De Gustibus - Maurizio

The story

De Gustibus - Maurizio: Mediterranean & Seafood in Palmi, Italy | Michelin Recommended

A Family Affair on the Calabrian Coast

In Palmi, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria, De Gustibus - Maurizio has been quietly earning its reputation since 2001. The restaurant is the life’s work of Maurizio Sciarrone, a self-taught restaurateur whose passion for cooking became his profession. Today, Maurizio runs the kitchen alongside his son Armando, while his wife Francesca and Luciano welcome guests in the dining room, son Giuseppe curates the wine cellar, and daughter Livia tends to the restaurant’s image. It is a true family operation, and that warmth carries into every dish.

Philosophy: Few Ingredients, Intense Flavor

The kitchen’s guiding principle is printed on the homepage: “Pochi ingredienti e cotture semplici che ne mantengono il sapore intenso.” Few ingredients and simple cooking that preserve intense flavor. This is Mediterranean and seafood cuisine stripped of unnecessary flourishes. The fish is fresh and local, much of the produce comes from the family’s own garden (l’orto, tended by Armando), and the olive oil is high-quality Calabrian—because, as the family mantra goes, “l’ogghiu è menzu mastru” (the oil is half the master).

The approach is one of respect for raw materials, using straightforward techniques to let each ingredient speak. The restaurant’s tagline, “Stupire senza effetti speciali” (amaze without special effects), sums up this ethos: the surprise comes from purity, not gimmicks.

Recognition and Accolades

That dedication has not gone unnoticed. De Gustibus - Maurizio earned a Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026, and in 2021 it received the “Forchetta” award from the Gambero Rosso guide. Food authority Identità Golose has described the Sciarrone family’s cooking as “one of the most effective and intense in Calabria and beyond,” praising the use of high-quality ingredients treated with a light, delicate hand.

The Experience

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, with air conditioning in summer and wheelchair access. Lunch and dinner service follow seasonal hours, and the atmosphere is elegant yet relaxed—the kind of place where the family’s care is felt at every table. Whether you come for the fresh seafood, the garden vegetables, or simply to experience a kitchen that trusts its ingredients, De Gustibus - Maurizio delivers a genuinely memorable taste of Calabria.