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Tuscany’s best food & drink

  • Tuscany, Italy

Last updated: 27 March, 2024

Tuscan cooking is recognised as being among the best regional cuisines in Italy, yet it’s based on the concept of cucina povera (humble cooking) and on modest ingredients.

Traditional Tuscan cuisine is hearty and rustic, and based on simple ingredients such as bread, pulses, meat and poultry, fresh veg and olive oil, all prepared with the minimum of fuss. Close to the coast, you’ll find more fish and seafood, but again, recipes are simple.

Tuscan red wines are highly-respected throughout the world. A local trattoria will usually offer a perfectly drinkable, cheap and cheerful house wine (red is a better bet) sold by the litre. More sophisticated regional wines to try include Brunello, Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile.

What to try

Typical dishes include chicken liver-topped crostini and garlicky bruschetta piled with white beans and lashings of Extra Virgin olive oil; hearty bread-based soups such as ribollita and papa al pomodoro; pasta dishes such as pappardelle with hare sauce and ravioli stuffed with Swiss chard and ricotta.

Mains are mostly meat-based; garlic and rosemary-spiked arista (pork loin), grilled sausages and ribs (rosticciana), and the majestic ‘Fiorentina’, a vast T-bone steak served rare (and don’t dare ask for it to be well-done).

Regional desserts include castagnaccio (flat chestnut cake flavoured with rosemary) and the hard almond biscuits known as cantucci to be dunked in sweet vin santo wine.

Tuscany is renowned for its robust red wines; look out for Chianti Classico, Brunello and the so-called ‘Super-Tuscans’ from the Bolgheri area. There are many small estates producing superb wines and these are often cheaper than the big guns; ask the wine waiter for advice.

Also see Nicky’s round-up of traditional Italian foods to try when you’re in Italy.

The dining scene

The restaurant scene covers all bases from traditional, family-run trattorie to new-generation osterie where young chefs riff on the dishes that Mamma used to make.

A ristorante implies a more formal eating experience (though not always); a trattoria or osteria is likely to be more relaxed. For a glass of wine and a snack, look for an enoteca or bottega del vino. Then there are the elegant temples to gourmet cooking, a number of which have Michelin stars.

Most decent-sized towns in Tuscany have a Consorzio Agrario; a kind of rustic supermarket, which sells local produce such as wines and olive oil, cheeses and charcuterie, honey, jams and local bread.

Recommendations

16

Andrea Slitti Chocolatier

  • Cintolese, Tuscany, Italy

Gourmet dark milk chocolate truffles hand made by chocolatier

Experience

Andrea Slitti is one of the most respected artisan chocolate-makers in Italy. His base is the spa town of Monsummano Terme (in the middle Tuscany’s so-called ‘Chocolate Valley’), where he has a café and shop piled with a tempting array of his products.

Good for age: 4+

Duration: -

Bolgheri Wine Region

  • Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

Bolgheri Wine Region

Experience

The Bolgheri region was where the first so-called ‘Super-Tuscan’ wine was made in the 1980s, and it continues to be exported around the world. The village of Bolgheri is postcard pretty; wine estates to visit include Ornellaia (book well ahead), Podere Sapaio and Le Macchiole.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

  • Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Chianti Wine Region

Bucket List Experience

Chianti Wine Region

Some of Italy’s best wines are produced in the DOCG Chianti Classico, 177,500 acres of undulating, vine-striped land stretching between Florence and Siena. Dozens of wine estates share this fertile terroir, many of which offer tastings and vineyard tours and an opportunity to buy wines from source. Some also have very good restaurants and accommodation.

The history of wine-making in the region dates back hundreds of years. Early Chiantis were a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Malvasia Bianca grapes; today, a DOC Chianti must be made with at least 80% Sangiovese.

The main Chianti growing area is divided into eight sub-zones. The most famous is Chianti Classico, located between Florence and Siena, which produces some 25 million bottles a year, including some of the region’s greatest wines. Most bottles sport the image of a black rooster on a gold background, a guarantee of quality.

Good for age: 18+

Cooking classes at Jul’s Kitchen

  • Colle di Val D'Elsa, Tuscany, Italy

Dish of home-made creamy Tuscan chicken

Experience

Colle Val d’Elsa Food writer/blogger and photographer Giulia Scarpaleggia and her husband run the excellent ‘Jul’s Kitchen’ offering a range of hands-on cooking classes alongside courses in food writing and photography. Classes are held in their house in the countryside between Siena and Florence.

Adult price: £70

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 3 hours

Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School

  • Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy

Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School

Experience

A cooking school based in Certaldo (southwest of Florence) offering truffle-hunting experiences in the Chianti woods, followed by a truffle-based lunch or cooking lessons with truffles.

Adult price: £120

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Gelateria De’ Coltelli

  • Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Gelateria De’ Coltelli

Experience

Seasonal fruit, local ingredients and organic milk, cream and eggs are the mainstays of this artisanal ice cream. Flavours vary with the seasons, but look out for the sinful De Bondt chocolate and candied orange peel and the pistachio ice creams, and the refreshing Sicilian-style granitas (almond, maybe) in summer.

Good for age: 4+

Gelateria Dondoli

  • San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy

Gelateria Dondoli

Experience

Dondoli has earned world-wide acclaim for the quality of its gelato, made from seasonal ingredients and the best local eggs, milk and cream. High season queues are insane, but it’s worth persisting to try unusual flavours such as Santa Fina (saffron and pine nuts) and Champelmo (pink grapefruit and champagne).

Good for age: 4+

Montalcino Wine Region

  • Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

panorama of the Brunello wine lands in the spring with hills covered with soft green grass in the town of Montalcino

Experience

Known for its highly-prized (and often expensive) DOCG Brunello wine, Montalcino is one of the most famous wine-growing areas in Tuscany. Many of the local wine estates are open for tastings; among the best are Casato Primedonne, Casanova di Neri, Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo and Castello di Banfi. Visits must be booked in advance.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

Olive oil tasting at the Chiarentana Estate

  • Chianciano Terme, Tuscany, Italy

Olive oil tasting at the Chiarentana Estate

Experience

The Chiarentana Estate lies in a magical setting overlooking the Val d’Orcia to Monte Amiata and produces superb Extra Virgin olive oil. Book a tasting in advance or drop by to purchase oil. Many of the wine estates in Chianti also produce excellent olive oil

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

Osteria Le Logge

  • Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Osteria Le Logge

Experience

Located a minute’s walk from Piazza del Campo and occupying a former grocer’s shop with a retro vibe, Le Logge is a classic osteria. They offer a creative take on regional dishes such as tagliatelle with Tuscan ragu, stuffed rabbit with blueberries, black garlic and fermented carrot and braised beef cheek.

Adult price: £30

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

Pasticceria Nannini

  • Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Pasticceria Nannini

Experience

A historic cafe and pastry shop that’s been around for almost a century. It’s a great place to sample and buy panforte (the dense, flat cake made with nuts, dried fruit, spices and honey) and light, almond-y Ricciarelli biscuits.

Good for age: 4+

Duration: -

Pecorino cheese in Pienza

  • Italy

Pecorino cheeses on a shelf in a cheesemonger

Experience

Salty ewe’s cheese or pecorino is found in different regions of Italy, but is synonymous with Pienza in Tuscany. Available from soft, mild milky-white ‘fresco’ versions to the aged, hard much stronger ‘stagionato’ varieties.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

Podere Casale

  • Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Podere Casale

Experience

Set in glorious countryside close to Pienza, this farm produces pecorino cheese and runs courses in cheese, bread, pizza and fresh pasta-making, alongside more generic cooking classes and truffle-hunting. There’s also an excellent restaurant with menus based on local organic ingredients.

Good for age: 18+

Ristorante Arnolfo

  • Colle di Val d'Elsa, Tuscany, Italy

Detail of the diningroom of Restaurant Arnolfo in Colle di Val d'Elsa

Experience

Colle Val d’Elsa Gaetano Trovato has been showcasing local Tuscan ingredients in his elegant restaurant for forty years; dishes such as scampi with pumpkin and ginger and pigeon with grape must and pears have earned him two Michelin stars. A place to push the boat out.

Adult price: £70

Good for age: 18+

Duration: -

Siena Market

  • Siena, Tuscany, Italy

Siena Market

Experience

Siena’s principal market, held each Wednesday morning, is one of the best in Tuscany. Stalls are set up at La Lizza, filling the streets around the Fortezza. Apart from excellent produce (cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil and wines, fruit and vegetables), you’ll find clothing, shoes, bags and household items.

Good for age: 13+

  • Tuscany, Italy

Truffles in Tuscany

Bucket List Experience

Truffles in Tuscany

Of all the food and wine ingredients indigenous to Tuscany, the white truffle is probably the most highly-prized – yet it’s one of those things that you will either love or hate; it has a heady yet strange, earthy, musky aroma and a delicate flavour that lends itself particularly well to eggs and buttery tagliolini pasta

Different types of truffles grow year-round in Tuscany and in various areas, the most prolific of which are San Miniato, the Mugello and the Crete Senese. They are, however, elusive. White truffles will only thrive in just the right conditions, growing on the roots of trees and normally hidden by layers of damp leaves and earth.

A truffle hunt with an expert trifulau (truffle hunter) and his dog is a compelling way to discover how the truffle-hunting world works. The stakes are high – white truffles sell for huge amounts of money. In 2007, a 1.28kg tuber sold at auction in the US for an astonishing $330,000.

The most highly prized of Tuscany’s rich food harvest, the white truffle is also the most elusive. An expert-led truffle hunt is an ideal way to discover and taste these extraordinary tubers.

Good for age: 13+

Duration: -

Logistics

Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Duration: -

Who to go with: organised tours

11

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Small groups! Discover the Miracle Square with this amazing tour. Learn about the Cathedral, Baptistery, the famous Leaning Tower and visit all the monuments inside! Select the ticket with entrance to the Leaning Tower and you will go up to the Tower at the end of the tour. With this tour, you have also included the tickets to visit after the tour, on your own, the Cemetery, Opa Museum and Sinopie Museum.

Price €39

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  • Florence

The Do Eat Better Experience food tour is a walking tour around the historical center of Florence. The tourist is guided by a "Foodie", a local "buddy" able to explain every detail of the selected restaurants, their preparations, and the relevant history/curiosities. Do Eat Better Experience tours are a mix of high-quality gastronomy as a way of showing Italian culture and lifestyle and a walking experience together with a local friend. This is the reason why we accept small groups only: we want to focus on a genuine exchange and give to each tourist the highest attention possible. Please, note that the tour is always run in English and Italian; other languages upon request.

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  • Pisa

Pisa food tour is a walking tour around the center of Pisa. The tourist is guided by a "Foodie", a local "buddy" able to explain every detail of the selected restaurants, their preparations, and the relevant history/curiosities and he will make try the real pisano taste and flavours. Do Eat Better Experience tours are a mix of high-quality gastronomy as a way of showing Italian culture and lifestyle and a walking experience together with a local friend. This is the reason why we accept small groups only: we want to focus on a genuine exchange and give to each tourist the highest attention possible. Please, note that the tour is always run in English and Italian; other languages upon request.

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Rating 4.93 / 5 [205 ratings]

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  • Montepulciano

Kitchen has always been the fulcrum of this home, where my family is living since more than 7 generations. I have always been fascinated by my grandmother's ability to prepare awesome dishes from Tuscan tradition, always with few, simple but precious ingredients. That cultural heritage was in danger of disappearing: I spent a lot of time cooking with her, trying to learn her recipes and secrets. In the end, I realized that she had given me a bigger gift: I had assimilated her cooking philosophy! Then, I realized that tradition is not a dusty book but a living thing able also to adapt to new conditions, and even improve. I studied ingredient's seasonality, their sustainable production systems, new cooking techniques, techniques of tasting: almost without realizing it, in the meantime, I became Chef and finally, also Sommelier. Since a lot of years, I decided to share this path: a long path that is not yet finished... Giacomo

Price €243

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  • Pisa

Small groups! Discover the Miracle Square with this amazing tour that will show you the best of Pisa. With your local guide you will learn about the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the famous Leaning Tower. With this tour you will have the opportunity to skip the line and climb the Leaning Tower!

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Rating 4.63 / 5 [93 ratings]

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