If you're looking for something special and different--and Osteria Rosso Divino was the perfect…read morechoice. The restaurant came highly recommended by our Italian travel agent, and even without a reservation, we were warmly welcomed and seated right away. A lovely woman came to our table to walk us through the day's specials, especially the fresh fish options. She enthusiastically described how the catch of the day could be prepared, and we chose the red snapper served two ways: one half with toasted bread crumbs and orange citrus, and the other half Sicilian-style with olives, raisins, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Both preparations were absolutely outstanding--fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Later, we learned that the woman who so passionately described the menu was actually the owner, which made the experience feel even more personal and memorable. If you're in Taormina, do not miss this place. The food and service were both five-star, and it was a delicious, heartfelt way to start or end our trip.

KenScale: 8.0/10 Visit: June 2023…read more Last year, my wife Jun and I spent a summer vacation in Sicily. Sicily had long been on our travel wish list, and the recent White Lotus TV show only heightened that desire to check out this beautiful island. Just like the characters in White Lotus, our main base was in the resort town of Taormina (although we didn't stay at the exact same Four Seasons hotel, we were very happy with our choice of Hotel Villa Ducale with breathtaking views of the coastline and Mount Etna). It was truly a wonderful summer trip of beach club, wine tasting in Mount Etna and other stops in Noto, Siracusa and Ragusa following our stay in Taormina. On the other hand, maybe it was we were in mostly touristy areas or my faulty research but it is hard to say we had a truly memorable meal in some of the restaurants we had visited in Sicily. One restaurant we did like a lot (thanks to the recommendation of the hotel we were staying at) was Osteria RossoDiVino in Taormina. We visited the restaurant on our second day in Taormina after a full day at the beach club. The food was mostly delicious with one standout item that Jun and I can't stop thinking about. The restaurant is located away from the touristy center of Taormina in a hidden alley. Just like a typical Sicilian restaurant, the menu is focused on seafood, and our server brought a giant plate of fish that were caught that day. If there is one item that you absolutely need to try at RossoDiVino, it is the fried anchovies with white mayonnaise. Jun doesn't even like anchovies that much but the ones at the restaurant were rather large and fried to perfection. We would've been perfectly happy eating just these without anything else for the rest of the night. We also opted to split one of the pasta specials on the blackboard, linguine all'astice with lobster. It was somewhat pricey at 40 euros (especially with a rather modest portion) but a pretty solid dish. Among the catch of the day options, we chose a bigeye fish cooked Sicilian stew style using tomato broth that was simple yet well-executed. Since we were in Sicily, we felt compelled to try some cannoli with ricotta cheese and RossoDiVino's dish was not disappointing, especially with a glass of fortified Sicilian wine of marsala. The restaurant's outdoor space is not large so if you want to book for prime-time dinner during a busy touristy season, making a reservation in advance is highly recommended (the restaurant doesn't seem to have reservations available via one of the restaurant reservation websites but if you are staying at a hotel, you can ask them for help in securing a reservation by phone like we did). Sicily's wines have been getting worldwide recognition for a while and RossoDiVino's selection from a variety of regions in the island is excellent for exploring the versatile terroir of these wines. Thanks to the restaurant's location, we didn't feel like we were dining at a touristy trap and it was great to have a relaxing summer meal in a charming outdoor seating without all the noise coming from the main street of Corso Umberto. As beautiful as Taormina is as a vacation destination, its food scene may not be what you would the best from Sicily, but if there is one restaurant that is worth checking out, I would say RossoDiVino is one such place.

Food was just okay and barely enticing. I took most of it to go and did not eat it after I got it…read morehome. The service however was good and I did feel that the staff cared; do go to this location and not the other villa zuccaro in the garden. The location in the garden has trash service but this place was better. They had no business the entire time i was there; after trying the food...I know why

My friend said "you can give them zero, if that's possible"…read more Overpriced for the low quality food. Super touristy. Menu caters to the American palate. Hard bread. Service isn't the best. Had to open our own bottle of water and pour it. Wine is a house wine at best. At the end we were served a yellow after dinner drink... "I wish they never brought it" -my friend. Lol. When we saw that it was on the main street, we were extremely reluctant but with over a thousand reviews averaging 4.4 stars on Google Maps, we tried it anyways. Should have trusted our instincts. Also, the photos posted on their review page aren't of current menu items.

Bee lined for this place due to the reviews. The views from our seats inside were amazing. Only had…read moretime to order a Ham and Mushroom pizza. Thin, crispy and it was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend this place. We were cruising at had to be back to our meeting point at 12:55 so we had little time to enjoy the food and view. A must go!!!!

Great pasta and awesome pizza. The crust is to die for. The service here is really really great…read more Beautiful views overlooking the water. Best pizza so far.

What a great find. A family run, homey little spot with delicious, affordable choices, friendly…read morestaff and the freshest food you can imagine. Pastas, pizzas, gnocchi, fish and meat are all wonderful. I have special affection for the almond parfait, an ice cream type cake with the thinnest sliced almonds and chocolate sauce. Yum. Unexpectedly in a resort destination.

Meal was very nice waiters most attentive, there were ten for dinner and all the food came out…read moretogether. The location and view is great. Definitely worth a trip out ample seating inside if the temperature is low.

Absolutely INCREDIBLE food. Best food we've had since we have been to Sicily. The swordfish rolls…read morego crazy, I can't recommend this place enough. SO good

Very friendly staff, good price, tasty food, recommended!…read more We enjoyed the pasta with good Messina Beer near the sea. Also recommended for groups.

Loved this place for the view AND the food! Not enough people giving the food here praise, as I…read morethought everything we got was delicious. Pasta seemed fresh, the sauces were good, the servers were attentive and spoke English, and it was very clean inside. Yes it's a little pricier, averaging maybe around €40 a person, but it's one of the best upscale places in the area with a STUNNING view of the ocean, so you get what you pay for. I recommend for a relaxed meal with friends or a date, and go during the day so you see the be view.

We loved this place and came twice during our stay. The view is breathtaking and we found the…read moreservice friendly and competent. We were not rushed and could have stayed until breakfast. The local pasta special with sardines is delicious. Cooked perfectly and not overbearing. The pizza ( four cheese) was so tasty with Gorgonzola cheese being the highlight. Go with the wheat crust. Ample selection of wines to complement a varied menu too. Prices are average for Taormina. Enjoy!

We really enjoyed the wine selection, their fried cheese was delicious, and overall we had a good…read moremeal. Pasta sauce was immaculate and flavors were memorable. Highly recommend!

Be aware - it is incredibly unlikely you will be able to just walk in, even if you don't mind…read morewaiting. There are very few tables and reservations fill up fast. Once our attempt to walk in did not pan out we made a res for the next day, they still had a few tables. I think they really only do one seating (not confirmed, just a guess based on our experience) so even if you walk in and see an empty table...you won't get it without a res. All that out of the way, the food and wine were both fantastic. We got the Pasta Nonna and the Swordfish, both of which were delicious. I would also definitely recommend getting the pistachio tiramisu, that was probably the highlight of the whole meal if we had to pick something. The ambiance is great, it's off the main streets and down some stairs so it's quiet, and when we were there they were also playing some nice live music. While there are definitely a lot of great options in Taormina, I would put TT in the top 5 of any list you make.

Excellent, authentic menu with an incredible terrace and view of Mt. Etna. We had a very patient…read moreand attentive server who made several good food and drink recommendations. Be warned, if you take the stairs up to the top of the hill, it is a very long vertical walk. Not for everyone!

We are so happy with our choice of restaurant selection in Al Saraceno! It's best to make a…read morereservation in advance for optimal table selection as the restaurant has a beautiful patio seating, with amazing views overlooking Mount Etna. One item to note though is if you are walking on foot from the heart of Etna, there are steps and not just a small amount, it's a lot (think of a huge hike) so just be mindful of that. My husband and I work out a lot and it was not an easy task for either of us. When we arrived, we made it a few minutes before our reservation and were promptly seated for dinner on the patio, and the views throughout the entire meal were absolutely amazing! The restaurant servers were all so friendly and welcoming and answered any questions we had. We ordered a bottle of wine from the Mount Etna area to start as we wanted to try a wine from the area. They had wine pricing of all options and varieties. For starters, we ordered the wild boar pasta (22 Euros) and the Taglioni with pistachio cream (22 Euros). All of the pasta was OMG so fresh and homemade, it was all outstanding! We also ordered the Sea bass filet (28 Euros) and it was also fresh from the area as well and also truly outstanding. For dessert, we ordered the deconstructed cannoli (10 Euros) and the presentation and quality was also outstanding and very fresh. The entire meal and service were outstanding and very memorable. The owner closed out our check at the end and thanked us for our visit, and it was truly an amazing and friendly family establishment. Definitely try to stop by for a meal if you're in the Taormina area!