Where to eat the real Sicilian “granita”? 3 suggestions

Attention, there’s a premise to do: the argument is thorny and causes (pacific) rivalries. But you can’t have a holiday in Sicily without trying its taste. Do you want to know where to eat the real Sicilian “granita”?

Let’s being neutral: every part of the Sicily has its own granite. And we suggest you three places where eat it: Catania, Messina and Palermo.

Catania

You can eat the real Sicilian “granita” in Catania. Here it’s a sort of dense cream, rich, with a lightly sour taste, the same you can try in Siracusa. It’s usually eaten for breakfast, in the summer mornings, before going to the beach.

Try it while having a walk in the central Etnea street. A lot of people of Catania say that the real Sicilian “granita” should be eaten in Acireale.

Messina

No, the real Sicilian “granita” is the one of Messina. You can eat it in Caroli square, where there are some historic and famous pastry shops. On the “Stretto” the “granita” is never icy, nor liquid: the process to make it is an authentic mystery. Prepare to eat one in which the taste of the sugar is a bit more accentuated.

Palermo

From the east to the west coast, the  real Sicilian “granita” changes. It’s sweeter and more similar to the common “grattachecca” (a kind of icy granita). But you mustn’t disdain it for this: on the contrary, you’ll find it so refreshing between a piece of “sfincione” and a “pani ca meusa”.

And so? “Granita” is just a thing for the east coast of Sicily? Probably we should reply quoting the Latin aphorism: De gustibus non disputandum est (You can’t discuss about tastes).

Image source: “Granita brioche” di Sebastian Fischer – Opera propria. Con licenza CC BY-SA 3.0 tramite Wikimedia Commons