The best way to explore the streets of Palermo is by eating your way through them! This blog post will discuss 15 street foods that are found throughout the city. You’ll find everything from seafood to meatballs, all expertly prepared and served up with a smile. So grab your appetite, get ready for some amazing street food, and let’s go exploring!
Sfincione
When it comes to Palermo’s street food, sfincione is definitely one of the most unique. Served up at just about every bakery in town, this delicious dish consists of a thick pizza-like base topped with tomato sauce and cheese before being baked slowly until golden brown.
Once ready, you’ll be able to see why this dish is such a local favorite as the cheese and sauce combined with the thick bread combine for one delicious meal.
Spleen sandwich
Alright, so this might not be the most pleasant sounding dish but trust us when I say it’s worth a try. While you won’t find many places serving up spleen sandwiches in Palermo these days, those that do have been doing it for decades and it is definitely a local favorite.
They are often served up for breakfast, so if you want to start your day off with something unique this is definitely the way to go!
Arancini
Even if you aren’t a huge rice fan, you have to try arancini while visiting Palermo. These deep-fried balls of risotto are filled with either meat or cheese and make for the perfect snack throughout your day. It’s even better when paired with a glass of wine, so be sure to stop at one of the many stalls selling these tasty treats and enjoy!
Stigghiola
While this may not be the most appetizing-sounding dish, stigghiola is definitely worth a try if you are looking for some traditional Palermo street food. This casserole consists of lamb intestines wrapped around offal and cooked slowly until tender. Once ready to eat, it’s sliced up into thick pieces that pair nicely with a side of bread.
Pasta alla Norma
As if Palermo wasn’t already delicious enough with all the street food, now it’s time to take a look at some of their amazing pasta dishes. Pasta alla Norma is definitely one of the most famous and consists of long pasta cooked in a rich tomato sauce along with fried eggplant slices. If you love pasta, this dish will quickly become a new favorite!
Pasta con le Sarde
Another delicious pasta dish to try out while visiting Palermo is the classic Pasta con le Sarde. This tasty meal consists of sardines, pine nuts, raisins, and other spices cooked up into a paste before being added to noodles. It’s then topped with bread crumbs for that extra crunch you’re looking for.
Boiled Octopus
While some might think it’s odd, boiled octopus is definitely one of the most popular street foods in Palermo. This dish is made up of a steamed octopus served alongside potatoes and parsley in some amazing sauce. It’s a dish that has been enjoyed by locals for decades and one you won’t soon forget!
Sarde a Beccafico
When it comes to Palermo’s street food, sarde a beccafico is probably one of the most iconic. This dish consists of sardines stuffed with bread crumbs, pine nuts, and spices before being deep-fried to perfection. They are then finished off with a generous amount of olive oil which gives them an incredible flavor that pairs nicely with the crispy exterior.
Babbaluci
While not for everyone, babbaluci is always a crowd pleaser. While snails might sound unappetizing to some people, these little guys are cooked up and tossed with garlic and parsley before being served alongside bread or pasta as an appetizer. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this delicacy if you’re visiting Palermo.
Cuttlefish Spaghetti
Another pasta dish to try out while visiting Palermo is the popular cuttlefish spaghetti. This tasty meal consists of noodles cooked in a rich tomato sauce along with cuttlefish, some garlic, and oil before being served up with black ink from squid or cuttlefish.
Despite not having much flavor on its own, you’ll quickly learn why this ingredient has become so popular over the years.
Frittata Di Carciofi
This is one of those dishes that you don’t want to miss out on while visiting Palermo. This dish consists of artichokes that have been boiled and then mixed together with eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, salt, pepper before being fried up into this tasty casserole which is then cut up into wedges.
Cannoli
Not only is Palermo’s street food delicious, but so are some of their desserts! One dessert that you don’t want to miss out on while in Palermo is the classic Cannoli.
This tasty treat consists of a crispy shell filled with rich mascarpone cheese along with powdered sugar and bits of chocolate before being finished off with some candied fruit or pistachios on top for that extra crunch. While it’s definitely one of Palermo’s most popular desserts, it’s also one of the most delicious.
Cassata
Another popular dessert to try out while visiting Palermo is the classic Cassata. This traditional dish consists of creamy ricotta and chocolate covered sponge cake which has been soaked in liqueur before being served up with a generous amount of icing on top.
It’s then garnished with candied fruit, chocolate shavings, and other goodies before being served.
Granita
There is no better way to end this list than with the delicious and refreshing Granita. This tasty treat is made up of crushed ice and flavors such as lemon, strawberry, or chocolate. It’s then topped with whipped cream before being served up in a cup for you to enjoy!
Final Words
Palermo’s street food is more than just delicious, it’s also some of the most iconic in all of Italy. With dishes like “sarde a beccafico” and babbaluci to cannoli and cassata, there are plenty of tasty treats for you to try out while visiting Palermo. It doesn’t matter if your palate can handle them or not – these foods are worth trying at least once!
