Baqqala

Southeastern Sicily


Peppe Mezzasalma's pretty, bohemian eatery serves Sicilian classics with thoughtful tweaks. Daily offerings are respectful of the season and market produce, whether it be parmigiana di alici (anchovy parmigiana) with fresh tomato foam or spaghettone with scampi and a delicate almond cream. Book ahead for a seat on the gorgeous shaded terrace, overlooking the baroque exuberance of Palazzo Beneventano.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southeastern Sicily attractions

1. Palazzo Beneventano

0.01 MILES

The Unesco-listed 18th-century Palazzo Beneventano is Sicilian baroque on steroids. Fantastical stone creatures taunt, terrorise or merely bemuse from the…

2. Chiesa Madre San Guglielmo

0.06 MILES

It's in this church that a warrior-like Madonna delle Milizie (Madonna of the Militias) crushes two hapless Saracens on her white horse. Made of wood and…

3. Palazzo Municipio

0.06 MILES

To fans of the popular TV series Commissario Montelbano (Inspector Montalbano), Scicli's Town Hall – completed in 1906 – is better known as police…

4. Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista

0.08 MILES

After the earthquake of 1693 reduced the original church to rubble, construction of the current baroque beauty began in 1760. Behind its elegant convex…

5. Palazzo Bonelli Patanè

0.11 MILES

Never judge a book by its cover, or a palazzo by its facade. Take the 19th-century Palazzo Bonelli Patanè, its demure neoclassical facade tight-lipped…

6. Antica Farmacia Cartia

0.12 MILES

Dating from 1902, this time-warped pharmacy is a sight to behold, adorned with antique apothecary jars, scales and cash register. Fans of Inspector…

7. Chiesa Madonna del Carmine

0.12 MILES

Completed in 1769, this Carmelite church dominates the southwest corner of handsome Piazza Busacca. Its pure white interior harbours stuccowork by master…

8. Palazzo Spadaro

0.13 MILES

The convex balcony railings of this 18th-century aristocratic pad were cleverly designed to accommodate the era's hooped gowns. One can imagine the gentry…