Food & Drink in Italy

It would help to know what your budget/expectations are - pizzeria or michelin starred restaurant?

This may help:

GOOD EATS IN TOSCANA---2008
I have never been called “ BOB THE FOODIE” , but here are some of the best places to eat in Tuscany based on feedback from many of my clients. Reservations are suggested for most!
$=inexpensive $$=moderate prices $$$= expensive

FLORENCE:
Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco $$ Across the river & very good.
La Giostra $$$ Excellent, but you must book in advance

SIENA:
Osteria Le Logge $$ Great place for lunch and near Il Campo
Cane e Gato $$$ A fixed price & menu for a true feast—allow 4 hours

LUCCA:
Buca di San Antonio $$ Best in town and near San Michele
Il Giglio $$ In the piazza of the same name---favorite with locals

SAN GIMIGNANO:
Il Pino $$ Very good typical Tuscan fare
Le Vecchie Mura $ Good value for a tourist town

MONTALCINO:
Taverna Grappolo Blu $ Popular with locals as well.
Ristorante Poggio Antico $$ Excellent cuisine 5km south of town at winery location
Enoteca Osteria Osticcio $ Best wine tasting & small meals in town

MONTEPULCIANO:
La Grotta $$ Near San Biagio church & very good
Café Poliziano $ Great place for lunch on shopping street

PIENZA: Latte du Luna $$ Best choice in this charming village

BAGNO VIGNONI: Osteria del Leone $ Good lunch choice in this spa hamlet

MONTICCHIELLO: La Porta $ Charming place with outside terrace

SAN QUIRICO: Trattoria al Vecchio Forno $ Good food & fair value

bookmarking

Spent two nights in Montepuciano in May - for lunch the above recommendation for La Porta in Monticchiello was echoed by many we talked to - it was full when we went there. The drive to this charming village is wonderful.
May I also suggest checking out the webstie http://www.stradavinonobile.it/new/ivini.en.php
Go to Tours and Itineraries and then "The Wines" They do have a six hour wine tasting and lunch tour of several wineries that excell in the Nobile wine. Also, just sounth of Bagno Vignoni is the Castiglione D'Orcia - a 12 th Century fortress on a large rock with an incredibly commanding view of the whole Orcia Valley. Enjoy!

Siena, both are excellent!

La Taverna di San Giuseppe
Via Giovanni Duprè 132 - 400 meters from Piazza del Campo
check their website for info.


Antica Osteria da Divo
check their website for address, etc.

In Lucca - Trattoria da Leo is excellent, yet casual, located at Via Tegrimi, 1, Tel.: 0583-492236, www.trattoriadaleo.it.

Wineries outside of Montalcino:

Poggio Antico serves an amazing lunch - make reservations; 53024 Montalcino, Tel. +39 0577-848044, e-mail: mail@poggioantico.com. Winery tours: Weekdays 9:00 to 1:00 and 2:30 to 6:00; Weekends by appointment; Wine tasting/fee & reservations.

Fattoria dei Barbi - loc. Podernuovi, 170. 53024 Montalcino, Tel. +39 0577-841111, email: info@fattoriadeibarbi.it; http://www.fattoriadeibarbi.net/index_e.html ;
Enoteca is open 10am – 1pm and 2.30pm to 6pm , Monday to Friday.

Lucca: Giulio in Pelleria for lunch, Mecenate (few kilometres outside Lucca) for dinner.

remdog - something is wrong with your last sentence, I'm sure. From Montalcino, the nearest place where any prosecco is grown is about 400 kilometres away - not exactly what you'd call a wine tasting day trip.

Are you aware that many restaurants are closed for part, or all, of the month of August?

Silly me,I had no idea Proseco was not from the area. Oh well!

And no, I didnt know some resto's close for August--its counter-intuitive, isn't Aug. the height of tourist season? Anyways, guess I'll have to call ahead. Thanks for the tips. Any other resto suggestions? Price range isnt an issue, I'm happy eating in the best local 1 star as i am eating in the best local 4 star. As long as they are 'the best' from the locals perspective.

Yes, August IS the height of tourist season - above all for Italian. Which means that restaurant owners are going to the beach, too. (For Italians, a holiday means invariably going to the beach, at least in August.)
I've no idea whether the two restaurants I recommended in Lucca are open in August - please call ahead (you're aware that sending email messages very often doesn't make sense in Italy since many Italians will never check their email?!). Please allow me to be lazy and to direct you to two recent threads: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/italy-siena-montepulciano-vs-lucca-cinque-terre-florence.cfm, where you'll find contact details for those two restaurants, plus some remarks on Tuscan wine, and http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/tuscany-er-and-ct-itinerary-advice-needed.cfm, with a quite in-depth discussion on Tuscan cuisine in general and Lucca cuisine in particular, which may be interesting for you (sorry that there's also a considerable amount of chat on that thread, and I'm among the guilty parties, but most of it is food-and-wine related, just not everything on the Tuscan topic). Generally spoken, as you'll also read there, the province of Siena (and southern Tuscany in general) is not boasting Italy's best food - quite disappointing in comparison with northern Tuscany!

Our favourite restaurant is just outside Lucca in a beautiful setting. Marco is a great chef and wonderful host. Only open at night except for Sunday lunches. His menu is seasonal.
www.villabongi.it

A great winery with lunch/tour experience is at Avignonesi--about halfway between Montepulciano and Cortona. The English-speaking tour guide gives an overview of the wine-making process, then you go to an outdoor patio for wines and antipasto, then into the beautiful dining room for a three-course lunch with more wine. We had a fabulous time there and met 14 new friends.