If you’re the kind of person who likes their food, Tuscany is pretty much a dream destination. Though Italy’s cuisine is popular all over the world, the freshest and most authentic dishes can only really be found in the motherland, and Tuscany’s dedication to the culinary arts has to be tasted to be believed. We’ve explored on your behalf and found some of the most tempting foodie experiences you can have – and when you’re staying in one of our luxury villas in Tuscany you know you’ll be getting the very best of the region’s accommodation when you embark on your journey to the best foodie experiences in Tuscany!
Best Restaurants in Tuscany
1. IO Osteria Personale, Florence
Counted among the crème de la crème of Florence’s dining establishments, this fabulous minimalist restaurant marches to the beat of its own tune. Celebrated young chef Nicolò Baretti shuns the culinary customs of the province – a brave move in a region as staunchly traditional as Tuscany. Instead, he offers up his own inventive interpretations, using fresh, seasonal produce. Expect to see novel dishes such as guinea fowl Caesar salad and croaker fish with camomile mashed potato.
Price Range: ££
Location: Borgo San Frediano, 167 r, 50124 Firenze
Bookings: Call 055 933 1341 / Email info@io-osteriapersonale.it
2. Da Delfina, Artimino
There’s no English menu here at Da Delfina, which is perched prettily high on a hill outside the little village Artimino, but don’t let that hold you back; simply close your eyes and point your finger, or ask the waiter to pick on your behalf – whatever you get is going to be good. The menu, which showcases all things Tuscan, changes depending on what is available at the market on the day, but may include the likes of fresh fennel salami, fried zucchini flowers, aubergine ravioli and bistecca Fiorentina (Italian-style T-bone steak). The spectacular views from the terrace are the icing on the cake.
Price Range: £££
Location: Via della Chiesa, 1, 59015 Artimino, Carmignano FI, Italy
Bookings: Call +39 055 871 8074
3. Grom, Various Locations
Gelato fanatics rave about Grom, an all-natural gelateria that has been so successful that they’ve opened outposts outside Italy in cities including NYC, Dubai, Paris and Tokyo. Once you try it, you’ll understand their success. Grom’s gelato is creamy and thick, and the flavours – among them salted caramel, dark chocolate and pistachio – taste exactly like what they are meant to taste like. Grom have several outposts in Tuscany, including one in Siena, another in Lucca and another in Florence – the latter of which is just a stone’s throw from the Duomo.
Price Range: £
Location: Via del Campanile, Florence, Italy
Bookings: Online at Grom
4. Buca di Sant’Antonio, Lucca
This gorgeously rustic restaurant, which has been knocking around since 1782, has the atmosphere to spare. The collection of copper pots and brass instruments hanging from the wooden beams of its ceiling add to its charming, hodgepodge ambience. Food at Buca di Sant’Antonio is traditional, hearty and Tuscan through and through, and the wine list is equally exceptional.
Price Range: ££
Location: Via Cervia, 55100 Lucca LU, Italy
Bookings: Online at Buca di Sant’antonio / Call +39 0583 55881
5. Il Canto Del Maggio, Terranuova Bracciolini
Hidden away in a tiny and quaint hamlet, this intimate restaurant offers an authentic, non-touristy Tuscan experience. Menus are handwritten and the dishes on them embody many of the principles of the slow food movement, being both sustainable and locally sourced – sometimes as local as the restaurant’s own garden. The outdoor dining area overlooks the verdant valleys and hills of the region.
Price Range: ££
Location: Località Penna Alta, 30/d, 52028 Terranuova Bracciolini AR, Italy
Bookings: Call +39 055 9705147
Best Food and Wine Tours in Tuscany
1. Select Italy, Chianti
A cooking class with Select Italy is one way to get in on the secrets of cooking Tuscan-style. The class is held in award-winning cookbook writer Lorenza de Medici’s cookery school, which just so happens to be an 11th-century abbey in the heart of Chianti. Safe in the competent hands of an accomplished Florentine chef, you’ll learn how to prepare a typical Tuscan four-course dinner. Once the food is ready to be served, you’ll sit down in a private dining room where you’ll get to eat your own creations and sample the estate’s proprietary wines. After, in true Tuscan style, you’ll move to the living room for coffee and grappa.
Price Range: £££
Location: Various locations
Bookings: Online at Select Italy
2. Florence Food Tour, Florence
Choosing where to eat in an unfamiliar city can be daunting. You don’t speak the language and have no time for trial and error. So what’s a hungry traveller to do? Simple, call on the expertise of a local guide. This food-focused tour of Florence will help you get acquainted with the city’s tastiest eats and drinks, including Italian coffee, truffle sandwiches, cured meats, wines, cheeses and much more besides.
Price Range: ££
Location: Via dei Cimatori, 9-red, 50122 Firenze, Italy
Bookings: Online at Florence Food Tour
3. Tuscan Truffle Academy, San Miniato
Things taste better when you’ve been out in the fresh air searching for them all day. We’re not sure of the science behind it, but we can vouch that it’s true. Head out into the wood with a seasoned truffle hunter and his dog to go in search of these much coveted and ridiculously expensive gourmet gems. After the hunt is over, you will dine on a truffle-centric lunch.
Price Range: £££
Location: Via Covina, 44, San Miniato PI, Italy
Bookings: Call+39 3479030371 / Email info@truffleintuscany.it
4. Aprire un Bar, Florence
Italian’s do coffee better. So much better, in fact, that we’ve stolen all their coffee creations (their espressos, cappuccinos, macchiatos and lattes) and brought them back to the UK. Discover the basics behind the perfect espresso and other caffeinated Italian preparations with this ‘Discover Coffee’ course, which is designed for coffee-loving amateurs and led by coffee experts at this Florence-based school.
Price Range: ££
Location: Via the towers 55, 50142, Florence, Italy
Bookings: Call 055-7320049
5. Tuscan Wine Tours, Various Locations
When the subject of Tuscan wines comes into the conversation, most people tend to think only of the region’s internationally acclaimed and limelight-grabbing reds: the Chianti and Chianti Classico, Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. But what of Tuscan whites? Discover the region’s most distinctive and prestigious golden-hued pour, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, during a private tour led by an expert wine connoisseur.
Price Range: £££
Location: Via de Bardi, 23, 50125 Firenze, Italy
Bookings: Online at Tuscan Wine Tours
If you’re hankering to get out into that beautiful Tuscan countryside and start eating, you’ll need the perfect accommodation too! Just get in touch with our concierge team if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Tuscany. They can help you find the villa that’s right for you no matter what you’re looking for – just ask! There’s loads of other travel inspiration on our blog too, where you can find articles on the top five wine tours in Tuscany, and how to take a trip through hidden Tuscany.
The most beautiful villages in Tuscany
Top 10 family villas in Tuscany
Tuscany travel guide
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