I Giardini dei Rodo

The story

I Giardini dei Rodo – Pantelleria: Modern Sicilian Cuisine in a Family Dammuso

I Giardini dei Rodo sits within the ancient walls of a family dammuso on the island of Pantelleria. The Rodo family has tended this land since the early 1800s, growing capers, harvesting zibibbo grapes, and gathering olives. In 2015, they restored the old dammuso and opened a restaurant that draws on that same sense of place.

The dining room is set among orange trees in a garden that shelters guests from the wind. The atmosphere is unhurried, rooted in the rhythms of the island. The kitchen takes its cues from the local larder, but the cooking is not strictly traditional. It is modern Sicilian cuisine – creative, precise, and always anchored to the ingredients that grow and are caught here.

The Michelin guide has recognised this approach, recommending I Giardini dei Rodo for its thoughtful expression of the island’s character. The menu changes with the seasons, but some dishes capture the spirit beautifully: a tartare of tomato with vegan feta and black olive powder, or busiate pasta with pesto pantesco, mozzarella cream, and crispy courgette chips. The “Absolute Red Tuna” offers a tasting of the fish in different textures, with tomato water and avocado cream. Desserts are equally inventive – a capers semifreddo drizzled with warm chocolate, or the “Dammuso” of soft chocolate cake, ricotta mousse, and a heart of Passito di Pantelleria.

The wine list focuses on local and regional bottles, and the aperitivo at sunset is a ritual in itself. The restaurant is also available for private events, catering, and takeaway, but the essence of the place is the evening meal shared under the orange trees, where the flavours of Pantelleria are expressed with a lightness and confidence that feels both contemporary and deeply connected to the land.