If you find yourself in the center of Catania, just a stone's throw from via Etnea, you might want to pop into Spaghetti & Co. on via Crociferi. It's a cozy little restaurant with an open kitchen, open for both lunch and dinner, where the quality of the ingredients is evident from the very first bite.
We are here on a specific mission: to test their pistachio pasta. And believe me, you won't be disappointed. The tagliatelle al pistacchio are excellent.
The secret? Disarming simplicity. There is very little oil, nothing to mask or weigh it down, and a natural sweetness of the pistachio that screams authenticity. On the menu, they list it generically as "Sicilian," but my palate says "Bronte." The taste is full, rounded, and genuine.
The menu offers other great options. The carbonara is textbook: incredibly creamy, with perfect seasoning and guanciale cooked to perfection (I talk about it in more detail in a dedicated article). To finish, there is a gigantic XL Tiramisù—I've never seen one so big in a restaurant—which has that genuine, homemade flavor.
Finally, it is worth noting the presence of some gluten-free options, so no one is left out. If you are looking for real pistachio in Catania, this is the place to go.
