Santa Maria La Scala · Acireale

The sea,at your table.

Fresh seafood, honest Sicilian cooking and a table overlooking the bay.

Fresh seafood · Sicilian cuisine · Seafront tables

01

Right by the sea

The bay is part of the experience

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Seafood first

Generous dishes, unmistakable flavours

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Lunch and dinner

A different light, the same sea

Seafood, with no distance in between

Here, fresh fish needs no introduction.

In the fishing village of Santa Maria La Scala, Trattoria Scalo Grande serves direct, generous Sicilian food built around fresh ingredients and simple gestures.

From starters and pasta to fried and grilled fish, every plate keeps the sea at its centre.

Discover our food
Fish and shellfish platter at Trattoria Scalo Grande
The daily catch takes centre stage

From the boat to the grill

The true taste of the sea.

Straightforward Mediterranean cooking, shaped every day around the catch and Sicilian tradition.

01

Seafood starters

Raw, marinated and seasonal plates that let the freshness speak first.

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Traditional pasta

Pasta, shellfish and Sicilian aromas: full flavours, with no unnecessary complication.

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Grilled and fried fish

Grilled fish, local fried catch and generous dishes made for sharing.

Spaghetti with clams at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Our house speciality

Spaghetti with clams

A seafood classic prepared with clams and Mediterranean flavours: simple, generous and full of character.

Our best dining room is outside

A table on the bay.

In the warmer months, lunch and dinner are served outdoors, overlooking the harbour and the lava coast of Santa Maria La Scala.

Reserve your table

A true trattoria

Simplicity, hospitality, Sicily.

Scalo Grande is a trattoria in the truest sense: a warm welcome, food cooked to order and seafood chosen for its quality.

Carmelo and his team welcome guests with the warmth of a family home, just a few steps from the water.

  • Fresh seafood
  • Cooked to order
  • Sicilian hospitality

Encounters at Scalo

Guests at Scalo Grande.

Over the years, Trattoria Scalo Grande in Santa Maria La Scala, Acireale, has welcomed artists, chefs, musicians and leading voices in culture. These photographs tell the story of simple encounters by the sea, shaped by Sicilian cooking and the pleasure of sharing a table.

Massimo Bottura with Carmelo Samperi at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Chef and restaurateur

Massimo Bottura

Visited

For the second time, we had the pleasure of welcoming chef Massimo Bottura to Trattoria Scalo Grande.

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Internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Massimo Bottura is the founder of Osteria Francescana in Modena and one of the most influential figures in contemporary Italian cuisine.

Maria Grazia Cucinotta with Carmelo Samperi at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Actor and film producer

Maria Grazia Cucinotta

Visited

Maria Grazia Cucinotta visiting Scalo Grande, welcomed by Carmelo Samperi.

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Sicilian actor and film producer Maria Grazia Cucinotta is internationally known for films including The Postman and for appearing in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.

Red Canzian with Carmelo Samperi at the entrance to Trattoria Scalo Grande

Singer-songwriter and musician

Red Canzian

Visited

Lunch with a special guest: Red Canzian of Pooh, at Trattoria Scalo Grande.

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Singer-songwriter, musician and longtime bassist of Pooh, Red Canzian is a key member of one of Italy’s longest-running and best-known bands.

Calcutta with Carmelo Samperi by the sea at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Singer-songwriter

Calcutta

Visited

After his 9 February concert at the Palasport in Acireale, Calcutta came to visit us at Trattoria Scalo Grande.

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Calcutta, the stage name of Edoardo D’Erme, is an Italian singer-songwriter who became a leading voice on the national pop and indie scene with albums including Mainstream and Evergreen.

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Massimiliano Ossini with Carmelo Samperi at the entrance to Trattoria Scalo Grande

Television presenter

Massimiliano Ossini

Visited

Television presenter Massimiliano Ossini stopped by Trattoria Scalo Grande.

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Rai television presenter Massimiliano Ossini is best known for programmes about nature, travel, the mountains and the landscapes of Italy.

Marina Rocco with Carmelo Samperi at the entrance to Trattoria Scalo Grande

Actor

Marina Rocco

Visited

Marina Rocco visiting Scalo Grande, welcomed by Carmelo Samperi.

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Film, television and theatre actor Marina Rocco is also known for playing Stefania in the series Tutti pazzi per amore, a performance recognised at the Roma Fiction Fest.

Paolo Ercolani with Carmelo Samperi at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Philosopher, author and lecturer

Paolo Ercolani

Visited

Philosopher Paolo Ercolani in Santa Maria La Scala, for a dinner of fresh fish and fine white wine.

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Philosopher, author and lecturer at the University of Urbino, Paolo Ercolani writes about the history of philosophy, contemporary society and new media.

Frédéric Papelard with Carmelo Samperi at Trattoria Scalo Grande

Champagne Langlet ambassador

Frédéric Papelard

Visited

A lively, sparkling evening with Frédéric Papelard, ambassador for Champagne Langlet.

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Frédéric Papelard is an ambassador and promoter for Champagne Langlet, a label he has helped introduce to restaurants, industry professionals and champagne enthusiasts.

Chosen by seafood lovers

A stop worth remembering.

More than 500 travellers have shared their experience: fresh fish, harbour views and genuine hospitality are the details mentioned most often.

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Santa Maria La Scala

Follow the road to the sea. We are here.

WhereVia Scalo Grande 68, 95024 Acireale CT, Italy
WhenOpen for lunch and dinnerOpening times may change seasonally. Please call us to confirm.
Reservations328 883 2384

Before you arrive

Frequently asked questions

Where is Trattoria Scalo Grande?+

We are at Via Scalo Grande 68, in the fishing village of Santa Maria La Scala, Acireale.

Can I eat outdoors?+

Yes. During the warmer months, outdoor tables overlooking the bay are available.

What kind of food do you serve?+

Sicilian seafood: starters, pasta, fried local fish, grilled fish and spaghetti with clams among our house specialities.

Should I book in advance?+

We recommend booking, especially for seafront tables and weekends. Call us or message us on WhatsApp.