About Osteria dei Vespri
Osteria dei Vespri has occupied a corner of Palazzo Gangi, at Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6 in old Palermo, since 1999. The palace is the one Luchino Visconti used for the ballroom scene in The Leopard; the restaurant's cellar sits in its former stables. It is run by chef-patron Alberto Rizzo with his brother Andrea front of house — a family kitchen rather than a hotel operation.
Rizzo's cooking joins his northern training to Sicilian produce. The signatures are a calamarata pasta with 'nduja and a red tuna fillet in a Nebrodi-hazelnut crust; the fullest expression is an eight-course tasting menu at €150, with a la carte plates running roughly €28 to €35. The wine cellar — more than 650 Italian and international labels in the palace stables — is as much the draw as the food.
It carries a Michelin Guide listing, marked with the guide's comfort symbols rather than stars, and a long-standing reputation as one of Palermo's serious tables. The setting — a quiet piazza, a historic palazzo, a deep cellar — makes it a destination for an occasion rather than a quick meal in the old town.
The Room
The restaurant occupies a measured, classic room within Palazzo Gangi, opening onto the quiet Piazza Croce dei Vespri, with the wine cellar carved into the palace's old stables below. It is formal without being stiff, and the family ownership keeps the service personal — Andrea Rizzo runs a floor that knows the long list well.
Why It's Good for Proposal
It works for a proposal because the setting is hard to beat — a historic Palermo palazzo on a quiet piazza, a long tasting menu, and one of Sicily's great cellars to mark the moment. The family service is warm and attentive, the pace is slow, and the room is grand without tipping into hotel-restaurant formality.
Not For
Not for a quick or low-budget meal, or for anyone after a casual Palermo street-food night — this is a special-occasion room where the tasting menu runs to €150, the cellar invites a real wine spend, and the evening is built around a long, multi-course pace rather than a fast plate of pasta.
Common Questions
Who is the chef at Osteria dei Vespri? Osteria dei Vespri is run by chef-patron Alberto Rizzo, who has cooked there since 1999, with his brother Andrea running the dining room. Rizzo combines northern Italian training with Sicilian produce, and the family ownership — kitchen and floor between the two brothers — is a large part of the restaurant's consistency and personal feel.
What should I order at Osteria dei Vespri? The signature dishes are the calamarata pasta with 'nduja and the red tuna fillet in a Nebrodi-hazelnut crust. The fullest way to eat is the eight-course tasting menu at €150, while a la carte plates run roughly €28 to €35. Whatever you order, lean on the sommelier — the cellar holds more than 650 labels in the palace's old stables.
How much does Osteria dei Vespri cost? The eight-course tasting menu is €150 per person before wine, and a la carte main plates run roughly €28 to €35. With a serious cellar of more than 650 labels on hand, wine can add considerably to the bill. It sits firmly in special-occasion territory for Palermo rather than at an everyday trattoria price point.
Where is Osteria dei Vespri? The restaurant is at Piazza Croce dei Vespri 6 in old Palermo, set within Palazzo Gangi — the palace Visconti used for the ballroom scene in The Leopard. The cellar occupies the palace's former stables. It sits on a quiet piazza away from the busiest streets, and booking ahead is advised for the tasting menu.
Community Reviews
Share your experience at Osteria dei Vespri, vote on the best occasion, and join the community of occasion-driven diners.
Sign In or Register