36 Best Restaurants in Tuscany, Italy

In the heart of the historic center, Prato's best restaurant has been serving since 1870, capably run by five generations of the Pacetti family (daughters Guja and Silvia are presently in charge). The food lives up to the building's colorful history—part of the structure dates from the 15th century, when it was a convent, and it was later the seat of the Freemasons.

The staying power of Buca di Sant'Antonio—it's been around since 1782—is the result of superlative Tuscan food brought to the table by waitstaff who don't miss a beat. The menu includes the simple but blissful tortelli lucchesi al sugo (meat-stuffed pasta with a tomato-and-meat sauce), as well as more daring dishes such as roast capretto (kid goat) with herbs. A white-wall interior hung with copper pots and brass musical instruments creates a classy but comfortable dining space.

Near Saturnia is the restaurant of Italian celebrity chef Valeria Piccini, where prices are high, but the food is excellent. The prix-fixe tasting menu might include such dishes as tortelli di cinta senese in brodetto di castagne e gallina (pasta filled with Sienese pork in a chicken and chestnut broth) or cinghiale lardolato con finocchi, arance e olive (larded wild boar with fennel, orange, and olives).

Delfina Cioni began cooking many years ago for hungry hunters in the town of Artimino, 20 km (12 miles) south of Prato. Dishes celebrate Tuscan food, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Secondi such as coniglio con olive e pignoli (rabbit sautéed with olives and pine nuts—the house specialty) are a real treat. The seasonal menu is complemented by a fine wine list that draws heavily from superlative local vines, and the service is gracious.

Divine, cutting-edge food and Tuscan classics are served in this one-room space, where in winter you may find a roaring fireplace, and in warmer months there's outdoor seating on a pretty little piazza. If mushrooms or tartufo are in season, try homemade pasta topped with them. A local favorite during winter is the coniglio con olive (rabbit stew with olives). There are also three set tasting menus.

Tasty dishes based on the region's cheeses are the specialty at this simple osteria on a quiet, pleasant, central square. Try versions of pici or the starter of radicchio baked quickly to brown the edges. The local pecorino cheese appears often on the menu—the pecorino grigliata con pancetta (grilled with cured bacon) is divine. Can't decide? Try the pecorino tasting menu.

"The old mill" has an antique marble serving counter filled with free nibbles and two large wooden tables in a room lined with wine bottles. The enthusiastic host, Andrea Bertucci, proudly touts local products on his simple menu, which usually consists of superior cheese and affettati misti (mixed sliced cured meats); traditional local dishes with farro grain, polenta, pecorino cheese, trout from the many local streams, and salami round out the selections. Finish your meal with a caffè al vetro con miele di castagno (coffee in a glass with chestnut honey). This osteria is open from 7:30 am to 8 pm in the warmer months and from 11 to 8 in winter.

Up a winding road lined with olive trees and vineyards, this place is worth the effort it takes to find. The view from the outdoor terrace is divine, as is the simple, exquisitely prepared Tuscan cuisine—start with the bruschetta drizzled with olive oil or the sublime verdure sott'olio (marinated vegetables) before moving on to any of the fine secondi.

As at his other eateries, Dario Cecchini, Panzano's local merchant of meat, offers two set menus for lunch—one where beef products dominate every course and the other vegetarian. The musetto al limone e brodo vero (an interesting salame served with stunning beef broth) might kick off the proceedings, and on the table you'll find pinzimonio, a dish of raw sliced vegetables (carrot, fennel, onions) to be dipped into terrific olive oil and sprinkled with Dario's special house-made herbed salt.

Apricot walls hung with etchings of Pisa make this small, single-room restaurant warmly romantic. Husband and wife Damiano and Sandra Lazzerini have been running the place for two decades, and it shows in their obvious enthusiasm while talking about the menu (fish is a focus) and daily specials, which often astound. The scampetti gratinati al forno con pomodorini e basilico (oven-baked prawns with basil and tomato) delights. Seasonal ingredients are key throughout the menu; Sandra works wonders with tartufi estivi (summer truffles), artichokes, and market fish of the day. Remember to save room for desserts as they are scrumptious.

The fact that the dining room can seat only about 35 guests makes a meal here an intimate experience, and the ever-changing menu mixes traditional and creative dishes. In late September and October, mushrooms and chestnuts are featured in gnocchi and ravioli; grilled meats and seafood are on offer throughout the year.

This place, which has been in the Papei family for three generations, attracts both locals and visitors with basic but fine Sienese specialties and reasonable prices. Tucked away behind the Palazzo Pubblico in a square that serves as a parking lot for most of the day, the restaurant's location isn't great, but the food is; thanks to portable heaters, there is outdoor seating all year-round.

Locals don't flock to this restaurant on the outskirts of Strada in Chianti for the art on the walls, some of it questionable, most of it kitsch, but instead for the bistecca fiorentina. As big as a breadboard and served rare, one of these justly renowned steaks is enough to feed a family of four, with doggie bags willingly provided if required. First courses are typical, desserts are standard, but the wine list is a varied and extensive surprise. Outdoor seating on the upstairs terrace provides great views of the surrounding countryside.

Detour off Greve's flower-strewn main square for food that relies heavily on local ingredients (like cheese and salami produced nearby). The lengthy wine list provides a bewildering array of choices to pair with affettati misti or one of the primi (first courses)—the pici (a thick, hand-rolled spaghetti) are deftly prepared here. All dishes are made with great care, and outdoor seating makes summer dining particularly pleasant. It's also possible to simply stop by for a glass of wine.

Alessandro Aniello and his brother, Lorenzo, carry on with the captivating food created by their late father. Local ingredients are emphasized, and dishes like tortelli di castagne al seme di finocchio (chestnut-stuffed pasta with butter sauce and fennel seeds) are perfectly prepared. In good weather, enjoy your meal on a terrace overlooking the town's main square.

A short drive down a steep, serpentine road from San Miniato brings you to this rustic country ristorante with sponged walls, stenciled decorations, and checkered tablecloths. The main courses are mostly Tuscan classics, such as bistecca Fiorentina (a generous cut of grilled steak), but white truffles, the local specialty, are also showcased, and you can get them with pasta, crespelle (thin pancakes filled with ricotta), tripe, eggs, beef fillet—there's even a postprandial truffled grappa. All this good fare pairs marvelously with a fine selection of local, lesser-known wines. If truffles don't float your boat, there are nontruffled things on the menu and, at night, the staff fires up the pizza oven.

This lovely trattoria has been around for a long time, and with good reason—the Tuscan classics rely heavily on the local cheese (pecorino) and local meats (especially wild boar, among others), and the wine list is long and very well-priced. The white walls, tile floors, and red tablecloths create an understated tone that is unremarkable, but once the food starts arriving, it's easy to forgive the lack of decoration.

The name means Happy Tufa, and you will be happy, too, if you eat at this fine restaurant cut directly into the tufa rock plateau upon which old Pitigliano sits. The cuisine is local and regional—the pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale (pappardelle pasta with wild boar sauce) is particularly tasty, as is the acquacotta (seasonal bread and vegetable soup served with quail egg). 

Highly regarded by residents of Colle di Val d'Elsa, this trattoria serves Tuscan classics that often feature game such as pheasant, pigeon, or quail. The decor is simple, and the service is first-rate. In warmer months, you can sit outdoors on a square.

Locals crowd into this tiny place, which has a lovely view, to feast on lunches and dinners featuring treats from the sea. Antipasti such as raw oysters or code di manzancolle (deep-fried shrimp) are perfect starters, followed by delicious pasta dishes or succulent mixed fry. Finish your meal with sgroppino (lemon sorbet pureed with vodka) to help cleanse the palate.

Lots of shaded outdoor seating makes this a pleasant place for lunch on a warm day. Pecorino cheese, spicy salami, and grilled vegetables sott'olio (preserved in olive oil) are served cafeteria-style. And, if you want something even spicier, the stuffed hot peppers are delicious. There is a good selection of wine, but the choice of desserts is limited, and they don't serve coffee.

Part of the elegant Hotel Byron but open to the public, La Magnolia is helmed by chef Marco Bernardo, who knows his basics and allows flights of fantasy to take over. The games begin with amuse-bouches—his take on fegatini (a typical Tuscan chicken liver spread) with a gelatin made from Aleatico (a serious red wine) sets the stage for what's to follow. Stellar service and a well-informed sommelier also make the meal memorable, especially when it's served poolside.

Multicolor gingham tablecloths provide an interesting juxtaposition with rib-vaulted ceilings dating from the 13th century. The menu is seasonal—in autumn, don't miss the tonnarelli cacio e pepe (thick spaghetti with cheese and pepper), and, in summer, eat lighter fare on the intimate, flower-bedecked terrace in the back.

You can enjoy straightforward Tuscan fare in the massive tower at the abbey's entrance, or, when it's warm, on a flower-filled terrace. The pici ai funghi (extra-thick handmade spaghetti with mushroom sauce) or zuppa di funghi (mushroom soup) take the sting out of a crisp winter day, and the grilled meats are a good bet at any time of year. If you want lighter fare, there's a bar serving panini that has outdoor seating.

This place could be mistaken for a grandmother's kitchen—it's completely unpretentious, with red-and-white-checked tablecloths and a waitstaff who treat you like an old friend. The restaurant teems with locals who appreciate the rock-bottom prices for well-prepared Tuscan specialties that include a superb tagliolini sui fagioli (thin noodles with beans).

On the daily menu you're likely to find both Sienese standards, such as spaghetti saporiti con agli aromi (with tomatoes and herbs), as well as more offbeat selections like bocconcini di pollo alla mediterranea (tender chicken cooked in a robust tomato-and-olive sauce). Husband-and-wife team Simone Romi and Sabrina Fabi are committed to including piatti di verdura (vegetarian dishes) among the choices, and they've put together a great wine list. A tasting menu allows you to sample just about all the daily specials. The little restaurant with high vaulted ceilings is in the oldest part of town.

As high in Montepulciano as you can get, just behind the Duomo, this intimate restaurant is expertly run by the mother-and-son team of Lorena and Paolo Brachi, both of whom are passionate about the food they prepare and have a flair for the region's traditional dishes. Although the wine list is limited in range, it does have a decent selection of offerings from both Montepulciano and Montalcino. For a change from the usual Tuscan meat dishes, fresh fish is served on Friday. Outdoor seating is limited.

Photographs from theatrical productions spanning many years line the walls of this tavern off Cortona's large Piazza del Teatro. The food is simply delicious—try the filetto al lardo di colonnata e prugne (beef cooked with bacon and prunes); service is warm and friendly.

Honest Tuscan cooking prevails at this simple trattoria next to a large parking lot. No matter that there's no view: the terrific food and pleasing service—all of it served in a typical Tuscan dining room with high timbered ceilings—make a stop here well worth the detour. Locals swear by the affettati misti (sliced cured meats), which include the stellar biroldo (cured pork from nearby Garfagnana). The ravioli di castagne (ravioli stuffed with chestnut puree, sauced with radicchio and pancetta bits) should not be missed.

If you're wiped out from too much sightseeing, consider a meal at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant where locals congregate for a simple lunch. There's a collection of verdure sott'olio, a wide selection of affettati misti, and pasta—all of which can be washed down with the cheap, yet eminently drinkable, house wines. Don't be put off by the absence of a written menu—all the food is displayed at the counter, so you can point if you need to.