Our top picks for places to eat in Tuscany

It is hard to make a choice when talking about restaurants in Italy, especially as it is universally recognised as a country for excellent food and incredible dining. Here are some of our top picks throughout Tuscany. These suggestions have been composed through our own personal experiences, good memories and by the sensation of having been completely satisfied at the end of a meal!

Trattoria Toscana al Vecchio Forno – San Quirico D’Orcia

Located in a building from the 1500s, an old bakery, the atmosphere is the one of ancient times perpetuated with a romantic fireplace, antique objects and marble tables. During summer it is possible to dine in the garden between aromatic plants and flowers, under the lemon or the wisteria pergola.
The food is regional classic, Tuscan crostini, Ribollita soup and grilled Tuscan meat renowned as “Fiorentina” T-bone steak.

Trattoria Toscana al Vecchio Forno

Da Burde – Florence

Located outside the center, on the way to Pistoia, it’s a local food shop but also a “tank” containing traditional and modern dining and drinking. The menu changes every day according to the seasonality of ingredients. The chefs pay full respect the old Tuscan recipes, the wine list is superb ranging from classical Tuscans to biodynamic Champagne. Trattoria da Burde also organises many interesting tastings style dinners where you may even get the chance to meet Andrea Gori, owner and wine journalist, if he is not engaged in a wine tasting or a famous wine event on the other side of the planet.

Trattoria Da Burde’s famous Florentine steak

Ristoro Da Nello – Lajatico

Lajatico is a small village not far from Pisa and is famous all over the world thanks to Bocelli – in fact the famous opera singer was born here.
In the central square of Lajatico there is a small food shop with a trattoria attached called “ristoro”, which means “refresh themselves”. The owner is a local celebrity, a gentle woman of few words named “la cuoca”. Here you will find a solid Tuscan cuisine, incredible cold cuts that melt in your mouth, soups that are faithful to tradition, tiramisu to die for, and a fully honest bill.

Cured meats at Ristoro Da Nello

Ristorante San Lucchese – Chianti region

A dinner under the stars or a dinner with a view defines the experience at Ristorante San Lucchese. It is a typical restaurant that belongs to the Villa San Lucchese hotel located near Poggibonsi. Located on a panoramic Chianti hill close to the ancient convent of San Lucchese (A.D. 1010), halfway between Florence and Siena.
Their Pici, pasta similar to spaghetti but wider, is unforgettable, yet is only made flour and water, topped with white Cinta Senese meat ragù and their selection of Pienza Pecorino cheeses paired with onion chutney. The wine list reflects the territory and offers also a good choice of local minor wine producers.

Enjoy the view at Ristorante San Lucchese

Il Falconiere – Cortona

The Baracchi family own this beautiful property, set among vines and olive trees, which includes a beautiful boutique relais, a Michelin starred restaurant and a winery. The Falconiere can be defined as “the art of hospitality”. Silvia Regi Baracchi’s cuisine shows a perfect balance between tradition, quality and presentation of the dishes, all set in a pleasant dining room overlooking beautiful Cortona valley.
Furthermore, guests can learn how to cook Silvia’s cuisine by attending a cooking class personally conducted by the chef herself, in her beautiful personally designed kitchen.

A cooking class for the whole family with Michelin Chef Silvia Regi Baracchi

Visit these food places on our Tuscan Villages Small Group Journey. You will have plenty of leisure time to venture to your own food places and discover the best of Tuscan cuisine.