One of our favorite restaurants in Tuscany. My wife and I traveled here in March 2014, staying in nearby Montegufoni. We ate dinner here twice, on our first night in Tuscany and a few nights before leaving - we had to go one more time! The service from the owner was impeccable. The food, sourced locally, was very fresh and delicious. I highly recommend the steak Florentine which easily feeds 4 carnivores and is cooked on the rarer side of medium-rare (do not ask for it cooked otherwise, or you'll insult the tradition!). Don't let the site of blood scare you, this is one of the most tender and delicious cuts of beef I've ever had!
Pasta dishes were cooked to perfection and can easily be shared so you can try more items on the menu. On our last dinner at Il Focolare, the owner recommended we have their special dessert that night. It was a selection of freshly baked Italian cookies (think biscotti, but unlike any biscotti you've likely had in the US!) paired with an Orange wine (similar to a muscato) that left us wanting more! We would have like to bring some back to share w/ family and friends, but like fresh italian bread, baked w/out preservatives that extend the "shelf-life" to more than a few days - these would not have made it back the same.
This restaurant represents true Tuscan dining at its absolute finest! It is not to be missed if you pass it along while driving the Via Volterrana! read more