37 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; 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.

At this excellent restaurant not far from Saturnia, specialties include roast veal tongue with blueberry-flavored onions, saffron, and capers, tortelli di cinta senese in brodetto di castagne e gallina (pasta filled with Sienese pork in a chicken and chestnut broth), and such hearty dishes as cinghiale lardolato con finocchi, arance e olive (larded wild boar with fennel, orange, and olives). Prices are among the highest in the region; locals consider it a serious splurge.

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, there's a roaring fireplace and, in warmer months there's outdoor seating on a pretty little piazza. If mushrooms are in season, try the tacchoni con funghi, a homemade pasta with mushrooms and a native herb called nepitella. A local favorite during winter is the coniglio con olive (rabbit stew with olives).

You might be tempted to pass right by the innocuous entrance across the street from San Biagio, but you'd miss some fantastic food. This tasty menu relies heavily on local classics turned out to perfection. Wash it down with the local wine, which just happens to be one of Italy's finest: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The desserts, such as an extravagantly rich triple-chocolate flan, are prepared with particular flair.

Elaborately prepared Tuscan fare is served at this elegant restaurant on Sovana's central square. For your starter, try the tortino di pecorino maremmano con miele di castagno, gelatina di pere e cialda croccante (local sheep cheese tart with chestnut honey, pear gelatine, and a Parmesan crisp); grilled meat and some fish dishes highlight the list of second courses, but a well-priced fixed menu might be a good way to go. Service is prompt and highly professional. A pleasant outdoor terrace provides plenty of fresh air in the summer months.

Tasty dishes based on the region's cheeses are the specialty at this simple and inexpensive 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. The kitchen has a way with coniglio (rabbit); don't pass it up if it's on the menu.

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. On the table is 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 ripieno di polpa di pesce a pan grattato con salsa di seppie e pomodoro (fish-stuffed ravioli with tomato-octopus sauce) 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, zuppa di funghi e castagne (mushroom and chestnut soup) is a treat; grilled meats and seafood are on offer throughout the year. There's also an excellent wine list. When the weather is warm, make sure you dine on the terrace.

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.

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. A slice of homemade almond tart is a must.

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 here and have 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 the dishes are turned to perfection. Try the tortelli di castagne al seme di finocchio (chestnut-stuffed pasta with butter sauce and fennel seeds). 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. Here, they turn out Tuscan classics, relying heavily on the local cheese (pecorino) and local meats (especially wild boar, among others). The wine list is a marvel, as it's long and very well priced. 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. It's just around the corners from the Duomo and Piazza dei Priori, so the location can't be beat.

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: pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale (pappardelle pasta with wild boar sauce) is particularly tasty, and fish also figures on the menu from time to time. For the particularly hungry, there are usually several four-course, fixed-price menus to choose from.

Residents of Colle di Val d'Elsa hold this trattoria in high esteem, even though it's a little overpriced. Tuscan classics fill the large menu, which concentrates on game, particularly pheasant, pigeon, and quail, and pastas differ from the usual fare. The decor is simple; in warmer months outdoor seating on a square is a possibility. The service is first-rate.

Locals crowd into this tiny place with a lovely view at lunch and dinner to feast on 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.

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.

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.