45 Best Restaurants in Tuscany, Italy

This pleasant restaurant, with outdoor seating on Gaiole's main square, is as popular with the locals as it is with travelers. The menu, presented on small blackboards, has the occasional unexpected item, like the plate of perfectly grilled vegetables that's listed as an antipasto but is practically a meal in itself. The kitchen also makes its own delicious pastries and ice cream, so skipping dessert is difficult.

It bills itself as a caffetteria/ristorante, which means it opens at 7 in the morning for coffee, serves lunch and dinner, and then closes well after dinner is over. Warm-color, sponged walls and simple wooden tables and chairs provide the backdrop for some tasty fare. They're particularly big on fish here; if it's available, order the calamari spadellati su crema di fagioli alla paprika e valeriana (panfried squid on a creamy bean puree spiced with paprika and garnished with delicate green leaves). The lasagna is ample, cheesy, and thoroughly satisfying; the service is great; and the wine list is strong on local wines.

Relax amid vineyards on a countryside terrace with one of Chianti's most spectacular views, namely that of vineyards in the valley of the River Pesa. Enjoy the sophisticated menu, which pairs perfectly with the wine list (many of its selections are from what's growing around you), and be sure to try any of the delicious desserts.

This charming, white-walled restaurant, a few steps from Piazza dei Cavalieri, serves up exquisitely grilled fish dishes, pleases vegetarians, and prepares tagliata for meat lovers. Three set menus, from the sea, garden, and earth, are available, or you can order à la carte. For dinner there's an early seating (around 7:30) and a later one (around 9); opt for the later one if you want time to linger over your meal.

Although it calls itself an osteria (tavern), this place much more resembles a wine bar, with a bill of fare that includes several different types of pâtés and a short list of seasonal soups and salads. The sampler of goat cheeses, which can be paired with local wines, should not be missed. Operatic arias tend to play softly in the background, and service is courteous.

The first things you'll see upon entering this mercato e cucina (market and kitchen) is a row of dazzling, just-caught fish on ice and a display case with prepared foods to go. Select from a large array of crudi (including several raw oyster options) before opting for the fry (either mixed, anchovies, zucchini with squid, or fish croquettes) or the very tasty fish burger. Nice wines by the glass are on offer, as are bottles.

You can't come to San Miniato and not try its truffles, and few places serve them more generously or more graciously than Piccola Osteria del Tartufo. Depending on the season, you can try local white truffles, black truffles, and summer truffles liberally grated over cacio e pepe pasta or stuffed into a bacon-topped hamburger.

With sweeping views of Pienza, this family-owned farmhouse restaurant is decked out in the style of traditional Tuscan trattoria with frescoes depicting idyllic country scenes and plenty of exposed brickwork. The menu is equally rustic, with such lovingly served dishes as antipasti of local salumi (cold cuts) and ragù di cinghiale (wild boar ragu), whose recipe is a closely guarded family secret.

This one-room prosciutteria, which opens late in the morning and closes late at night, serves salads and sandwiches featuring pork products in their various incarnations. Locals flock here for good reason—portions are large, prices are reasonable, the wine list is strong, the hosts are gregarious, and offerings for those who don't eat meat but do eat fish include the anchovy/sliced potato salad soaked in top-notch olive oil and dotted with capers.

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).

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.

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 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. 

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.