Anthony Bourdain in Sicily: markets and places to eat

Explore Anthony Bourdain's Sicily, from Palermo's street food to Catania's fish market, with the stories behind his two episodes and tips for a visit.

Palermo's street food and Catania's fish market show two sides of Anthony Bourdain's Sicily. His 2005 No Reservations episode centres on Palermo, its markets and its spleen sandwiches. He returns for Parts Unknown in 2013, with a disastrous fishing trip, a meal with food writer Mary Taylor Simeti and encounters along the coast and inland.

These are not seamless food tours. Bourdain's doubts about how to tell Sicily's story are part of what makes them interesting. For a trip of your own, the most useful starting points are the clearly identified stops in Palermo and Catania.

Antica Focacceria San Francesco: Palermo street food

In 2005, Bourdain eats at Antica Focacceria San Francesco with Salvatore Cuffaro, then the regional president. They try panino con le panelle, a roll filled with chickpea fritters, and pane ca meusa, Palermo's spleen sandwich.

The focacceria faces the church of San Francesco d'Assisi. These dishes introduce a street-food tradition in which offal is an everyday ingredient.

Address: Via Alessandro Paternostro 58, Palermo. Call +39 091 320264 to confirm current hours.

Mercato del Capo: Palermo's market lanes

At the Capo market in the 2005 episode, Bourdain tries tripe at a frittola stall. The traditional snack makes use of boiled and fried meat scraps. There is much more to the market than this one scene: the lanes around Porta Carini bring together fish, vegetables, meat and the ingredients of everyday Palermo cooking.

Visit in the morning, when the market is at its liveliest. Opening times vary between stalls.

Access: through Porta Carini, Palermo.

Piccolo Napoli: a conversation about Sicily

At Trattoria Piccolo Napoli in Borgo Vecchio, Bourdain meets Mary Taylor Simeti in 2013. The writer has lived in Sicily for decades and written extensively about its food. They share panelle, caponata, spaghetti with cuttlefish ink and pasta with swordfish.

Their conversation turns to Addiopizzo, the movement against Mafia protection payments. It connects the meal to the lives of people on the island and gives the episode some of its strongest moments.

Address: Piazzetta Mulino a Vento 4, Palermo. Call +39 091 320431 to confirm opening times and arrange a table.

La Pescheria: Catania's fish market

La Pescheria sits behind Piazza Duomo, around Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto. Bourdain visits for the 2013 episode, among traders, fish and shellfish. The surrounding lanes also sell vegetables, fruit and meat.

Visit in the morning and leave time for the market lanes and the streets around Piazza Duomo.

Address: Piazza Alonzo di Benedetto, Catania. Check trading days before planning your visit.

Taormina, the fishing trip and Bourdain's hotel

The 2013 episode includes dinner at Osteria Nero d'Avola in Taormina after a fishing trip in which dead sea creatures are thrown into the water for the cameras. Bourdain openly describes the deception in his narration. The osteria is included here as a historical filming location, without a recommendation to visit it today.

The programme names his accommodation as Villa Monaci delle Terre Nere, a working farm with a hotel and restaurant on Etna. The meals arranged there for filming cannot be booked as such. The slaughter in the Nebrodi mountains and the unidentified late-night grill in Catania likewise do not provide dependable stops to book.

Plan Palermo and the east coast separately

Start with a day in Palermo: the Capo in the morning, followed by a snack at the focacceria or a booked meal at Piccolo Napoli. Give the journey to Catania its own place in the itinerary. That leaves time on the east coast for La Pescheria and, if you wish, Taormina or Etna.

ZASH Country Boutique Hotel, near Riposto, is CINCIN's accommodation suggestion for this part of the island. It was not a filming location. Hotel Signum on Salina suits an onward trip to the Aeolian Islands, which requires a separate ferry journey.

The dishes described belong to the 2005 and 2013 programmes. Confirm present-day menus and visiting arrangements directly.

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