On Sunday morning, before I was to depart for Rome, my friend Sabino asked what I wanted for lunch…read more Having had a spectacular pizza for dinner the evening before, I was keen to try something I'd not yet sampled. I suggested we go for bistecca alla fiorentina, or Florentine style steak. This typical Tuscan offering is the region's signature dish and for good reason! We hopped on Sabino's scooter and took a gorgeous ride through Chianti to get to Da Padellina. When we pulled up, a Porsche 356 1600 Super was parked in front. Porsches are really not my thing but this vintage beauty captured my attention. Not fancy, the restaurant's history is long and shows on all the walls. Sabino and I dined upstairs overlooking rolling hills. We split a huge slab of meat (you get to choose it before they cook it) and it was carefully explained to me that the cooking method for bistecca alla fiorentina is very simple: fire, salt, pepper, olive oil. Basically it's all about the meat, which is served very rare. We also got sides of beans and potatoes and plenty of red wine. Those in search of a proper Florentine steak will surely find it here. Two words to sum up my meal at Da Padellina: Buonissimo Bistecca! Definitely one of the more memorable meals I've had in Italy.

We arrived Saturday evening with the party of nine and they were able to see us even though we were…read morea bit early for dinner. The surface was impeccable and the ambience was absolutely breathtaking. The food was everything I expected out of Italy thus far the best food we have eaten on our trip. AMAZING!!!

Stop and dine here. Wasn't sure parking in what seemed remote location restaurant but ended up…read morewith a fabulous meal. Had the lamb chops and green peppers with goat cheese. My wife had the filet with mixed vegetables. The Staff were so nice and helped with local wine tasting suggestions. It was a ten! Enjoy! We are coming back

Amaaaaaazing food here! House wine was wonderful. Cheese appetizer was perfect, and the gnocchi…read morespecial was beyond words it was so good. Very welcoming staff who stayed open late for us.

We were recommended this place by our agriturismo host and it was definitely a find. The place is a…read moremother daughter team and the food is spectacular. We were given a basket of delicious bread and ordered the Tuscan appetizer which was comprised of several dried meats and this chicken/rabbit foie gras spread on a crostini - holy smokes that was divine. I ordered the wild boar ragu pasta and my wife ordered some kinda vegetable pasta and honestly it must've been the 2nd best meal we've had in Italy. If you're in the area check this place out.

Went for dinner with my family. Service was very good! Very friendly and accommodating, recommended…read morewhat food and wine to order, chatted with us, just very nice. Also pretty fast! The food was very good we had pastas and steak and bruschetta all the best so far in Tuscany.

My favorite restaurant in the Greve in Chianti region of Tuscany. Warm and homey welcome to a cozy…read moreplace. The owner welcomes you like a long lost family member. OMG, the food is local and pastas and baked good are all house made. Prices VERY FAIR for the excellent quality. The wine list is deep on the local regional wines and the staff will recommend the best of the economical selections. Be sure to save room for the desserts...hint: the Tiramisu is world class! BTW, the hotel rooms above the restaurant are cozy and an excellent value.

From the outside looking in I was confused about this place. It sells items like candle holders,…read moredecor, etc as well as wine and fresh food options. They even have a small window where people on the street can order as well. Wasn't expecting much but everything was delicious. We got the warm pate which was basically a bowl of pate and unlimited bread. Delicious. My kids enjoyed their pasta and looking around the shop while we ate. Great low key place for a family.

Lunch with Andrea and Gregorio at their quaint Dispensary is pretty much everything you picture…read morewhen you imagine Tuscany. Nestled into charming, little Strada in Chianti, among the rolling hills of vineyards and olive groves, the restaurant/deli has a beautiful, cozy indoor space that you'll want to linger at for hours. They also have a gorgeous outdoor garden area, but it was a little too chilly to sit outside during our visit the first weekend in March. Upon arrival, Andrea and his warmly wife greeted us and our dog. (Have I mentioned lately that I love how dog friendly Italy is?!?) Once seated, we were told the offerings for the day -- there are no menus here -- and settled on a tagliere and pappardelle with wild boar ragu. Plus a local wine, because... duh... we're in Chianti, people! The tagliere that Gregorio presented us was the best selection of meat and cheeses that we've had during our time in Italy. (And, we've had A LOT of meat and cheese in our first 8-months here.) We ordered the board for 2 people but it could have easily served 5. The warm foccacia it came with was like little, salty pillows from heaven. Not to be over shadowed, the cinghiale pasta was also to die for! The ragu was so rich and savory, with hints of cinnamon and cloves. Mmmmmm! We wrapped up our meal with a couple desserts -- a cheesecake with chocolate and a mascarpone and pear dish. Both were light and airy, the perfect compliment to a heavy antipasti and primi. The complementary vin santo washed it all down and helped us start to digest. Perfect in every single way! We'll remember this meal for a long time to come. If in the Chianti area, don't miss a visit with Andrea and Gregorio!

Enjoyed lunch in early October 2023, the multi course meal was exceptional, the wines served with…read moreeach course were outstanding and, the service was impeccable.

We had the chef's tasting menu - 80 euros for lunch, 100 euros for lunch accompanied by 3 glasses…read moreof wine. The restaurant is gorgeous - high end, very classy, with very attentive and well trained servers. The food was fantastic, definitely the finest meal we had in Italy. Very memorable, though not cheap, and worth every penny...

Food was amazing - we didn't have a reservation but they fit us in - service was wonderful and I…read morewould highly recommend

We were so eager to try Osteria di Casa Chianti that we kept making reservations "Too early" (3xs…read moreto be exact). Nonetheless, getting a reservation within their allotted window was actually quite easy. As soon as we arrived, we KNEW the sunset would be unrivaled. It was the perfect Tuscan sunset. I'll start with the food: fantastic. We had the ragu, a beef filet, steak carpaccio, and marinated tomatoes. zero complaints - everything was perfectly simple and truly delicious. The service was next level: from the giant glass of digestif presented to my father-in-law for his birthday to the round of complimentary desserts and limoncello, the service was full of joy! As we left, our server was sharing some personal tales with us. He really bonded with my father-in-law and ended up gifting him a bottle of wine that had familial significance/connection between us! We were so grateful for this special experience and have the signed bottle sitting out still today. If you want a great meal, with an incredible view, and even better service, hurry over to Osteria di Casa Chianti!

If you have a car, please do yourself a favor and drive outside of Firenze for a truly authentic…read morecountryside meal in a charming place. The pappardelle al Cinghiale is absolutely superb. The noodles are cooked to perfection and there is enough meat on the sauce to know what you are eating. Go for a relaxing meal away from all those tourists before you continue down the road to Antinori for an afternoon of wine tasting!

Another excellent spot we tried in Florence. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and seated…read moreimmediately. The staff was very friendly and our waiter was Nugo. He was awesome and had us laughing the entire night. We peppered him with a lot of questions about the menu, he answered everything and also accommodated my father-in-law, who is GF. He had his own GF bread basket and was able to order almost anything on the menu. We ordered a nice bottle of Montepulciano red for the table that was $48. Others had the Hugo spritz. For app I had the anchovies with roasted red pepper, sea salt and oil over grilled crostini, very good. I skipped first course and ordered the ribeye steak for my main course. Bone in, medium rare, sprinkled with sea salt and a side of onion marmalade. The steak was very good and had way less fat than I expected. The waiter suggested a huge steak for the table, but I was the only one ordering steak that night. Maybe next time. Others ordered the fillet and it was cooked perfectly, the angels and demons gnocchi, and the veal scallopini. Everybody was pleased Really cool spot with a very good wine selection, drinks, excellent food and a fun atmosphere that you don't find at many places. Nugo was an A+ server.

Fyi there are two locations, make sure you go to the correct one (only two blocks apart)…read more Wonderful, laid back but inviting ambiance. Waiter was super friendly, taking time to explain their wines in detail and food options. They even have a kids menu with sizeable portions for older kids. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and it was definitely the best wine we had with meals in Florence. Gnocchi and wild boar taglietelle were outstanding. Had we had come earlier in our stay we might have come back again They also do a wine window which I wish I'd known about earlier because the other one we tried for fun was not good

We luckily found this delicious place for lunch a quick walk from parking. Service was attentive…read moreand we enjoyed the local vibe. Great meatballs, just saying.

Nearly ten years ago on a warm evening in July, my very nervous husband (then fiance) and I…read moregathered at Villa Borromeo with my parents, siblings, friends and family. For many of them, this was the first time they met my American husband. We were seated at a long table outdoors, surrounded by green vines in the luscious garden of the villa. So why were we nervous? Because this was the night we announced our engagement, and we had chosen Villa Borromeo to have our (small) party. By European standards we were young to get engaged, though we had agreed to wait several years. I remember little of our dinner that night, but I will always remember our beautiful surroundings as we told our family that we were getting married. Four years later we returned to Villa Borromeo, this time with about fifty friends and family members, to celebrate my birthday and to welcome everyone as they arrived in Italy for our wedding. The villa opened up their rarely seen upstairs room for champagne, and we talked and laughed as I opened my presents and simply enjoyed having everyone together again in one place. After the drinks, we went downstairs into their beautiful cellar restaurant where they had set up large tables for our six course meal. And my god, the food kept coming: Crostini with porcini-truffle spread and chicken liver spread, delicate meats and cheeses, large plates of fresh pasta, meats, ice cream, fruits. A true feast that went down easily with a rich selection of velvety Chianti wines. We could barely finish all the food, it was wonderful. Everyone went home filled to the brim with fine Tuscan foods and wine (no drunk driving, my father had arranged a bus). Villa Borromea was a generous host that made both our special events absolutely perfect. We couldn't have chosen a better location to announce our engagement, celebrate my birthday, and welcome our guests before our wedding. A big thank you to all the amazing staff!