‹ 25 small cities with big food › No. 20
Small city, big food · No. 20 of 25
Photo: Chef AmazingOrtigia, the island old town, has a morning market where the best sandwich in Sicily is made to order, and a Michelin star around the corner. Our story is the sandwich.
A Borderi sandwich and raw red prawns

Get: Say "chef's choice" for the sandwich, then the cheese and salumi platter if you are two or more. Add tricotta, the baked ricotta.
Our own story. A family cheese shop at the edge of the market, where Andrea Borderi builds giant sandwiches by hand from fresh mozzarella, ricotta, salumi and grilled vegetables. Go at ten, take it to go and eat on the wall by the water. (chefamazing.com)
Get: A mixed tagliere of Sicilian cheese and salumi with an Etna Bianco, or a panino
The sit-down answer to Borderi, a few steps away. A salumeria since 1978, with barrels to sit at and a deep counter of pecorino, goat cheese, tricotta and bottarga. (gamberorossointernational.com)
Get: The tasting menu, with bonito and red prawn from Ortigia and the sausage and cauliflower ravioli
The only Michelin star in the city, and the first in its history. Young chef Giuseppe Torrisi cooks in a 17th-century palace courtyard, and the wine list is one of the island's best. (lasicilia.it)
Get: The sirens' spaghetti with prawns and sea urchin
Open since 1985 under Giovanni Guarneri, in a vaulted Catalan-style cellar of rooms. Gambero Rosso names it for deep knowledge of raw ingredients and a very good cellar. (gamberorossointernational.com)
Our story city: Caseificio Borderi.
Places checked November 14, 2026; hours and menus change. "A photo like it" is the same kind of food, not from that place. Nobody pays to be on our lists.
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Researched and published by Chef Amazing, from our own stories, this year’s critics and food press, and a check that each place is open. Nobody pays to be on our lists: how we pick. Spot something wrong? Tell us and we fix it.