Sikélaia

Siké, the fig tree, and Elaia, the olive tree, become symbols of a story, of a sweetly captured memory that flies free again between the walls of the Sikélaia restaurant, in Milan. A musical, evocative name that will take the guest on a unique journey. Those who already have been in Sicily will go back there in their minds. Those who didn’t visit it, will desire it, after tasting its flavors.

Colors, scents, sounds, atmospheres and the proud character of an island that is happy to be so: Italian, but far enough to be able to defend fiercely its uniqueness. This is the treasure that chef Federico La Paglia brings in his heart and expresses through his cuisine.

An elegant space, where an expressive olive green meets with the tonalities of gold and where chandeliers and crystal decorations remind of the aristocratic, noble Sicily. A careful, expert and refined service combines to the respect of tradition the values of hospitality. The tables are large and distant from each other, to allow the guests to let themselves go to the totality of the experience.

An experience that is not entirely about the food, but about travelling with the mind: the dinner is opened by a tasting of local olive oils that inaugurates, like a ritual, the subsequent path. After that, the delicious dishes and the sophisticated wine pairings accompany the guests in a deeper and deeper dive inside the island’s heart, allowing them to forget for a moment of the beautiful and frantic Milan.

We advise the amberjack tagliata Mediterranean-style and the dentex with an almonds crust, both excellent. For a dessert, you can choose the usual proposals of Sicilian tradition updated in a contemporary key, like the Sikélaia cannolo, or opt for the genuine freshness of sorbets and ice-creams.

Sikélaia is an exploration. It’s a return to the origins, a new discovery, a nostalgic remembrance or a dream brought to reality. It’s story, memory, life. It’s the tale of a tradition, the revealing of a secret. It’s poetry, perfume, harmony, color. It’s beauty, culture, cuisine. It’s Italy, it’s reality, it’s Sicily.