter. Once stuffed, the balls are dipped in whisked eggs, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil until golden. There are also variations on iris that are stuffed with cream or Nutella. Iris was invented in 1901 by pastry chef Antonio Lo Verso, who named the fried dessert in honor of Pietro Mascagni’s eponymous opera.Expand

Sicilian mafalda bread, known for its crusty exterior and soft, airy crumb, is typically shaped into an elongated or serpentine form and sprinkled generously with sesame seeds. The bread is made with durum wheat flour, which gives it a slightly yellow hue and a unique flavor. Mafalda is often enjoyed as a sandwich bread or served alongside meals. It has become a beloved staple in Sicilian cuisine due to its distinctive texture and nutty taste from the sesame seeds.Expand

This Italian cheese is also dubbed 'the lost cheese of Sicily' because it's produced by a single cheesemaker named Salvatore Passalaqua. Aged for more than 6 months, the cheese is made from raw cow's milk according to an ancient recipe that the cheesemaker found in his closet when he moved into a new home near Palermo. The rind of this hard cheese is coated with crushed peppercorns, and underneath it, the texture is creamy and crumbly. The flavors are earthy and milky with a sharp finish. Flavorful, but not salty, Tuma Persa can be used as a replacement for provolone and it's recommended to pair it with Sicilian wines such as Nero d'Avola, Passito di Pantelleria, and Malvasia Lipari.Expand

Frittedda is a flavorful vegetable stew originating from the Sicilian capital, Palermo. Prepared with fresh broad beans, peas, and artichokes, this luscious dish is extremely seasonal, and can truly be called "spring on a plate". The vegetables are slowly sautéed, and gently shaken rather than stirred in order to preserve the textures and flavors of each ingredient - the sweetness of the peas, the pleasant bitterness of the artichokes, and the nutty flavor of broad beans. These flavors are rounded with the addition of agrodolce sauce, made with caramelized sugar and vinegar. Frittedda can be enjoyed as an antipasto, a side dish, or a vegetarian main course. It is often paired with panelle - Sicilian chickpea fritters.Expand

Nasello alla palermitana is a traditional fish dish originating from Palermo. The dish is usually made with a combination of hake, garlic, anchovies, breadcrumbs, rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. The garlic and anchovies are sautéed in olive oil until the anchovies dissolve (they can also be mashed with a fork). The fish is seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then rubbed with the anchovy mixture and coated with breadcrumbs. The hake is then baked in an oven until fully cooked, and a few minutes before the dish is ready, the fish is sprinkled with lemon juice. If properly prepared, a golden crust should form around the hake.Expand