Trattoria Piccolo Napoli

"This family-owned trattoria has been open since 1951 and serves fresh seafood and traditional Sicilian cuisine. The founder handed it down to his two sons: Pippo, the current owner who continues the tradition today, and Gianni, who took off to open Corona Trattoria on his own. (Don’t bring it up—family feuds live on forever here in Sicily.) It’s located just a short walk from the Politeama Garibaldi Theater, so head here before or after a show for some sweet-and-sour eggplant caponata, panelle chickpea fritters, and the daily catch, which might include shrimp, squid, or swordfish. " - linda sarris

"This family-owned trattoria has been open since 1951 and serves fresh seafood and traditional Sicilian cuisine. The founder handed it down to his two sons: Pippo, the current owner who continues the tradition today, and Gianni, who took off to open Corona Trattoria on his own. (Don’t bring it up—family feuds live on forever here in Sicily.) It’s located just a short walk from the so head here before or after a show for some sweet-and-sour eggplant caponata, fried sardines and tiny calamaretti, panelle chickpea fritters, and the daily catch, which might include shrimp, squid, orata, red mullet, or swordfish. " - Linda Sarris

Bourdain ate: panelli (fritter made from chickpeas), caponata (sweet and sour eggplant), spaghetti al nero di seppia (spaghetti in cuttlefish ink), casarecce al pescespada (pasta with swordfish, eggplant, and tomatoes) Lunch date: Mary Taylor Simeti, food writer and author of On Persephone’s Island: a Sicilian Journal

And if you want an amazing fish meal in a clean, enclosed environment, head to Piccolo Napoli. This family run establishment serves outstanding fish dishes in Borgo Vecchio. It is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and Thursday to Saturday for dinner. Booking is essential on the weekends, as palermitani flock for polpo bollito (boiled octopus), spaghetti con i ricci (with sea urchin roe), and involtini di spatola (filets of scabbard fish rolled around breadcrumbs, pine nuts and currants). Save room for a few buccellati (the original fig newton!) and cassata brought in from Pasticceria Oscar.