In Marsala, near the famous Saline, the restaurant and fish market reign of the Parrinello family, always devoted to fishing and custodian of Sicilian traditions, famous throughout the island for their extraordinary hospitality and the most prized bluefin tuna in the world.

It may even have happened to you in the best-starred restaurants in Tokyo to have eaten a Sicilian bluefin tuna caught by the Parrinello family fleet, so it is famous and tasty.

The history of its excellence begins in the most extreme point of western Sicily, with a wonderful view that also embraces the Egadi islands, when Michele Parrinello, son of a family of fish entrepreneurs for three generations, in 2000 bought an old shed that belonged to the famous Florio, to host his business’ wholesale sales.

From sea to table in one place. The restaurant is based on this desire, a representation of love for our land.

(Parrinello family)

In 2010 the entrepreneur opened the fish market, unique in Italy for quality and attention to the care and conservation of the product, and in 2019, thanks to an idea of his children Claudia and Andrea, the restaurant was born which completes the company’s supply chain, sea-to-table as we would say today.

The experience at Parrinello Pescheria e Cucina must, in fact, be lived by first visiting the fish market, perhaps having the good fortune to see its “backstage”, where the fish, mollusks and crustaceans arrive every night directly from the fishing nets and are perfectly preserved thanks to avant-garde systems.

Thus, between a fabulous fish counter and shelves full of local specialities, from salt from the nearby Saline di Mozia to delicious ready-to-eat sauces up to, of course, canned tuna, one understands the extraordinary love of the Parrinello family for these lands and their sea. A philosophy devoted to total respect for the environment thanks to a completely plastic-free supply chain as the restaurant is equipped with a water osmosis system and is also autonomously supported by photovoltaic systems.

A natural and sustainable approach also to fishing that follows the rhythms of the waves, the flow of the currents and the wandering of schools of sea bream, sea bass, amberjack but also of less “noble” fish and equally valid from a nutritional point of view, making great attention to respect for the ecosystem to ensure that it does not become impoverished, especially as regards the most endangered species, such as tunafish.

The cuisine is based on a truly exceptional raw material, literally freshly caught and, among the unmissable dishes, we find the Trio of raw sea tartare based on swordfish, salmon and tuna, or the Red tuna steak with caramelized onion and jam of orange and Spaghetti with Lobster.

The wine list is excellent, offering the best of Sicily, as well as an excellent selection of aged Marsala, in homage to the Florio family who in 1833 opened the homonymous winery dedicated to the production of this wine, thus changing the history of the island and of Italian enology.

Inside, don’t forget to ask for a table for two overlooking the spectacular sunset, or, in the summer, it’s wonderful to eat outside on the dehors, among prickly pears and strings of fairy lights that become magical in the evening.

The Secret

The meats of “Thunnus thynnus Linnaeus”, the bluefin tuna, are very tasty and it is no coincidence that it is the most prized tuna in the world. To promote its millenary fishing history in Sicily, the “Bluefin Tuna Academy in Sicily” was born with the aim of capitalizing on the great legacy of the tuna industry tradition and transforming the wealth of knowledge into development opportunities for companies and the territory.

Useful Info

Parrinello Pescheria e Cucina
Via Vincenzo Florio 4
91025 Marsala, Trapani
Tel. +39 0923 981234

Starters: 14 — 30 euro
First courses: da 19 euro
Second courses: da 16 euro