Trattoria La Canonica In Catania

The place is very quiet, not in the mainstream area but close to it. The owner is the waiter and he was sitting outside, doesnt speak english, only a few words. We ordered pasta with sea urchins and swordfish rolls. The pasta was great and enough but they gave us only 2 swordfish rolls for €18 and an additional €5 for side dish (which he didn’t mention was extra money, i thought it was included with the rolls). For dessert the tiramisu was a bit modern (with chocolate sauce and powder sugar), small and expensive also.

Had a few beers and the grilled squid. It was delicious and the service was incredibly charming.

For over 60 years, a point of reference for culinary tradition. Authentic flavors, typical recipes and a history built on passion, quality and a connection to the territory. A place where true traditional cuisine continues to live, maintaining its identity intact over time. 2 people: a trio as an appetizer: a pasta alla norma, a mixed roast fish, fish meatballs, a lemon sorbet and two small cannoli accompanied by almond wine 90 euros

Quick service, great recommendations, fresh seafood, tasty and confident dishes. Washroom was nice and clean. They gave us free limoncello shots at the end with some candied nuts :).

Excellent. Besides the great quality and service, it's reasonably priced, and the interior is like a museum. Impressive. It's definitely worth having lunch or dinner there in that atmosphere.

Great service and delicious food! Rizotto is a must!

The cook of the restaurant is a master of seafood. Order any of the seafood dishes and you will be blown away by the balance flavors. We had the whole restaurant for ourselves on a thursday evening. It doesn't get better than that. Thank you.

Tucked away on a narrow side street, just steps from the Piazza del Duomo, Trattoria La Canonica almost hides from the casual observer. Those who find it don't simply enter a restaurant, but rather a space that feels more like a collection of lived memories. Via Raddusa appears unassuming, yet behind the door unfolds a world of objects, relics, and found items, seemingly gathered from diverse times and places. It's a place that breathes stories – not primped or staged, but idiosyncratic and personal. The space itself feels less curated than organically grown. Among antique furniture, old photographs, and curious objects, one almost loses one's bearings, yet it never descends into chaos. Instead, the impression arises of moving within a private cosmos that reveals much about its owner. On this particular evening, he was present himself, a host of quiet presence, far removed from the usual bustling restaurant atmosphere. Perhaps taciturn, but by no means inattentive – more like someone who observes rather than imposes himself. Mid-February doesn't seem to be a time for large crowds. For long stretches, we were the only guests, which lent the atmosphere an almost intimate, almost otherworldly tranquility. Only as we were leaving did two other visitors arrive. This emptiness, however, didn't feel strange, but rather underscored the character of the place: unhurried, a little out of time. The food was pleasantly down-to-earth. The cuisine is clearly rooted in Sicilian traditions, with carefully prepared classics and ingredients that reflect freshness and regionality. So, in the end, it's not so much a single dish that lingers in the memory as the overall feeling: a place that doesn't try too hard, that is unique, and precisely for that reason, resonates. We felt comfortable, well cared for, without any fuss – and perhaps therein lay its special charm.

Outdoor seating in a less traveled street. Food was really good. We had the Pasta Norma and Gnocchi del Sorrentina. Friends had other dishes: carbonara, bolognese and pizza. No complaints. They split the bill for us which hasn’t been too common in Italy.

Based on online recommendations, we decided to dine at "La Canonica" in the hope of having a great dinner. Since it wasn’t exactly peak tourist season, we were the only guests in the restaurant (7 people: 3 children and 4 adults), which initially gave us a bit of concern. However, our worries were quickly put to rest within the first ten minutes by the owner’s attitude, and later completely dispelled by both the delicious food and his kindness. Thank you for the wonderful gastronomic experience and for the warm hospitality shown to us — including, of course, the final Limoncello… 🙂 I wholeheartedly recommend "La Canonica." If we have the chance, we will definitely return.