Nni Lausta

The story

Nni Lausta, Lipari: Island Seafood & Tradition on Salina – Michelin Recommended

Nni Lausta: Island Cuisine, True to Itself

Since 1994, Nni Lausta has anchored the culinary identity of Salina, the greenest of the Aeolian Islands. Chef Fabio Giuffrè describes his cooking as "a passion that lasts a lifetime, cooking between past and present, like a black-and-white photograph – simple and true." That philosophy earned the restaurant a Michelin Recommended distinction for 2026.

The dining room unfolds on a covered first-floor terrace overlooking the main street of Santa Marina Salina. A vegetable garden supplies the kitchen, and the scent of herbs drifts through the air. The atmosphere is green, welcoming, unhurried.

What's on the Plate

The menu celebrates Aeolian tradition with room for creativity. Almost everything comes from the island or nearby waters – Giuffrè calls it "a nearly autarchic table." Starters include a daily ceviche, a tartare served in caper broth, and swordfish carpaccio with candied citrus, capers, and mint. Pasta is handmade: spaghetti with salted lemon and bottarga, tagliolini with fresh egg and swordfish, or short fusilli with wild fennel pesto and capers.

Main courses stay true to the source: swordfish cutlets grilled over charcoal in the Messina style, pan-fried and gratinated squid with salmoriglio, and a braised rabbit with cooked wine and almonds – an old Aeolian recipe. For dessert, a cannolo filled with ricotta, a salted mandarin cremolata, or smoked chocolate cremolata. End with a glass of local Malvasia delle Lipari DOC alongside homemade biscuits.

The Cellar

Salina is home to excellent wineries, and Nni Lausta's wine list gives them pride of place. The selection focuses on small, lesser-known producers from Salina and the larger island of Sicily – from Malvasia-based whites and ancestral method sparklings to Nero d'Avola rosés and Faro reds. Every bottle tells a story of volcanic soil and sea air.

The Bistro

On the main street, Nni Lausta also runs a small bistro – "U Stratuni" – serving a daily course of Aeolian flavours in a more informal setting. It's a natural extension of the restaurant's commitment to honest, island cooking.