San Vito Lo Capo’s Enticing Sirenetta

In ancient Greek and Roman mythology, la sirenetta (“the mermaid”) was the devious temptress wooing sailors off course, leading them to their deaths. La Gelateria Sirenetta of San Vito Lo Capo, one of our favorite seaside towns west of Palermo, tempts, too: here, enticing gelati and granite spin spells on bathing-suited beach-goers filling the seaside outdoor tables under palm trees.

On the way to San Vito Lo Capo

Sea splendor near San Vito

Gelateria/Bar La Sirenetta, San Vito Lo Capo

Granita di limone was Pino’s choice on our visit there. For me, impossible to choose from the twelve flavors of this crushed-ice Sicilian triumph: granita of watermelon, mint, mulberry, or almond (to name a few)? I opted for granita di pistachio, waiter Corrado kindly conceding me a mezza-porzione: he knew gelateria co-owner Sebastiana (teaming with sister Maria) had already offered me tiny plastic-spoon tastes of their gelato front-runners, cassata and cannoli. (And… I hadn’t been able to resist a small cone of their gelato of crushed local almonds).

Pino’s choice: always, la granita di limone

Twelve granite flavors to entice

Corrado, our waiter, brings us our granite – pistachio, lemon

“Try the cannoli gelato!”

Sisters, Maria and Sebastiano with almond milk (another Sirenetta treat)

At the next table, a smiling young woman from Palermo reveled in la granita di caffè e cioccolato while a young couple nearby ordered le coppe della Sirenetta: fresh fruit tops ice-creams of choice in the gelateria/bar specialty, “the mermaid’s cup.”

Le coppe della Sirenetta

Good times, good flavors at La Sirenetta

La granita di caffe’ e cioccolato for one young beach-goer

Before we left, we stopped to chat with elderly, bushy-haired Signor Gabriele in royal blue shirt, lounging in his chair against the white stucco wall of the gelateria entryway. He chatted in dialetto siciliano with Pino about his life hauling in fishing nets as son of a San Vito fisherman, many years before he wrapped up those nets to start making gelati with his wife, Paola.

Gabriele and his wife Paola – in black dress, ubiquitous (in Sicily) gold chain – had been chatting there with cane-hugging elderly friend Caterina that morning when we’d stopped in. I’d asked them if they were “locals” and after their nod, asked if all the filled veranda tables did in in fact affirm this as a gelateria buona…?

Signori Gabriele and Paola with their friend Caterina (with cane)

“Il migliore di San Vito Lo Capo!” beaming Paola exclaimed.

After we took seats at a nearby table, with a mischievous grin, Signora Paola told us why she knew it was “the best”: “our daughters run this gelateria now – and we started it years ago.”

We’ll be back – for that San Vito Sirenetta is sure to woo us.