We're traveling to Tuscany for the first time and are staying in the following towns: 2 nights in Montecatini, 3 nights in Castellina in Chianti, 3 nights in Montalcino area, and the last night in Pisa in order to catch a flight the next morning. We will have a car and plan to use those places as a base from which to explore. Can you recommend restaurants on the way to somewhere? And where would you suggest we visit from each of those bases.
We'd love to have a great dinner in or near Pisa (possible?), as it'll be our last night, but we have to give up our car by 4PM, so if it's outside Pisa, it has to be accessible by taxi.
Thanks, EvaK

We visited Fattoria dei Barbi, near Montalcino, in August 2005 for a wine tasting/tour and stayed for lunch at the Taverna on the property. It may have been the best meal we had during both of our trips to Italy.
http://www.fattoriadeibarbi.it/

Castello Banfi, yum, have the Spelt soup. The wine list is damn fine too !

You're going to have a great trip! Here are restaurants near Montalcino that we thoroughly enjoyed:
Osteria La Porta (Montichiello)
Latte di Luna (Pienza)
Grappolo Blu (Montalcino)
La Grotta (Montepulciano)
I hope this helps...

Thanks you for the information so far. We're leaving in 4 days, so I'm happy to get all the recommendations I can.
What about making reservations in restaurants. Do I have to make them from the US or is it enough to do it a couple of days in advance of reaching an area?

We also loved Grappolo Blu in Montalcino. We had a great dinner at Il Grifo in Montalcino as well.

have a great trip!

evak - we made reservations (or, rather, the owner of the b&b where we stayed) the morning of...it was never a problem but I hesitate to advise not knowing any differently. Have a memorable trip!