The cuisine of Agrigento and its province is characterized by a variety of ingredients that reflect both the coastal soul of the city and the mountain one. The use of legumes in various recipes is very frequent, although very important is also the presence of fish, which characterizes the menu of many restaurants. Among the dishes not to be missed, certainly the different varieties of soups and local street food. Here’s what to eat in Agrigento !
1 –
Maccu di fave Maccu di fave, known in Sicily as maccu di fave, is a poor dish of peasant origin , which used to be served to workers at the end of each harvest.
The main ingredient is of course the beans, which can be dry or fresh depending on the season, whose long cooking gives the soup the right creaminess , once the beans have completely flaked. Most often, a vegetable is added to the recipe, such as chard.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : broad beans, wild fennel, extra virgin olive oil
2 – Cavatelli al cartoccio
Photo by Guillaume Flambeau Von Uslar. They are a pasta dish made with one of the typical ingredients of Sicily, or aubergines! In this particular variant, after having cooked the cavatelli al dente, they are seasoned with fried eggplant cubes, tomato, basil and salted ricotta , then transferred to an aluminum foil, to complete the cooking in the oven. It is customary to taste cavatelli baked especially on Sundays!
- Recommended for : lunch
- Average cost : €10.00
- Main ingredients : eggplant, basil, tomato, salted ricotta
3 – Soup of San Giuseppe
Also called Macco di San Giuseppe, this soup was born from an ancient religious custom that wanted food to be offered to the poorest on Saint Joseph’s day. Being the 19th of March, St. Joseph’s Day, very close to the beginning of spring, this soup was also prepared to celebrate the new coming season.
The soup contains beans and legumes , today we can find different variations, some even with pasta.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : broad beans, beans, chickpeas, lentils
4 – Soup I Sicci
It is a cuttlefish soup and it is cooked very often in the province of Agrigento, especially in the places overlooking the sea, such as the coast of Siculiana.
In particular, it is a dish that is frequently consumed in the period from April to July, when the most recurrent cuttlefish catches are concentrated. The dish is usually accompanied by fresh and tender peas.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €10.00
- Main ingredients : cuttlefish, peas, parsley
5 – Taganu
Also called Tianu of Aragon, and precisely a typical dish of the town of Aragona, in the province of Agrigento, and owes its name to the terracotta pan in which it was originally prepared. Tradition has it that in past times these pans were broken on the table, in order to reveal their contents. Taganu is a recipe that is usually served on Easter Saturday and is very complex and elaborate where the pasta is seasoned with ragu, eggs and cheese for various layers .
- Recommended for : lunch
- Average cost : €12.00
- Main ingredients : meat sauce, eggs, cheese
6 – Sole alla saccense
It is a typical dish in particular, from the municipality of Sciacca, where all the cuisine is characterized by recipes based on fish, thanks to the traditional method of fishing with purse seine, also known as the fishing technique “in lampara. “, usually used for fishing for blue fish.
The sole is flavored with the typical citrus fruits, and baked in the oven with a special gratin .
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €16.00
- Main ingredients : sole, oranges, fennel
7 – Sardinian meatballs
This is a typical dish of the entire Sicilian cuisine. The sardines form a compound together with breadcrumbs, raisins, pine nuts and eggs, with which the meatballs are made , which are then fried. They can be tasted in different versions: from the more classic one with tomato, to simply fried ones, up to the recipe with onions and sweet and sour sauce.
It is a simple but irresistible dish , which we would say can be enjoyed at any time of the day, so much so that it can also be easily found in the local street food, for a sudden peckish.
- Recommended for : snack, lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : sardines, raisins, pine nuts, parsley
8 – Rabbit in sweet and sour
It is a typical recipe that can be found on all tables, especially on great occasions. The flavor of this dish is mainly enhanced when it is served lukewarm and that is why it is usually prepared in advance, sometimes even the day before. The sweet and sour taste of rabbit is given by two ingredients often used in Sicilian cuisine, namely white or red wine vinegar and sugar .
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €15.00
- Main ingredients : rabbit, olives, capers, tomato, vinegar, sugar
9 – La stigghiola
Photo of Pequod76. Typical of Sicilian street food, this stigghiola is a dish made with lamb or kid guts. On the streets of the city, it is served by the so-called stigghiulari who, with their stalls, enliven the squares by roasting the guts especially in the evening. The stigghiola is rolled up on itself, skewered, and is served with a simple seasoning of salt, lemon and parsley. Particularly appreciated is the variant of Racalmuto, a village in the province of Agrigento.
- Recommended for : snack, lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : lamb or kid guts, parsley
10 – U pitaggiu
More simply called the pitaggio, it is a side dish made with broad beans, peas and artichokes . Very frequently it is prepared as if it were a soup but its use is very varied: as we said, it can be a side dish, but also an accompaniment to rice, to which tomato is often added, or it can be used as a vegetable base for an omelette, of course also using eggs.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €9.00
- Main ingredients : peas, broad beans, artichokes
Where to eat in Agrigento: best restaurants, typical bars and street food
Staying in the city of Agrigento you can choose from a variety of restaurants to better savor the typical cuisine: in its municipalities on the coast, in fact, there will be magnificent fish, overlooking the sea.
In the hinterland, however, it will be easier to taste meat dishes and the famous traditional soups of Agrigento.
In no case, you will be able to miss the taste of the typical dishes of local street food, a real pearl, which characterizes not only the cuisine of Agrigento, but of all of Sicily. Here are the best places to eat in Agrigento .
1 – Sal8 Restaurant Bar
- Description : restaurant in the center, very close to via Atenea, with elegant and refined interiors. Specialized above all in fish-based cuisine
- Specialty : spaghetti alla chitarra with cheese, pepper and sea urchins
- Average price : from € 30.00 per person
- Address : via Cesare Battisti, 8 Agrigento – Get directions – 0922 661990
2 – Frederick II’s cutlery
- Description : in this intimate restaurant, typical Sicilian cuisine is offered through elegant and original dishes, while remaining faithful to tradition
- Specialty : red prawns with colonnata lard
- Average price : from € 35.00 per person
- Address : piazza Cavour, 19 Agrigento – Get directions – 0922 28289
3 – Enotria Goblets in the pantry
- Description : small wine shop in the heart of the historic center, along the pedestrian boulevard. It offers meat dishes and cutting boards with cold cuts and typical local products. Also recommended for an aperitif
- Specialty : Tomahawk steak
- Average price : from € 15.00 per person
- Address : via Atenea, 223 | Piazza Purgatorio, Agrigento – Get directions – 0922 27516
4 – Pititto Restaurant
- Description : restaurant in the city center, a few steps from the parking lot, offers Mediterranean cuisine with an excellent quality-price ratio
- Specialty : mixed house appetizer
- Average price : from € 35.00 per person
- Address : piazzetta Vadala, Agrigento – Get directions – 0922 29466
5 – Siculo
- Description : one of the places where you can taste the excellent Sicilian street food, this small place offers typical traditional dishes. You can sit at the tables or order food and eat it on the street
- Specialty : arancine with pistachios
- Average price : from € 8.00 per person
- Address : via Pirandello 21, Agrigento – Get directions – 0922 1881799
6 – The Terrace of the Gods
- Description : incredible location overlooking the illuminated Temple of Concord. Elegant, exclusive, certainly not cheap but ideal for indulging in a royal dinner.
- Specialty : Fresh home made lemon pappardelle with red shrimp, porcini mushrooms and sea fennel
- Average price : € 60.00 per person
- Address : Via Passeggiata Archeologica, 33 (Get directions) – 0922 596288
