Gaetano Varco Restaurant in Metropolitan City of Palermo

"The first dish, a fish cheesecake, was delicious. I was worried it might be something like a fish pie, but it was a complete surprise — the combination of crouton crumbs, cheese, and fish tartare was truly unexpected. It was fresh, savory, and creamy all at once. The second dish was the grilled fish of the day, served with baked potatoes. The fish was fresh and very flavorful. The chef brought us a tray with four different types of fish available that day, and we were able to choose the one we preferred. For our daughter, the chef kindly asked what he could prepare just for her — we chose pasta with tomato and basil sauce, even though it wasn’t on the menu. For dessert, we had tiramisu and lemon parfait. While they weren’t extraordinary, they weren’t too sweet either and made for a pleasant way to end the evening. Overall, the experience was excellent. We were lucky to get a table without a reservation, as it was booked from 9 PM and we arrived at 7:30. I would definitely recommend making a reservation in advance! I was truly impressed by the fact that the chef personally spoke with every table — he seems like a very passionate and talented cook. Thank you for a great evening UPD: lunch next day We’re all not the same. We love different things and are passionate about our own interests . I don’t like sushi, but my wife does. When she orders spring rolls and maki, I take sashimi (raw pieces of salmon). Today, at Gaetano Varco Restaurant, Gaetano (the Chef) prepared for us a special appetizer. I’m not sure if it was on the menu; I didn’t ask. If you meet a true creative person, you let him cook; it’s a leap of faith. Our leap became an appetizer consisting of shrimp, scallops, (I’m sure I saw some octopus pieces) and bulgur with roasted summer squash. Why I started with sashimi? Because I got that sashimi vibe from this dish. The shrimp and scallops were fresh, maybe slightly dressed in some sauce, but that only highlighted the taste of the Mediterranean Sea. Also, I think bulgur added some balance to the dish, as an anchor or basement… hard to explain, but my tongue sought out for bulgur for saltiness and texture, and wasn’t disappointed at all. Main dish for me was a fish soup and lobster pasta for my wife. Lobster pasta was great. It wasn’t the first one we tried in Sicily, which is usually pasta and a medium-sized creature on your plate for 25€. This time, though, pasta mixed with the lobster flavor and sauce was the main dish. Lobster was there, of course, laying on the side, and it was delicious, but you don’t want to miss the pasta! Fish soup. When someone from Poland or other Balkan country thinks of fish soup, they think maybe about Ukha or Finnish Salmon Soup. Well, if you did, you will be surprised, just as I was. On my plate I’ve found not a soup, but rather the battlefield between fish of the day, a couple of king prawns, mussels, and calamari. The dish looked fantastic; fish was great. To be honest, I was full after the appetizer, so when I saw the “soup,” I thought, “Well, I won’t be able to do even half.” If it would be the same amount of meat and fries, I would be stuffed, but seafood is light, and surprisingly I managed to eat it all. I want to finish my review saying that this restaurant is exactly the type of small business we need to cultivate and protect, because people like Gaetano are a rare kind, and I’m proud I’ve met you Chef, and wish you and your place all the best!!!"

"After 6 weeks in Sicily this is by far the best fish restaurant we have had the chance to select. The antipasto crudo was excellent and the fish fresh, perfectly cooked and delicious. The chef is wonderful and the service carrying. If you ever come to Termini Immerese don’t miss this culinary highlight"

"Absolutely delicious food — every dish was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was cozy. Highly recommend this place!"

"My wife and I had a spectacular meal at Gaetano Varco! It was an oasis of elegance near the port in Termini Imerese. We were greeted warmly and seated right away. We were offered an English menu, which was very helpful. We ordered a bottle of Cremant d'Alsace, which was lovely. For our appetizers, my wife had a seafood salad and I had a cruditè cheesecake (sublime). For our meal, my wife had a tuna steak, which she said was some of the best tuna she's ever eaten, and I had the lobster fettuccine, which was amazing. The service was warm, and we were checked on personally by the chef. We highly recommend this wonderful restaurant."

"We stopped here on our way to Palermo airport. Mixed seafood starter was one of the best we had on the island, and the lobster fettuccine was amazing staff were very helpful despite our poor Italian - also very reasonably priced for such high quality."

"Superb restorant with amazing fresh food. Every dish was perfect. Chef has interaction with guests and that is great experience. Recomend!"

"Absolutely delicious food and excellent service. The best restaurant out of the 15 we visited in Sicily. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good, unique taste!"

"Perfect dinner location! Original sicilian seafood dishes served fresh and absolutely delicious! Chef is Also so polite and friendly!"