Otto Geleng — Sicilian / Mediterranean, Taormina
Otto Geleng occupies a position of extraordinary historical resonance within the Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, positioned opposite the ancient Greco-Roman theatre that has defined Taormina’s identity for two millennia. The restaurant takes its name from the 19th-century German painter who arrived in Taormina in 1865 and spent the rest of his life painting the view — a view that remains, from the restaurant’s terraces, essentially unchanged.
Chef Roberto Toro runs a kitchen organised around notably short tasting menus — four to six courses — that respect the guest’s time and the restaurant’s conviction that every dish must justify its inclusion rather than contributing merely to length. The salted cod preparation, which appears consistently in different seasonal iterations, demonstrates a commitment to technique applied to a humble ingredient that is characteristic of Toro’s approach. The risotto with wild herbs, cuttlefish, and lime is among the most technically accomplished dishes in Sicily.
The Belmond hotel setting means that the experience at Otto Geleng extends beyond the restaurant itself — the arrival through the hotel’s gardens, the view of the theatre from the terrace, the quality of the service that a Belmond property maintains. The Michelin star confirms what the setting already implies: this is a kitchen operating at the level its address demands.
Otto Geleng is the restaurant for visitors to Taormina who want to combine the town’s most famous historical site with a meal of the highest quality. The position opposite the Greco-Roman theatre means that the conversation about where you are and why it matters is built into the physical experience of the evening.
Best Occasion: Impress Clients
The Michelin star, the Belmond address, and the position opposite one of the ancient world’s most impressive surviving theatres combine to produce the most historically and gastronomically charged client dinner available in Taormina. The shorter tasting menu format is respectful of business schedules while delivering the quality that the occasion requires.
Best Occasion: Birthday
A significant birthday dinner at Otto Geleng — the theatre visible across the bay, the Michelin-starred kitchen working at its best, the Belmond service managing the evening with its characteristic professionalism — is a celebration that earns its place in memory. Contact the hotel in advance to arrange any specific details.