The story
Chef Giuseppe Costa’s Il Bavaglino opened in August 2008 between the port and the beach of Terrasini. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2014 and has held it since – a recognition of Costa’s refined, contemporary cooking rooted in Sicilian tradition.
The dining room is an elegant arched space with tufo stone accents and a large fireplace that warms the cooler months. Outside, the terrace sits right by the sea, shaded by two olive trees and offering views of the Faraglioni della Praiola. Both rooms have direct visual contact with the kitchen through glass panels, allowing guests to watch Costa’s team at work.
Costa’s path to this kitchen was long. Born in Alcamo in 1982, he trained at the hotel institute in Trapani, then worked in Trentino, Brussels, and in Italy alongside Heinz Beck, Pino Lavarra at the two-Michelin-starred Rosselinis, Alfredo Chiocchetti at Scrigno del Duomo, and Carlo Cracco in Milan. He returned to Sicily to express everything he had learned, using the products of his own land.
The cuisine is contemporary, yet it honours the flavours of Sicily – the colours, the sea, the sun. Costa’s technique is precise, his ingredients local. He describes his cooking as a way to preserve the habits of a time gone by, updated with modern skill. The result is a menu that feels both of its place and of its time.
Il Bavaglino also shares its space with Salotto sul Mare, a seaside bistrot that earned a Bib Gourmand in 2024. But the main restaurant remains the flagship: a place for a full tasting experience, with a curated wine list, outdoor seating for warm evenings, and an atmosphere that is both intimate and open to the sea.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
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