Regina Lucia

The story

Regina Lucia | Modern Italian Cuisine in Ortigia, Siracusa | Michelin Recommended

A noble setting on Piazza Duomo

On the island of Ortigia, in the heart of Siracusa, Regina Lucia occupies the piano nobile of a 1700s baroque palace. The dining room opens onto Piazza Duomo, one of Sicily’s most extraordinary squares. The architecture alone would be reason to linger, but the kitchen gives equal cause.

Contemporary Italian, rooted in tradition

Regina Lucia opened in the summer of 2016, born from what the team calls a balanced synthesis of innovative flair and tradition. The cuisine is modern Italian — or, as they describe it, “cucina italiana contemporanea in continua evoluzione.” This is Modern Cuisine that respects its foundations while looking forward.

The kitchen is led by chefs Salvo Calleri and Roberta Gallo, with assistant chef Giuseppe Cerruto. Their menu changes with the seasons and the market, but the approach remains consistent: clean flavours, precise technique, and a deep sense of place.

What’s on the plate

First courses include a sformatino of cavati pasta with cherry tomato sauce, eggplant, and crispy basil; shellfish ravioli with Pesto Ibleo (the local herb pesto) and almond powder; and ricotta ravioli with cherry tomato sauce and flakes of Ragusano cheese. For those who want something more robust, the Tumminia wheat tagliolini with red mullet ragù, pine nuts, sultanas, and fennel is a standout.

Second courses are equally seafood-focused. A pistachio-crusted sea bass with Matalotta-style crushed potatoes; thyme-cured ombrina fish served in its own broth with baked potato quenelle; cod fillet with emulsified extra-virgin olive oil and sautéed spinach; and a lightly seared tuna steak with almond and pistachio caponata.

A Michelin-recognised address

Regina Lucia’s consistent quality has earned it a Michelin Recommended distinction — a quiet nod that this is a restaurant worth seeking out. The setting, the cooking, and the welcome all align. It is fine dining without stiffness, a place where contemporary Italian cuisine feels both ambitious and entirely at home.