Palermo Arancine: 5 Stops Ranked
The perfect combo
Alright, let’s talk Palermo arancine!
So what is it? Take a ball of saffron-spiced rice, stuff it with your choice of filling, coat it in breadcrumbs, and deep-fry it until it’s crispy and golden. E ecco qua, a traditional Sicilian street food is born!
Now, from that description, you might be thinking “she’s spelling it wrong! It’s arancini with an -i,” and normally I’d say you’re right. But in Sicily, it’s a regional debate, and trust me, in Palermo you will get looks of approval if you say arancine (pronounced ah-ran-CHEE-nay). And without getting too into the Italian language system, it’s arancina, with an -a, if you only want one… but who would want only one??
Below is everywhere we went for one in Palermo — some touristy, some local haunts, and all of them delicious! We decided that if we were going to get fair rankings, we needed a “control” subject (as any good experiment does), so we ordered a classic carne (stuffed with beef ragu) at every spot.
Our scores considered a variety of factors, including: price, rice flavour, filling consistency and satisfying crunch. And let me add that there truly wasn’t a single one that we disliked. So no matter where you go, you’re in for a treat!
Gold - Sfrigola
Bonus Flavour: Chicken Curry
Stop Number: 4
Veggie Options: Yes
Sfrigola’s claim to fame is that they fry their arancine fresh to order, and that is exactly what sets them apart. Crispy, delicious flavour and steaming hot! Of all of the bonus flavours we tried, the chicken curry was our absolute favourite.
Silver - Accardi
Bonus Flavour: Moretti Beers (pair well with deep-fried food)
Stop Number: 3
Veggie Options: No
We headed out of the historic centre for this one, and it was worth the walk! The sauce was so flavourful, and the shell had a great crunch to it. Definitely not geared to tourists, so be ready to order in Italian if you make your way here!
Bronze - Nino u Ballerino
Bonus Flavour: --
Stop Number: 2
Veggie Options: No
A spontaneous walk-by stop, and I’m so glad it caught our eye. The other places we tried all used ground beef, but here the ragu filling was made with pieces of what tasted like slow-cooked beef.
Fourth - Bar Vabres
Bonus Flavour: Pulled Pork
Stop Number: 5
Veggie Options: No
Another local bar that’s a little way out of the historic centre. This place offers a rotating bonus flavour of the day (with limited availability), and we were lucky enough to get one. The pulled pork was delicious — if you have the option to try it, I’d recommend giving it a taste!
Fifth - Ke Palle
Bonus Flavour: Abburro, Pistachio and Mozzarella, Cacio e Peppers (spicy)
Stop Number: 1
Veggie Options: Yes
This was our first stop, and it set the bar high! But shockingly, things only got better from here. We got adventurous with the flavours, and aside from the carne, I loved the cacio e peppers best (I’m a sucker for spice). Ke Palle was delicious, but it was also the most expensive place we tried.
Ultimately, Ke Palle came in last place. We felt the highest price did not necessarily translate to the best quality.
For full transparency, the pistachio was good, but still our least favourite. It just lacked a little je ne sais quoi, and the competition was so steep.
