Best Arancini in Palermo

Arancini is a beloved, traditional Sicilian street food and a must-try dish to include your Palermo food tour. It touches on the relationship between Italian rice culture and Sicily’s long historical connection to the Arab world.

These deep-fried rice balls are typically stuffed with mozzarella, meaty ragù, or spinach and béchamel sauce. Yet there are tons of chefs who use arancini as the vehicle for all kinds of creative fillings that celebrate Palermo as a truly international city.

The History and Origins of Arancini

Arancini’s history is deeply rooted in Sicily’s diverse influences from Arab culture, its relationship with Italy, and the other Mediterranean cultures. This starts with Arab rule over the island from the 9th to the 11th century when rice was first introduced to Sicily.

During that era, rice was cultivated in areas surrounding modern-day Palermo and Catania. It was often flavored with saffron or other spices and served with meats similar to the ragu you sometimes find stuffed inside contemporary arancini.

During the European Middle Ages Sicily was integrated with Norman and Spanish influences, which further altered the culinary landscape. This is the period when the rice introduced by the Arabs was shaped into balls and fried. It’s believed that the modern breadcrumb coating was added to help preserve the arancini rice balls and make them easier to transport.

It’s believed that fillings were introduced later when access to proteins became more prevalent in the working class. Moving into the 20th century these fillings became more creative to fully celebrate arancini’s culinary potential.

Where to Find the Best Arancini in Palermo

Palermo is loaded with street food vendors, trattorias, and fine-dining restaurants of every kind offering some of the best arancini in all of Sicily.

Famous Street Food Stalls

There are tons of street food stalls, and bars offering to-go arancini to consider, but I think these are your best options in Palermo. 

Sfrigola Palermo is known for their artisanal arancini, sometimes offering up to 30 varieties with different fillings. Some of the most popular and unique include swordfish with eggplant, mint, and provolone. The arancini are prepared in an open kitchen, ensuring freshness and giving you the opportunity to see your rice balls being made.

Photo credit: Ke Palle

Ke Palle offers a wide variety of arancini made with traditional and creative modern flavors. Some of their more popular options include salmon and pistachio with scamorza cheese. However, the fillings often change with the season. They also have vegan arancini options to cater to people with special dietary needs.

Renowned Cafés and Restaurants

Photo credit: Friggitoria da Davide

Friggitoria da Davide has visually stunning arancini presentations for pic-worthy social media posts. Their arancini lean more toward a fine dining experience than street food. However, they’re typically included on the appetizer menu, which gives you the opportunity to try their arancini on a pit stop, without having to go all-in on a fancy dinner experience.

Donnafranca is an elegant café and pastry shop offering elevated arancini to tourists and Palermo locals. There are 16 different fillings to choose from, which can change with what’s best and in-season. I love to pick up a variety of them to go. Then take them back to my vacation rental where I can enjoy them at my leisure.

Photo credit: Laboratorio Martino

Laboratorio Martino is a pastry shop and bakery offering a wide range of arancini. The rice balls are often available in the morning as well, which can make for an interesting breakfast stop. They are one of the top places to go on the much-celebrated “Arancini Day.”

Local Favorites in Palermo’s Neighborhoods

Photo credit: Bar Rosanero

Bar Rosanero is beloved by locals for their “Arancina Bomba,” which is a super-sized version of arancini. One of the things I appreciate about this approach is that you get a much more generous filling, to truly satisfy your hunger. It also washes down perfectly with a cold beer or a wine spritzer.

Antica Focacceria San Francesco is one of Palermo’s historic gems. They are best known for their panelle and cazzilli, and some of the most authentic arancini in all of Sicily. Every square inch of the place exudes old-world charm making it popular with tourists and locals alike.

Photo credit: Sfrigola Palermo

Sfrigola Palermo is a local favorite for arancini. They offer over 30 different fillings based on what’s seasonal and best. It’s a go-to place for the people of Palermo who want to celebrate the bounty of the land.   

Popular Arancini Variations in Palermo

There are so many popular variations of arancini available at the restaurants, bars, and street food stalls of Palermo. The following are some of my favorites, which will give you a good taste of what these rice balls can be.

Arancini with Mozzarella & Tomato

The default arancini filling you’ll find most on the streets of Palermo is stuffed with mozzarella and sometimes tomato. It’s a filling and flavorful way to taste arancini for the first time.

Arancini with Ragu

One of my favorite arancini fillings is meaty, rich ragu. This is often leftover ragu from Sunday gravy, and you’re more likely to find it on Mondays and Tuesdays. I love how the rich tomato sauce and meat of the ragu saturates the rice at the center of the ball.

A’bburro

A’bburro is a type of arancini filling that’s extremely popular with the locals of Palermo. It’s stuffed with gooey mozzarella and smoky ham which gives it a lot of body and belly-filling potential.

Alla Norma

This arancini filling is inspired by the classic pasta dish of the same name. It combines eggplant, tomato, and smoked ricotta to create a vegetarian arancini. Some restaurants will leave the ricotta out to create a vegan Alla Norma.

Pumpkin & Pecorino

This is a seasonal arancini filling that highlights the flavors of autumn in Sicily. When I see it offered, I grab it immediately. It has a next-level creaminess that you rarely find in other types of arancini.

Spinach and Gorgonzola

This is a modern filling creation that a local Palermo chef tried out. It caught on like wildfire and you’ll find it everywhere. Especially in the spring. The earthy spinach with the sharpness of gorgonzola cheese.

How to Enjoy Arancini Like a Local

Locals enjoy arancini at all levels from a simple street food snack to appetizer and fine dining cuisine. So, when you’re in Palermo, there’s not really a wrong way to enjoy arancini. However, locals tend to eat them more as a mid-morning snack or a light lunch.

If you’re taking a walking tour of attractions near a street market or a pub that’s popular with the locals, arancini is a great snack to fuel you up. They pair nicely with Sicilian lemonade or local wines. I find natural wines in particular to go best with rustic arancini.

I recommend starting with classic fillings time mozzarella, or ragu to get an authentic taste of Sicilian arancini. Then you can try some of the more creative fillings like Alla Norma, spinach, and ragu or other chef-inspired ingredients.

If you see arancini with creative fillings on the appetizer menu of a fine-dining restaurant or gastro pub, I recommend trying them. Many times, chefs will tap into locally sourced ingredients to give you a unique arancini experience that’s in tune with the season. 

Sources:

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