Arte e Vino In

05/07/2025: Let me set the scene: it’s 19:30 on a warm June evening, the kind where the sky melts into gold, a breeze wraps around you like a silk scarf, and swallows swoop through the air like they were choreographed just for your arrival. You take a tiny glass elevator to the top floor of the Grand Hotel Ortigia and boom—you step into one of the most elegant rooftop settings in Sicily. We had called just the day before to book and were lucky to find a spot (end of June = still doable, but I’d reserve ahead if you’re coming in high season). We were seated on the terrace—front-row seats to the most cinematic sunset over Ortigia, with boats drifting in the background and the sea stretching endlessly before us. The food? Let’s talk about that polpo. “Polpo doppia cottura su crema di patate” sounds poetic—and it is. Tender, rich, and the kind of dish you order as a secondo but secretly wish you could eat for every course. Then came the pasta: pistachio pesto and shelled clams swimming in a vibrant green sauce. Balanced, bright, and exactly what summer on a Sicilian rooftop should taste like. Service was very professional. We sat outside on the terrace, but there’s also refined indoor seating if the weather doesn’t play nice. We parked at Parcheggio Molo Sant’Antonio using EasyPark (about a 10-minute scenic walk along the lungomare) it’s large, easy, and feels like part of the experience. There may be closer options, but the stroll is worth it. Would I go again? In a heartbeat. And next time, I’m ordering dessert too.

29/06/2025: My son and I came for my birthday dinner. Service was grand. We were dressed casually with no problem. The grouper fish and the veal were very good as well as the steamed shrimp. Drinks were ridiculously priced. $20 for a mojito and $26 for a suggested italian gin and tonic. The views are amazing.