104 Best Restaurants in Tuscany, Italy

This well-established restaurant serves commendable primi and stellar elbana (whitefish baked with vegetables and potatoes). The bustling, casual trattoria is in the old center of Portoferraio, at the beginning of the road to the old Medici walls.

Lovers of seafood fill this unpretentious trattoria, where the unremarkable decor (yellowed walls, fluorescent lights) can be taken as a testament to the singular focus here on high-quality cuisine. Start with the insalata di mare tiepida (seafood antipasti), and follow with the flavorful spaghetti all'ammiraglia (admiral-style, laden with mussels, baby clams, squid, and fresh tomatoes).

Grilled meat dishes are the specialty at this popular restaurant, with a bistecca alla fiorentina (served very rare, as always) taking pride of place; paired with grilled fresh porcini mushrooms when in season (spring and fall), it's a heady dish. The panoramic terrace is a good choice for dining in summer; inside, the upper floor offers an unmistakably Tuscan setting, while the downstairs is more modern and intimate. 

Homemade pastas and fresh seafood are served here with a dash of style. The chef puts a creative spin on the classics, coming up with such delights as homemade vegetable gnocchi with scampi in a butter and saffron sauce. The semifreddi (think part gelato, part cake) are particularly good. Just a few steps from Rio Marina's scenic port, this is an easy stop on your way to or from the ferry.

Across the street from the abbey and run by the same family for more than 30 years, this once simple eatery in what were once the monk's stables has undergone a complete face-lift. The interior is decorated along modern-elegant lines, and the menu, while thoroughly based on traditional cuisine, is filled with creative interpretations. The superb wine list pairs beautifully with all the delicacies on offer.

The Franceschini family has been running this swank seafood eatery since the 1970s. Ebullient host Romano Franceschini is justifiably proud of the food formerly produced by his wife, Franca (she still oversees the kitchen); son Roberto, an accomplished sommelier, presides over the floor. Don't miss the fantasia di pesce crudo (fantasy of raw fish), which arrives at the table with an aroma redolent of the sea, and follow up with any of the marvelous fish seconds. Or you can leave everything in the Franceschinis' hands and order the tasting menu (€125 without wine).

Panini are the order of the day here, and they come with historic names (bearing no relation to what's actually contained between those two pieces of bread). Cured Italian pork products figure heavily, but there are vegetarian and pescatarian options, too. As evidenced by the caramello burro saltato con mascarpone (caramelized butter with a soft, spreadable, cow's milk cheese), dessert might also be served on the restaurant's tasty bread.

It's a butcher shop in the front and, on weekends, a great lunch restaurant in the back. Since 1925, the place has been in the hands of the Falaschi family, who source locally and put four generations' worth of experience into turning out excellent food. Though the primi are fine, go for any meat course. This is, after all, a butcher shop.

This rustic taverna with a large stone fireplace is amid vineyards that produce excellent Brunello—as well as its younger cousin, Rosso di Montalcino—a few minutes south of Montalcino, in the direction of Sant'Antimo. Many of the ingredients used in soup, gnocchi, bruschetta, and other traditional specialties are grown on the estate farm.

This cozy little spot doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside, it's the perfect rustic setting for an array of handmade pastas and other traditional Tuscan fare. Order the pici with ragù di cinghiale (wild boar ragu) or, if you're visiting in fall or winter, any of the dishes with fresh local truffles or porcini mushrooms. Desserts are also made in-house, so save some room for the excellent crema alla catalana. 

A meal in this rustic place is always special, as the menu offers Tuscan classics as well as other dishes with a hint of fantasy. Try the excellent mushroom soup made with porcini, or opt for a roast boar or another of the dishes featuring game. The menu is rounded out by a varied wine selection. In warmer months, this fine fare can be had in the garden.

Family-run Da Badò—with Lucia in the kitchen and her sons, Giacomo and Michele, waiting tables—is the best place in town to eat traditional food elbow-to-elbow with locals; Lucia likes to concentrate on just a few dishes, so it won't take long to decide between the standards, all prepared with a sure hand. Consider the zuppa alla volterrana (a soup made with vegetables and bread), pappardelle alla lepre (wide fettuccine with rabbit sauce), or a stew of either rabbit or wild boar—for dessert, a slice of homemade almond tart is a must.

The macabre decor is not for the faint of heart, but any lover of seriously good food can look beyond the disembodied dolls (among other things) adorning the dining room's walls. The menu is strong on local dishes, served in generous portions. If you're lucky, Ubaldo himself will be on the scene.

In the hands of the Giannini family since the early 2000s, Trattoria la Darsena excels in both its traditional and more creative seafood dishes. Crudo di mare (raw seafood tartare) and the seasonal spaghetti alla polpa di riccio (sea urchin spaghetti) are both firm favorites, and the wine list with more than 200 options is a passion project for the owner and his son.