There are plenty of spots in Philadelphia that serve great Sicilian food, and to make sure she knew which ones are truly the best, one Philadelphia author ate her way through all of them as part of the research for her new book, writes Jo Piazza for Philadelphia Magazine.

Jo Piazza set out to write “the most delicious novel I had ever created,” The Sicilian Inheritance, five years ago. The book follows a Philadelphia chef who gets embroiled in a murder mystery as she traces her roots back to Sicily.

Her research puts Gran Caffe L’Aquila in Center City as the winner for a straight-up old-school Aperol Spritz, a drink that is ubiquitous on the streets of Palermo.

When it comes to meals, Irwin’s, located on the roof of the Bok Building in South Philadelphia, is one of the best choices.

“Irwin’s mezze — their small dishes of crudo, and swordfish with fermented chili — have taken me straight back to the beach towns lining the coast outside of Palermo, namely Scopello and Sciacca,” wrote the author.

Meanwhile, the best cannolis can be found at Isgro Pastries, which prepares its delicious dessert based on a Sicilian family recipe.

Read more about where to eat the best Sicilian food and the new book set to come out April 2, at Philadelphia Magazine.

_____

Editor’s Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.