Our culinary expeditions through the flavors of Italy lead us to Southern Sicily, specifically to Agrigento, a precious gem nestled along the coast and embraced by the Mediterranean breeze.
With every step, we're accompanied by whispers of distant stories and cultures, speaking diverse languages, and wearing vibrant hues. Yet, our gaze is irresistibly drawn to the towering Acropolis, which, with its ancient magnificence, silently watches over the city. Right there lies our destination: Akropolis, the heart-of-the-Valley-of-the-Temples restaurant.
Its tale began in 1999, stemming from the passion of a Sicilian restaurateur family, who transported the finest autochthonous culinary tradition to one of Italy's most enchanting and exclusive locales. We settle into a refined, elegant, and essential ambiance, renovated in 2019, where expansive windows gift us the emotion of dining with the Temple of Concordia, Juno, and Hercules framing our gastronomic journey.
The cuisine starts from the heart of Sicilian tradition, its local, fresh, and top-quality ingredients. These are celebrated and creatively reinterpreted by the Chef, offering audacious pairings of ancient flavors and new accents that surprise the senses.
We commence our lunch with an ode to freshness: a crispy focaccia filled with amberjack tartare, enriched with sweet grape tomatoes, creamy stracciatella, and an aromatic brushstroke of basil pesto.
Next comes the reinvented imperial needlefish in a Nizzarda 2.0 version, a feast for the eyes boasting Mediterranean colors and flavors that blend tradition with innovation. Then, the creamy Carnaroli Acquerello risotto, a gustatory poem, with crispy asparagus, candied lemon, and the delicacy of langoustine tartare that harmonizes with the audacity of Fiore Sicano cheese.
We are captivated by the saddle of lamb, enhanced by the toasty aroma of Arabica, intertwining in symphony with the potato and zucchini mille-feuille, crowned by the pistachio-crusted scottadito. We conclude with a flavor triumph through the pistachio mousse: a palate's masterpiece, pampered by the delicacy of the frothy mousse resting on a crunchy biscuit, as red berries sweeten with their fresh vibrancy.
The cellars are brimming with the finest local labels, chosen to complement each culinary specialty, while also embracing significant wines from abroad and other regions of Italy. As for water, Akropolis cannot do without San Benedetto Millennium Water Antica Fonte della Salute, which, at less than 0.0001%, accompanies each course with its balanced lightness. Moreover, its elegant 0.65L glass format completes the meticulous mise en place in every detail.
Yet, excellence doesn't stop at cuisine, dishes, and wines; it extends to the continuous pursuit of a carefully curated service, starting from the passion of those behind the scenes. Thus, our Akropolis experience can be summarized in precious hours suspended between echoes of eternity, history, and myth, crowned by attentive customer care, a refined and elegant environment, and a one-of-a-kind culinary revelation.
Akropolis, Agrigento
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