A Sicilian supper, served at home. You’ll be welcomed by innkeeper Calogero for a true home-restaurant setup where local, seasonal ingredients meet careful wine pairings. I like the clear structure of the meal (starter plus mains) and how the four-wine tasting is built into the courses, not thrown in at the end. One thing to keep in mind: this is in Salaparuta, so plan on staying nearby or arranging the optional transport if you’re farther out.

What makes this experience work is the balance between familiar flavors and thoughtful pairing—mint and bottarga with Chardonnay, Grillo with Cous Cous alla Norma, and so on. I also appreciate the small size (up to 12 people), which makes it easier to ask questions and actually enjoy the tasting. The potential drawback is simple: if you prefer a big, high-energy venue or lots of English explanations, a home setting can feel quieter and more intimate than you expect.

In other words, this is for food-and-wine people who enjoy a warm host, a set menu, and a relaxed pace.

Key highlights

• Calogero’s home-restaurant welcome in Salaparuta, with English service
• Four wines tasted and paired directly with your meal courses
• Seasonal Sicilian dishes such as ricotta soup, Cous Cous alla Norma, and parmesan medallion
• Small group size (max 12) for a calmer, more personal meal
• Two seatings to choose from: lunch (12:30) or dinner (19:00)
• Coffee and/or tea included to round out the tasting

Leonarda Tardi Supper Club: a small-group Sicilian home meal

This is a home-restaurant experience in Sicily, centered on the Leonarda Tardi Supper Club concept. The setting matters. Instead of a busy tasting room where you’re herded from glass to glass, you’re eating as part of a real meal rhythm—courses arriving with their matching wines.

The host, Calogero, runs the supper club with a focus on local traditions plus a bit of creative thinking. That shows up in the menu choices: you’re not looking at generic Italian restaurant staples. You’re seeing Sicilian-flavored dishes paired with Sicilian grapes and styles, with seasonal ingredients driving what you eat.

There’s also a practical advantage to the size. With a maximum of 12 travelers, the experience tends to feel less like a tour and more like a hosted dinner. I find that helps with the wine tasting itself, because you can slow down and pay attention to what’s in front of you.

Four wine pairings, laid out course by course

You’ll taste 4 wines, and each one has a specific pairing with the meal. The menu is a set experience, so you’ll get fewer choices—but more clarity. In my book, that’s often the sweet spot on wine trips: less decision fatigue, more tasting momentum.

Here’s how the meal reads, plus what it’s paired with:

Starter: ricotta cream soup with mint and bottarga + Alikase Chardonnay

This opening course combines creamy ricotta, fresh mint, and the salty, briny kick of bottarga. Pairing it with an Alikase Chardonnay makes sense because Chardonnay often holds up well to richer textures. It also gives you an early taste of the style of wine the supper club uses to guide your palate.

If you’re the type who likes starting light and then building, this starter is a good reset before the mains.

Main: Cous Cous alla Norma + LUNEDDA Grillo

Cous Cous alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish flavor-wise—comforting, hearty, and built around the tomato-eggplant side of the island’s cooking. The wine pairing is LUNEDDA Grillo, a grape that’s common in Sicily and often goes well with Mediterranean ingredients.

This is one reason I like this supper club format: it matches a dish people recognize with a local grape pairing that feels grounded in the region.

Main: Cunzato bread + Catarratto–Chardonnay blend

You’ll also get cunzato bread, served with a Catarratto–Chardonnay blend. Bread-based items can be the tricky part of a wine flight because they can blur flavors if the pairing is off. Here, the blend suggests they’re aiming to keep structure and acidity in the glass so the bread doesn’t steamroll the tasting.

Even if you don’t call yourself a wine expert, this is the course that often helps people realize what pairings actually do: they change how you perceive salt, fat, and texture.

Main: Parmesan medallion + Alikase Nero d’Avola

The meal closes with a parmesan medallion, paired with Alikase Nero d’Avola. Nero d’Avola is a Sicily standout, and parmesan is rich enough to benefit from a wine with more depth.

This final pairing is a classic “hold your taste buds together” move: a bolder red alongside a savory, umami-heavy dish.

The pacing point

Since the tour is built as a meal with tastings, try to pace yourself. If you rush the first wine, the later pairings can blur together. I recommend sipping slowly and letting each course settle before you judge the wine.

Salaparuta as your starting point

The experience starts at Via Giovanni Boccaccio, 25, 91020 Salaparuta TP, Italy and ends back there. That simple loop matters because it keeps logistics predictable. You’re not spending your meal time figuring out where to be next.

Salaparuta isn’t presented here as a sightseeing stop—it’s the home base for the supper club. If you’re already planning to spend time in western Sicily, this makes a strong “food night” that doesn’t require long-distance shuttles.

One practical note: private transport is possible, but only if you arrange it. At €20.00 per person (maximum 1 hour away), that can help you reach the meeting point without relying on local schedules.

Lunch at 12:30 or dinner at 19:00

The experience runs about 3 hours, and the schedule comes in two versions:

• Lunch: 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
• Dinner: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

The menu structure is the same idea—four wine tastings paired with your courses—but the time slot changes your day.

In my experience, lunch is best if you want your wine tasting earlier and you still want energy for a late-afternoon walk or views. Dinner is better if you prefer to unwind after a day out and treat the supper club as your evening anchor.

Pick based on when you’re most likely to enjoy a slow meal. If you go when you’re rushed or tired, wine tasting can start to feel like a checkbox instead of a highlight.

Price, what’s included, and why it feels fair

The price is $94.93 per person, and it includes the parts that usually add up fast on a Sicilian food-and-wine evening:

• Alcoholic beverages: tasting of 4 wines
• Lunch or dinner (depending on your seating)
• Coffee and/or tea
• A full meal structure built around wine pairings

What you’re paying for isn’t just the wine. It’s the hosted meal format: someone prepares the dishes using locally sourced, fresh, seasonal ingredients, and the wines are paired to match those flavors.

Also, the group size cap (up to 12) supports the value. In a bigger setting, you often get less attention and less connection to the food. Here, the format encourages a calmer pace, which makes the price feel more “meal + experience” and less “rushed tasting.”

If you do need transport, remember that it’s an extra cost. Private transport is listed at €20.00 per person and limited to areas within 1 hour away. If you’re staying close to Salaparuta, you may not need it.

Practical tips for enjoying the wine tasting

A few small decisions can make the experience smoother.

First: arrive ready to eat. This is a set menu with multiple courses, plus four wines. If you show up starving, you’ll enjoy it more. If you show up overly full, you’ll miss the tasting arc.

Second: plan around alcohol. The experience is explicitly a tasting with alcoholic beverages, and it lasts around three hours. If you’re relying on yourself to get home, factor that in. Since private transport isn’t included, you might want to line up local plans ahead of time.

Third: confirm what you can do with language. The experience is offered in English, which is a big help for understanding pairings and asking about the dishes. If you’re shy about talking, that’s okay—at a small-table meal, you’ll still absorb a lot just by listening.

Fourth: note the age rule. Minimum age for tasting is 18. If you’re traveling with mixed ages, double-check who can participate.

Finally: since a mobile ticket is used, make sure your phone is charged and ready for check-in.

Who will love this home restaurant

I think this experience fits best if you check several boxes:

• You want Sicilian flavors in a real meal format, not a quick tasting stop.
• You enjoy wine pairings that follow the food course by course.
• You like smaller groups and a warm host more than big crowds.
• You’d rather spend your time eating than traveling between multiple attractions.

It can also be a great choice if you’re traveling as a couple or with friends and want a single, memorable dinner you can look forward to. The structured menu makes it easy to commit, and the pairing approach gives your night a clear theme.

If you’re expecting a major sightseeing tour or long wandering time, you’ll want to pair this with daytime exploring. On its own, it’s about the meal.

Should you book Leonarda Tardi Supper Club at Leonarda’s home?

If you like food that feels local and you want wine tasting that actually connects to what you’re eating, this is a strong yes. The combination of a small group, a named host (Calogero), and the four-wine pairing format is the core reason it works so well.

I’d especially recommend booking if you want a Sicilian evening that feels personal and carefully put together, and you’re okay with a set menu. The price looks high at first glance, but when four wines plus the meal and coffee or tea are included, it starts to feel fair for what you’re getting.

The only “not for you” scenario I see is if you need included transport or you want something more like a large public attraction. For everyone else who’s serious about tasting Sicily through the table, this home-restaurant night is the kind of plan that pays off.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for Leonarda Tardi Supper Club?

The experience starts at Via Giovanni Boccaccio, 25, 91020 Salaparuta TP, Italy, and it ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts about 3 hours.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

How many wines are included in the tasting?

You’ll have a tasting of 4 wines.

What meals are included?

You can choose either lunch (12:30 pm to 3:30 pm) or dinner (7:00 pm to 10:00 pm). Both include the wine tastings with the meal.

Is coffee or tea included?

Yes, coffee and/or tea is included.

What is the minimum age for the wine tasting?

The minimum age for tasting is 18.

Is private transport included?

No. Private transport is possible at a cost of €20.00 per person, with a maximum range of 1 hour away.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. There is free cancellation, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

What happens if the experience is canceled due to the minimum number of travelers?

If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.