Maria Grammatico's pasticceria on Via Vittorio Emanuele is the most famous shop in Erice and one of the best pastry shops in western Sicily. The specialities are almond-based: genovesi (lemon cream-filled pastry shells), buccellati (fig and nut pastries), and the extraordinary marzipan fruits — crafted into perfect miniature replicas of Sicilian produce that are almost too beautiful to eat.
The queue moves quickly despite the crowds, and the staff are efficient. Buy a bag of mixed pastries to eat immediately on the street — some varieties travel well, others do not. The shop opens early and sells out of certain items before noon in peak season.