106 Best Restaurants in Tuscany, Italy

Outside the walls of Badia a Coltibuono is the abbey's pleasant restaurant, with seating on a terrace teeming with flowers or in soft-yellow rooms divided by ancient brick arches. The menu is schooled in Tuscan flavors, but has twists and flights of fantasy.

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.

Cialde, a local specialty, are circular wafers made with flour, sugar, eggs, and almonds from Puglia. The Bargilli family has been serving them with their equally delicious ice cream since 1936. Try them at Bargilli, the family's shop and probably the best gelateria in town.

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.

It's well off the beaten path (even if it is in the center of Livorno's shopping district), but getting here is worth the trouble, as this tiny place has a short menu that changes daily, a superb wine list, and a gregarious staff. The baccalà alla livornese (deep-fried salt cod served with chickpeas) is succulent and crisp, and the ribollita and other soups are very soothing. You could also pop in to sample a glass at the wine bar or to browse the shelves filled with wines from all over Italy.

This is, without a doubt, one of the region's most creative restaurants—an intimate place with a menu that's Tuscan but not (its signature egg yolk starter is done with élan). Not a step is missed, and although it's possible to order à la carte, the tasting menu is also a good way to go. When it's warm, you can sit outside in an enclosed courtyard.

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.

This institution—it's been around since 1806—began life as a butcher shop and, indeed, it still is, but it also has a little restaurant that serves great taglieri (plates of mixed cured pork products, usually, though cheese does prominently figure as well). Soups, lasagna, various tartares, and sandwiches are also on hand; the quality of the products is exceptional.

Angelo di Donato creates some of the most delicious panini (sandwiches) in town, offering such hearty combinations as meatballs and pepperoncini or Jerusalem artichoke cream, Taleggio cheese, and fried onion; there's also always at least one vegetarian option available. Since it's a one-man show, expect a wait—but it's worth it for the quality of the ingredients and the care put into the preparations.

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.

The name means "the usual soup," but there's hardly anything usual about the soups on offer—as wait staffers often explain, this restaurant is committed to cooking seasonally, using what's currently available at the market. Expect wonderfully tasty soups and brilliant secondi (second courses), all served in a room with high vaulted arches dating from the 17th century.

Locals flock to this central café to quaff a cappuccino and pick up panforte (cake made of fruits and nuts; the chocolate panforte is a real treat) and ricciarelli (almond cookies). You can get sweets to go, or rest your feet for a spell over breakfast or lunch.

Local butcher and restaurateur, Dario Cecchini, has extended his empire of meat to include this space above his butcher's shop. In addition to two tasting menus—one heavily meat-laden, the other with none—you'll find a stellar version of giardiniera sott'olio (pickled and preserved vegetables), and exceptional bread (the product of much experimentation).

As high in Montepulciano as you can get, just behind the Duomo, this small and intimate restaurant is expertly run by the mother-and-son team of Lorena and Paolo Brachi. Passionate about the food they prepare, both have a flair for the region's traditional dishes—the pici all'aglione (pasta with garlic sauce) and the filetto ai funghi porcini (steak with porcini mushrooms) are mouthwateringly good. The wine list, though limited in range, presents a decent selection of wines from both Montepulciano and Montalcino. For a change from the usual Tuscan meat dishes, fresh fish is served on Friday. Outdoor seating is limited.

In an ancient wine cellar owned by the Antinori family—who also happen to own much of what you see in the area—is a sophisticated restaurant ably run by chef Matteo Lorenzini and his attentive staff. The menu changes seasonally, and traditional Tuscan cuisine is given a delightful twist through the use of unexpected herbs.

It bills itself as an "osteria with a view," and it delivers—just as amazing as the view are the dishes, whether they adhere to Volterran tradition or are more creative. The menu changes to reflect the seasons, but local cheeses and in-house baked breads are always on offer.

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.

Locals swear by this small, unpretentious trattoria a couple of blocks from the beach, where the Artizzu family has been serving seafood since 1979. The house specialty aragosta alla catalana con verdure (Mediterranean lobster with steamed and raw vegetables) is pricey but divine, and the spiedino di sogliola (sole kebab) arrives with silken mashed potatoes topped with bottarga (a smoked-tuna product). If you can't decide, opt for the tasting menu, which gives you a little bit of a lot of the menu. Patrizia makes all the desserts; remember to leave room for them.

Located in Manciano, just south of Saturnia, this local institution has a circus-themed interior, and, if you can get past the creepy clown statues, you're in for a treat. Owner and pizzaiolo Antonio—who has been winning Italian pizza championships since the 1990s and who developed this eatery with Michelin-star chef Valeria Piccini—celebrates all things Maremman with pizzas like the favorite la briaca, featuring Morellino di Scansano wine–soaked pears and a locally produced blue cheese called guttus.

Food lovers should not miss Arnolfo, one of Tuscany's most highly regarded restaurants, where chef Gaetano Trovato sets high standards of creativity in dishes that daringly ride the line between innovation and tradition, almost always with spectacular results. The menu changes frequently, but you are always sure to find fish and lots of fresh vegetables in the summer. Perhaps the best way to thrill at this restaurant would be to engage in one of the tasting menus.

Although this restaurant is on a tiny side street and can be easy to miss, do try to find it, as it serves fantastic food, with dishes listed on the seasonal menu under "L'Innovazione" (Innovations, usually, on classics) or "La Tradizione" (Tradition). Adventurous eaters should try such flights of fancy as bavarese di fegato, which comes adorned with pomegranate seeds and redefines chicken liver pâté.

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.

What started in 2013 as a way for a local fishing family to sell their catch of the day has blossomed into a seafood mega-hit with restaurants in Milan and Florence to complement the original Capalbio site. Vivo is known for its raw seafood, which is caught fresh, prepared the same day and even trackable via a QR code you can scan at your table. Order the Mix Crudo to get a taste of the best of the day's catch. 

Everything in this restaurant, which seats no more than 20 people, is carefully curated, from the table settings to the myriad options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free diners—a rare thing outside of Italy's cities. Chef–owner Giovanni Avano really shines in his come mi sveglio la mattina set menu, which is a daily variation of seasonal dishes cooked with flair.

Pisa is an incredibly multicultural city, as evidenced by restaurants like this one, which serves the best Middle Eastern food in town. The tables are a little close together, but the atmosphere is lively, and you'll find all the classics—from falafel to hummus—as well as a delicious dessert of ricotta mousse with homemade quince jam. 

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.