So behind on my reviews...having to much fun and phone service was out for a few days…read more Dining at La Taverna di San Giuseppe is was one of the coolest dining experiences ever. Our server told us that this previously a cave. How often do you get to dine in a cave? The inside of the restaurant is of this stone like space. We were immediately captivated. While it does not currently have a Michelin rating, we were told it previously had a Micheline rating. The atmosphere is that of a cave...cool, a little damp, and intimate. San Guiseppe has wine cellar, according to staff, date back. We felt totally and complete immersed in history and that was only the building. centuries of Sienese life. The cuisine honors Tuscan tradition while elevating it through precision and care. Each dish showcases excellent ingredients and confident execution, embracing regional flavors rather than reinventing them. San Guissppe feature traditional dishes such as handmade pasta, rich sauces, and tenders meats showcasing distinct flavors with bold seasoning. We order lasaguna and cheese salad...absolutely superb! Our servers were superior...waiting on you hand and foot. You did not ask for anything as it was already there. Our server, Marco, was kind, humorous and knowledgeable. Since it was our first time to the restaurant he was super patient and informative regarding menu items. La Taverna di San Giuseppe has s long-term Michelin recognition for a reason...superior food and excellent service in a very unique space. We savored every bite and sip we consumed in San Giuseppe. When we are in Tuscany again, we will make a beeline for this restaurant.

This was such a highlight of my trip! The atmosphere was so unique and the service was amazing. The…read morepotatoes with burrata, milk, and truffle was one of the most delicious things i've ever ate. The pici was amazing as well and the steak was another favorite. My fiancé got the fresh pears cooked in wine and it was definitely one of our favorite desserts from Italy! I hope i can come back someday, i can't recommend La Taverna enough!

Outstanding. Everything was on point. A must try, but don't act like an American. We noticed…read moreseveral tables of Americans who were rude in my estimation...the attitude...with one women making awful faces because she felt her steak had grizzle when the waiter asked why she did not finish. It was not grizzle...it was fat...delicious fat...your in Italy eating the best beef....I could not believe how classless she was. I am American so I feel I can judge just a bit here. A must try is the steak with leek sauce and the pasta with beef sauce...fantastic and of course the wine pairings were exceptional...I asked the waiter to pair for me and it did not disappoint. If I could give more stars I would!

Wow! What can be said that hasn't already been said. The place is beautiful. Everything you…read moreexpect when you dine in Italy. The white table clothes the amazing staff with great recommendations. Although to be honest. I don't think they can make a mistake. The food was absolutely delicious, with just the right size portions. We went for it with antipasto, primi's , Secondi's and dessert. Everything was spot on. If and when I go back to Cortona, this will be a reservation I make. Also The staff seemed to know when to approach and when to give you space. It was truly a first class experience. Make a reservation, because this is one place in Cortona you don't want to miss.

Ristorante Cacciatore is off the main square - on Villa Roma. Excellent meal and service.read more

I thought I should provide a review, to balance off the otherwise glowing reviews presently posted…read more We had an Ok dinner, but it was not exceptional, and this is not a restaurant to seek out, unless our experience was atypical. The quality of ingredients was probably the best feature, though still less than remarkable. The cooking was the low point, with the meat platter Main being a real disappointment: overcooked, almost flavourless game, chicken and pork. The service was good, while ambience is again, nothing special. I don't like being a Debbie Downer in amongst the mostly rave reviews, but I feel compelled to comment, for a more balanced consideration.

NOTE: This is a review from 8 years ago. I posted photos then and got an alert that people are…read morestill checking it out. I tried to see if i did a review back then but only found below: Upside : Very polite/super friendly staff Fancy ambience Free wifi Downside: Ragu Pici was a tadtoo salty Steak too rare Risotto serving was heavy Cortona is amazing tho! I'm sure they are 5 stars on other days! Also the creepy bathroom is epic!

We stopped into Osteria del Teatro the day of and asked if they happened to have any availability,…read morefully expecting the answer to be no. As luck would have it, they were hosting a special tasting menu featuring wines from Montepulciano, which was perfect since we had spent the day exploring the region itself. They graciously found us a table on the patio, and it ended up being one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. The evening began with a fried zucchini blossom stuffed with ricotta and basil, which was delicate, light, and absolutely delicious. The beef carpaccio was outstanding. We also loved trying gigli pasta for the first time, served with a rich wild boar ragù that felt quintessentially Tuscan. The duck breast with wild fennel was cooked beautifully and paired wonderfully with the wine selection. Dessert beautiful and phenomenal. What really stood out was how generous the portions were despite it being a tasting menu, along with the exceptional wine pairings throughout the evening. Between the hospitality, the patio setting, the regional wines, and the celebration of local Tuscan cuisine, this was easily one of the most memorable dining experiences of our time in Italy. Thank you to the sweet lady owner!!

This was recommended to us by our hotel. We had a lovely dinner this week and although our Italian…read moreis poor, we enjoyed every minute! Being unfamiliar with the area, it took us a few minutes to navigate with GPS down but worth it! My friend had the pork and it was delicious. We both had different pastas and enjoyed it all.

What a cool, little place in the heart of lovely Paciano, Italy. Wonderful, authentic food…read more Basically, you eat what they eat. I again had tagliatelle as that is the food of the gods, this time in a porcine and cream sauce. Wonderful Umbrian wine and focaccia. My daughter had a four cheese pizza which was fun as we couldn't tell what the cheeses were initially. The yummy was in the tasting! Worth the go and walk that town - it's worth it!

We absolutely loved our night at Locanda al Pozzo Antico!! One of the best meals if not the best…read moreI've ever had, and the staff were incredibly welcoming and fun. The space was very inviting and decorated very simply with legendary bottles of wine and pictures of loved ones. At the time we were there, we were one of two tables they were serving so we felt very taken care of. We had a variety of their amazing pastas, and the perfectly cooked steaks were absolutely delicious. A standout of the food was the truffle fondue. Often truffle is either too subtle or overpowering, but this was perfect! Best focaccia I've had, amazing wines, and some truly scrumptious desserts. I cannot describe this experience without mentioning the amazing staff and Chef Paola. They were fun and thoughtful, and especially accommodating of one of our party's celiac allergy. Paola came out a number of times bringing freshly baked GF bread, GF pasta, and even prepared a custom GF almond cake with custard. She was engaging and supportive, and made them feel comfortable, safe, and uninhibited by the allergy. At the end of the meal they offered us the staff's homemade amaro for free which was delicious and we toasted with them to end the night! Overall, I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. I have never written a review before but this experience made me want to become a food blogger and write 3 pages on this place! Please go! This is a can't miss in Cortona. Especially if you are gluten free.

this is the restaurant that is attached to our B&B in Cortona Italy. Very friendly service and good…read morefood. Winning combination.

Best Home Cooked Italian food I have ever had in my life! My Grandmother would slap me with a…read morewooden spoon but I telleth the truth! Went 2 nights in a row! Freshest selection of everything! It's this type of place that makes life worth living! I continue to fantasize about this wonderful eatery Every now and then! Bottom line it's worth flying here just to smell the fabulous cuisine wafting from the kitchen! Do they deliver?

Il Fornacino has an adventurous menu that I was excited to try. Like every restaurant in the area…read moreit offers the traditional Tuscan tagliata di chianina (is there a law?) but there's also rabbit stuffed with veal and truffles and a very on-trend Swiss chard, ricotta, and truffled egg raviolone. I started with the latter, which was delicious -- but the powerful flavour of cheese and the egg yolk drowned out the chard. My wife's potato flan was quite nice, but it arrived buried under a heap of truffle shavings that tasted of nothing in particular. My main was a special of roast suckling pig with potatoes and a savoury tuile made with the pork drippings. The tuile was gratuitous -- a chef-y touch that didn't actually taste very nice. The suckling pig was beautifully cooked but the potatoes were weirdly inconsistent; some crisp and others mushy. Il Fornacino is a good restaurant that would be the best restaurant around in most places, but the five-star bar is set pretty high in Tuscany. But the prices were very modest and the wine selection was great. It's a tremendously good value for what it offers.

Wow! This was our first night in Cortona and it did not disappoint. Everything was amazing as soon…read moreas we walked in. Service was great, the restaurant is a small space but the food is packed with flavor. We had such an incredible experience here. We will definitely be coming back for more during our stay. We got lucky and were able to be seated without a reservation. We came right around 7 pm as we just beat the start of the dinner rush. Pictures do not do it justice. I can't wait to try more items. If I can give more than 5 stars I would. Pastas were cooked perfectly and the tiramisu was to die for.

We overheard a local recommending Trattoria Dardano in Cortona. The pasta with traditional ragu was…read morethe best I've ever had. Hubby had ravioli with ricotta in a butter and sage sauce. Devine. All the food was scrumptious and the prices all very reasonable. The service was prompt, friendly and efficient. I highly recommend this restaurant. 10/2025

We had a most wonderful meal here last night-dining in a cave setting was so unique. We enjoyed…read morethe pasta pici with asparagus...the rib eye steak from local beef...summer apple walnut fennel salad! The wine was exceptional as well as the fine service from the staff. We were so so very happy to have had the chance to experience this beautiful restaurant.

Amazing food and stellar ambience. The ragu di cinghiale was phenomenal, highly recommend!read more

We were in Cortona for 6 nights, and found Ristorante Tempero on the first night, ended up dining…read morethere 3 times. The food was outstanding (Pappardelle al Cinghiale is soooooo gooood!) , but the service was exceptionally personal (Mara, you're amazing!). You feel like you're at a friend's home for dinner. We noticed that many of the other diners were also repeat customers - that should tell you something. Great food, great service, reasonable prices. I wish I could dine like this back in the States!

5 stars for service and ambiance. 4 stars for food. We were in town for the day and looking for a…read morelunch spot. Many restaurants were booked or told us that there'd be a long wait. This restaurant was full outside, but we were told a table would be available in 10 minutes. Another couple arrived and tried to take our table, but staff informed them we were next. Our server spoke English well and was professional and helpful. The house wine was good. The pear/cheese souffle didn't have much of a pear flavor, but it was cheesy and delicious. The pork with pistachio pesto was also delicious and came with tasty rice, but seemed a little overcooked. My partner enjoyed the grilled shrimp salad. I thought it was a little fishy. Note: they claimed their credit card machine was down and we had to pay in cash. FYI there just happens to be an ATM next to the seating atea.