Our 5 Best “Local” Eats in Tuscany: B&T Travel
Tuscany is a foodie paradise. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to decide where to eat. These picks are not tourist traps and cannot be found in the popular hill towns. These are restaurants where the people who live and work in Tuscany eat. You can find a special kind of delicious affordability just outside the hill town gates in the working towns of Tuscany. Here are our top five favorite places to dine!
1. Ristorante Tiziana:
SP326, 156, 53045 Tre Berte SI, Italy http://www.hotel-tiziana.com/
This was the first restaurant we ate at when we arrived in Tuscany and remains our most memorable meal. It is an unassuming hotel restaurant, tucked away in an industrial park. The atmosphere is not drop-dead gorgeous, but the food is phenomenal. If you want authentic Tuscan pici with Aglione sauce, this is the place to go. Aglione is a rare, giant variety of garlic from Tuscany, Italy, known for its mild, sweet flavor and lack of a lingering "garlic breath" odor. This dish is one of the best things I’ve ever put into my mouth. The pizzas are incredible. The best reason to dine at Ristorante Tiziana is the prices. A pizza costs €8.00! A plate of Pici is €10.00! You cannot beat these prices for the high quality and amount of food you get.
2. La Tenda Rossa:
Via dei Magazzini, 4, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy https://latendarossafirenze.it/
Hidden on a narrow street, just off Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy is the best bistecca alla Fiorentina, the classic steak dish of Tuscany. We ate a lot of versions of steak Florentine during our two weeks in Tuscany, and this was the tops. Melt-in-your-mouth, beefy, succulent. I am still dreaming about this steak months later. The restaurant is cozy with beautiful frescos painted on the ceilings. The staff also makes La Tenda Rossa special with their warm welcomes. They truly take care of you and ensure you have the best experience and meal. For non-meat eaters, the rest of their menu – pizzas & pastas – are all delicious. This is not a low-budget place to eat, but worth a splurge.
3. Pizzeria e cucina da Linda
Via Elio Bernabei, 2, 53045 Montepulciano SI, Italy +390578756040
Located just outside the ancient gates of the popular wine hill town of Montepulciano you will find one of the gems of Tuscany. Linda runs the show at the bright and cheery pizzeria. She is a truly wonderful and talented woman. She welcomed us warmly every time we arrived - we ate here three times we loved it so much! And she adored the boys, loving how big they were and their big appetites! She would fawn over them. Her gorgeous brick pizza oven cranks out the most delicious pizza I have ever had. Don’t be fooled that this place only serves pizza either because Linda is also serving up some of the best Tuscan fare in the region. Her pici with aglione sauce is terrific. Her lasagna is so dreamy. We also named her tomato Buscetta the best in Italy – so simple yet so delectable. The prices are so cheap, do what we did and order an appetizer, a pizza, and an entrée, then take the leftovers back to your homebase for a midnight snack! They also do a lot of take out orders as well. We fell in love with Linda so much, we had to go back to say goodbye…and eat a last pizza just before we headed to Venice.
4. Antica Trattoria Papei
Piazza Mercato, 6, 53100 Siena SI, Italy http://www.anticatrattoriapapei.com/
Off the busy Piazza del Campo in Siena, you will find this lively trattoria. Not the best views, but affordable and delicious "Sienese" favorites. If you love mushrooms and steaks this is the place for you. We tried the mushroom bruschetta, piled high with local varieties. The steak with mushrooms was a foragers delight! Homemade pastas and sauces round out the carnivorous menu.
5. Ristorante Pizzeria Tre Stelle
Via delle Terme Sud, 117/A, 53045 Montepulciano SI, Italy http://www.ristorantetrestelle.com/
Another hidden gem inside of a hotel. Pizzeria Tre Stella is between hill towns on one of the main roads connecting Chianciano Terme and Montepulciano. The interior dining room is a bit bland, but they boast a delightful terrace that is full of charm. The menu is full of favorites and there is something for everyone. Everything is fresh-made, delicious, and cheap.
