Ristorante Veneziano, mushroom and black pork cooking in Randazzo

Veneziano is on the 120 road, at the exit from Randazzo, the medieval black-stone town on Etna's north slope. It is a family house: it was started by the great-grandfather, Alfio Veneziano, with a small place serving wine to workers on the ground floor of his home; the grandmother made it grow with her recipes and today it is run by Francesco, the fourth generation, with his parents Salvatore and Maria. The Michelin Guide includes it in its selection for the Etna slopes. It is the midday meal for those coming to Randazzo, the Circumetnea train or the northern wineries.

What you eat

Traditional Sicilian cooking with the odd twist: the house talks about its mushroom soup, linguine with sparacogne (wild asparagus), Nebrodi black pork, fresh pasta and Sicilian sweets. The published menu begins with the Delizie dello Chef, twelve small starters of local produce for €22, caponata and parmigiana (€15), a mixed mushroom plate or the porcini carpaccio with rocket (€20).

First courses cost €18 or €20: caserecci with pumpkin and crispy guanciale, tagliolini alla boscaiola, rigatoni with mushroom and sausage ragù, speck and potato ravioli with pistachio or linguine with grated raw porcino and lemon. For main courses, osso buco or roast pork with potatoes (€18), lamb (€22) or grilled veal fillet or with mushrooms (€22 to €25). Desserts cost €7 and most are gluten-free. The cover charge is €3.

The mushrooms on the menu are frozen and depend on the season, as the menu itself warns: if you come in autumn, ask what is fresh that day.

Hours and booking

It is open at lunchtime Tuesday to Saturday, from 12:30 to 14:30, and on Sunday from 12:30 to 15:00. In the evening it opens only on Saturday, from 19:30 to 22:00. Closed on Monday. Book on +39 095 7991353 or on the mobile and WhatsApp number +39 329 1540507. It has 90 seats inside and 150 outside, and also holds weddings and communions, so some weekends it may be taken up by an event.

Getting there and what is nearby

By car, on the 120 road from Linguaglossa and Castiglione di Sicilia; it is at kilometre 187, in Contrada Arena, at the entrance to Randazzo. The house reckons a little over half an hour to Catania or Taormina. Randazzo is one of the stops on the Circumetnea train and the north-slope wineries are a few minutes away towards Passopisciaro.