Restaurant reccos near Pienza
 

Staying at La Saracina (pienza) in May for 2 nights. I understand there is no restaurant there and located several miles from anything else.

La Saracina seemed hihgly recommended in this forum - anyone recommend best restaurants for dinner not a far drive from La Saracina?

Il Rosselino is a mom and pop place in the center of Pienza. It seats less than twenty, Pop's in the kitchen, Mom's out front. IMO, the best food in Pienza. Piazza di Spagna, 4.

I highly recommend Osteria La Porta in Monticchiello. If you go for lunch, you can sit out on the terrace that has an incredible view over the Val D'orcia. Dinners are wonderful as well.

Two stand out a mile for us -

Relais Il Chiostro - the restaurant with very good food and the view of the Orcia valley thrown in for free.

Il Vecchio Forno - San Quirico - has a beautiful outside garden with vines aqnd white lights - very tasteful and reasonable menus. Brunello is served at the correct temperature and is unmissable. Beware of loud parties of teachers from DC - very annoying.

We've eaten at Il Chiostro 3 times and I'm sorry to say that the last time was the least impressive (a year ago) and the prices the highest. We recommend the Grotto across from the San Biagio church in Montepulciano as an alternative.

So pleased to hear that you're staying at La Saracina. It's fabulous. The proprietress is one of the most sensuous, sensual people you will ever meet. She believes in indulgence in all things and the place reflects that philosophy. We also like the dog whom we fondly refer to as "Joe Boxer" since he is a boxer but also because our favorite experience with him was seeing him grab the newly finished and folded laundry (in a lovely basket outside the door of one of the rooms) and shake one of the pairs of boxers. The breakfast room is pure Martha Stewart does Tuscany. Enjoy.

I'll look up my trip reports and journals to see if I can find other restaurants we ate at when we stayed there--twice and looking forward to more.

Regarding Osteria La Porta from my 2005 trip report.

"For a tiny town, Monticchiello has an interesting history including one event from World War II. On April 6, 1944, the Prefect of Siena, during the Fascist Republic, dispatched 450 available men to Monticchiello, to confront a small group of partisans camped around the town.

The Fascists were forced to retreat, but revenge was on their mind. The next morning at dawn, a German division reached Monticchiello with orders to find and shoot all the inhabitants. Soldiers broke into the houses, rounded up the people and lined them all up against the wall outside the town gate for execution.

Thanks to the intervention from the German wife of one of Monticchiello's landowners, and the help of a priest, Don Marino Torriti, the execution was averted. A monument now commemorates the event, which is on the wall intended for their executions.

Tracy and I, however, came in peace. Of course, not before terrorizing citizens with some more erratic driving. Reaching the gate and realizing I could go no further, I proceeded to back down the hill from whence I came (using the reverse ring to accurate perfection). We walked up the hill to the Osteria La Porta near the gate into town.

We got a table on the patio with incredible views and even more incredible food. Now here is a shock, I ordered Ravioli alla Pecorino. The tomatoes on the Pomodoro Bruschetta tasted like candy. The ravioli was incredible.

We could have dined here for every meal, but a German film crew was setting up to shoot a movie for the next few days, and the restaurant would be closed. An interesting dichotomy don’t you think? Sixty years ago Germans came to Monticchiello to shoot its citizens, now they were coming to shoot a movie. Quite an improvement, I must say.

The obvious one in Pienza is Latte di Luna for lunch or dinner but reservations are a must. In Montepulciano, Aquachetta--a very authentic osteria with the best bistecca fiorentina I've ever had as well as other traditional fare--reservations are advised as well.
Cin cin! Paul

You'll love La Saracina! We've stayed there on 4 different vacations - Simonetta is a gracious hostess with a lovely property. Her sister works with her and is equally charming. With only 2 nights, I'd eat at Latte di Luna one night and Il Rosselini the other. Both are in Pienza, which will be the closest town. I'd go to Osteria La Porta at lunch - sit outside and savor the view. At La Saracina, we enjoyed a bottle of wine by the pool late each afternoon - spectacular view as well. Hope this helps...

Great suggestions above.
Let me clarify that the one should be La Grotta near the San Biagio church---hard to beat.

Bookmarking - for when we'll be staying in nearby San Quirico! Thanks!

Latte di Luna website-
http://www.portalepienza.it/Siti_com.../latte_di_luna
Osteria dell Acquacheta is www.acquacheta.eu

I strongly second the recommendation for La Grota. Fabulous food and gracious service and, all things considered, it is decently priced. Make advance reservations, particularly on a weekend.

About La Porta, I must respectfully disagree with the above recommends, at least as far as dinner is concerned. We ate lunch at La Porta in 2004 and found the food and the place very pleasant. We returned for dinner last fall and were terribly disappointed. The prices were high (almost as high as at La Grota for an Osteria experience) and the little burned bones on my plate were the 22 Euro lamb chops! So, I would not go back but it is certainly up to the consumer.

Il Rosalino was nice. We ate there with some new "friends" we made at La Saracina.

Another great little place is the Osteria Latte de Luna in Pienza, which serves very solid Tuscan fair at reasonable prices. Make reservations.

Osteria Sette de Vino in Pienza serves the meanest Tuscan beans with sage, bread and oil. Would be a nice lunch stop.

As for La Saracina, we stayed in the Prugnolo Suite in 2004. We loved it!

Anna Roz

Another vote for La Grotta in Montepulciano!!! Great food and a lovely restaurant. Very romantic.

La Parata in San Quirico doesn't get many tourists, but it gets lots of local diners. Very good prices and great food.

Thanks everyone. Bookmarking!! I now have several options for lunch and dinner!

I've had my eye on La Saracina for a while but they were booked - but they called - the wait list opened up - what a great surprise because I did not have my hopes up!

Thanks everyone - our trip is taking shape.

:)