We arrived without a call ahead or notice of any kind and found the restaurant closed for a special event. The event looked as though it was a local business' lunch during what might have been a retreat day; this implied a good reputation to me. Important! My wife bought their family story cookbook which was both interesting, story wise, and packed full of small farm available - few ingredient recipes. We walked around the farm- which was very small by Southeast Pennsylvania and Northern Kentucky family farm observable norms. read more

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A Perfect Farm-to-Table Lunch with Unforgettable Views If you're anywhere near Pienza, do yourself a favor and stop for this incredible farm-to-table lunch experience. Everything was fresh, local, and incredible flavor. house-made cheeses and delicate prosciutto, salad and tomatoes, honey, and perfectly cooked pork. You can taste the care and tradition in every bite. Highly recommended read more

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Go for the balsamic dressing on the fresh greens from the garden. The balsamic is stunning and i regret not buying a few bottles while I was at the farm. 5 stars for the balsamic and the greens. The pasta was a-ok and competent. The farm tour was disappointing--I happen to live farms and the challenge of farming here is a fantastic story. Instead of sharing that story, the farmer expounded on how American grocery stores are full of toxic foods. That lecture was full of assumptions and cliches. It was easy to tune him out and enjoy the rustic beauty of the farm and surrounding area. 2 stars (the pugs were adorable, I added a star). The people working on the farm were wonderful--friendly and happy to answer questions. 4 stars for ambiance and friendliness. read more

WOW -- this was a big highlight of our 2 weeks in Italy located just outside Pienza. We did the Farm tour with cheese, bread and olive oil tasting (with 2 tastes of wine at the end). 30 Euros each person - 90min long. They have a lovely organic farm and our excellent guide MARTA took us around to see how they make the cheese and other products. We were able to pet their friendly goats through the fence too! Some were JUST BORN (see photos). The VIEWS of the Valley are spectacular with many spots for photos. Best part was the end when you sit at a table overlooking the Val D'Orcia enjoying a generous selection of cheese and some wine. You can also buy products at their store at the end. Book this in advance guys -- you won't regret it. read more

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The tour and tastings were excellent. There was a mix up with our reservation so we appreciated them squeezing us in. Usually you do the tour then the tasting but we did ours in opposite order. The cheeses were delicious. I definitely preferred the versions that were a little less aged and pungent. They were generous with with wine pairings. The rose was quite nice with the cheese. Our tour guide was knowledgeable about the operations. It was pouring rain but we still managed to see the animals and see the cheese being made. It was very interesting to hear how they reuse everything and maintain their organic and bioganic status. So much wine and cheese in the Tuscany area. read more

Podere Il Casale - Hotels Near Me - Pienza, SI

We had lunch here and it was a true farm-to-table experience. To start we shared a selection of goat's milk and sheep's milk cheeses served with bread, honey and a spicy spread. I had a fried raviolo filled with fresh ricotta and topped with tomato sauce and pesto, and my husband had homemade fusilli in a pesto herb sauce. As expected, everything tasted incredibly fresh. We finished our meal with a cannoli which was excellent. They have a little shop where you pay for your meal, and we grabbed a couple of bottles of olive oil and honey to take back home with us. I suggest bringing and wearing bug spray as there are a LOT of insects flying around. read more

Podere Il Casale - Hotels Near Me - Pienza, SI

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Worth taking a drive in the rolling hills of Tuscany to experience this fantastic farm & restaurant! There are not too many spots like this in the US and the team turns all that you see being farmed into delicious meals. We all shared a cheese plate and charcuterie to start. Their pasta was amazing and you really get to understand a two hour "Italian lunch" and why the region is such an amazing place to visit. read more

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This jewel is off the main road outside of Pienza and worth the drive for the views alone! Plan to spend a few hours and enjoy everything this place has to offer. When you consider what you are eating and drinking was literally grown, harvested and produced within view of where you are sitting, you will truly appreciate the 'farm to table' experience. Don't pass this up. read more

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Delicious farm to table food, stunningly beautiful property, warm and friendly service. Don't think about it, YOU MUST GO!!! I believe their menu is seasonal, but if the salted caramel ricotta dessert is available, get it...and thank me later ;) Buon appetito!!! read more

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Beautiful, stunning, delicious farm to table dinner - our first dinner in the Tuscan country side- with amazing views and wonderful service (Massimo was the best!). We had a peacock greet us on our walk in and heard him a little during dinner doing some talking nearby :) The sunset at 8:45pm was spectacular! Their bread tastes almost like sourdough and is made from their own wheat from the farm. The pickles and ham were divine. My husband had the suckling pig and roasted vegetables which he absolutely devoured. I loved my pesto fusilli and our daughter had their tomato and lemon and goat cheese ravioli which is served as almost one big crepe and was fantastic. Would absolutely recommend and would go back if I lived here for a special occasion! read more

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True farm-to-table in Tuscany, near Pienza. The farm is lovely with stunning views, wonderful food and peacocks (and other farm animals) on site. This was recommended by a friend in Florence to visit Podere il Casale for lunch to best enjoy the views. I made reservations and strongly recommend doing so on their website! We enjoyed a wonderful cheese plate that was perfectly presented and of all the best cheeses from their farm. The wine did not disappoint and we even bought some to take with us. We shared two pastas, two meats, and 2 desserts (there were 4 of us). Everything was of top quality, great portions & made to perfection. If you are in this area, plan a visit and make reservations for a meal. It will be a favorite, I am sure! Buon appetito! read more

If you're looking for something straight out of Under the Tuscan Sun, this is it. It's a beautiful well-preserved organic farm just outside of Pienza offering cheese-making, cooking, and pizza-making classes, as well as truffle hunting. We opted for a cheese tasting with included lunch and a farm tour for two, which was about 80€ total. I made reservations online, and they were very responsive to email. On arrival, we found out that the dairy inspectors had unexpectedly arrived an hour ago, so no one was available to give us the tour until later. Totally not their fault, and we used the time while waiting for lunch to take tons of pictures. Did I mention how beautiful the view is? We loved the cheese tasting! So many cheeses, and we really enjoyed the subtleties in flavor between sheep's milk and goat's milk cheeses of various ages. My favorite was the very aged goat's milk cheese which tasted almost unbearably funky and moldy, but somehow, I loved it?? We opted for a plate of charcuterie for an extra 5€ per person, and it was a good decision, as they gave us a generous portion of very high-quality charcuterie. The rest of the tasting menu was just okay. There was a simple but fresh salad with oil and vinegar, a very tasty bowl of pappa al pomodoro, a small amount of spelt pasta in pesto that was too hard in texture for us, and a tiny piece of cake. Portions were small, and if we hadn't ordered the charcuterie, we might've still been hungry. I would skip the rest of the meal next time and ask if we could just do the cheese and charcuterie. The tour itself was pleasant enough. The owner of the farm herself came out to give us the tour, and she is a remarkable lady. We got to see where they make the cheeses we had just eaten, which was interesting. Unfortunately the other people in our tour almost ruined it for us, as they kept insisting on speaking to her in German, and when she politely told them that she would have to give the tour in English because my husband and I are Americans, they had the nerve to imply that Americans are unintelligent because we are not multilingual! We felt so uncomfortable for the rest of the tour. I know it's not the fault of the owner, but it left a sour taste in our mouth at the end of our visit. That aside, I think this is a beautiful farm doing many things right. The overall experience is overpriced for what it is, considering other agriturismos are offering the same things for less, but I still enjoyed my afternoon here and would not hesitate to return. read more

My husband and I went there for dinner.... Farm to table restaurant, spectacular views and great food! This place is a must see if you're in the area. They also have a pizza making class which looked like a lot of fun! read more

Podere Il Casale - View from the table - Hotels Near Me - Pienza, SI

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Podere Il Casale is a Swiss owned family farm which produces the best pecorino cheese in the region. We had a cooking lesson with Sandra, the enthusiatic owner who came to this country 32 years ago and built up this farm and raised her five sons. Her husband is in charge of the cheese production and one of their high quality product is the Vin Santo cheese for Avignonesi. We were welcomed by her personally and she was so energetic from the beginning to the end of our visit. Never once seeming to loose her interest in making us feel at home. First, she took us to pick all the ingredients that we needed from her own farm. The farm is organic and all types of plants can be found including olive tree, tomatoes, lavender, rosemary, fennel etc. Then, we learnt how to make roast pork marinated with her own grown fresh herbs. We also made our own pasta and tiramisu. While we waited for the tiramisu to bake, we toured the farm and she would tell us all about her animals. It was fun seeing the donkey baby and my friend was bitten by the mother when trying to cuddle the little one. We also saw the goat sleeping on the tree. The tour in the cheese making facility was amazing. A group of tourists were having the tour too with their tour guide. But tour with Sandra was more private and we got to know her staff and ask her questions about cheese making. We took some fun pictures holding the biggest cheese while visiting their storage room. When the tour ended, we were told to sit and relax on our nicely set up outdoor table overlooking the magnificent view of Pienza. It was heavenly just to enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of Val d'orcia. The good thing was only a few tables for a few tourists. So you could pretty much enjoy the quietness and relaxed atmosphere without much noise. We had our own cooked meal pairing with red wine and coffee in the end. There was also a little shop for us to buy their own made olive oil, herbs, honey and marmalade. All in all, we enjoyed our afternoon in this very homely and authentic farm. read more

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My husband and I went on the farm tour and had lunch at the farm. We really enjoyed our experience. Our tour guide was one of the owner's sons and it was really interesting. Lunch was also very good. My husband enjoyed his cheeses and I enjoyed my lamb. All of their food is from what the farm produces. read more

This place is so spectacular it spurred me to write my first ever Yelp review. My wife and I booked a private tour and cheese tasting with the owner Alessandra. The farm animals and cheese making process was incredibly interesting, and the cheese tasting including wine and 9 different cheeses. Everything is organic and made at the farm. The view was so perfect we blew off our lunch reservation in Pienza and ate lunch at their farm to table restaurant. I couldn't recommend this place more and it was the highlight of our time in Tuscany!i read more

Podere Il Casale - Table view of the Monte Amiata. Absolutely beautiful! - Hotels Near Me - Pienza, SI

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We did the cheesemaking experience plus lunch, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. The owner is knowledgeable and passionate about local, organic, "old school"-style farming, and we learned a LOT about cheesemaking. You can tell the care he puts into everything and the food was absolutely delicious. We really enjoyed it. read more

Insane to me that this place only has TWO reviews! We went here for Christmas Day Lunch, where we had only other two other people/groups in the restaurant with us. The place is owned by a Swiss Family who have been running the farm since 1991. The owners were in Switzerland on holiday, but the two sons were there running things, and they couldn't have been nicer. The farm is exceptional to walk around and visit -- they have more formal tours, but with the owners gone, we did a sort of impromptu walk around. Loved checking out the peacocks, the dogs, the donkey, the sheep and the ADORABLE LAMBS! Which brings me to the restaurant... where the adorable lambs are also delicious lambs. Like, the best lamb of your LIFE delicious. I have no idea how they cook these, but it is positively working. Almost felt like it was braised for hours and then thrown on the grill for some crisp. Just melt-in-your-mouth good. The charcuterie plate with the farm's meat and cheese and honey and pickled goods was also to die for. We ate the best dessert we had in all of Italy here -- the ricotta cake with orange/lemon zest. Just, wow. You can totally tell when so much care and love is put into everything being raised on either their farm or a nearby farm. It was just a really, really special place. Please go. They deserve every ounce of business that they receive -- they work so hard. Thank you, PIC!!! read more

Terrible & a complete waste of time. DO NOT DO WITH KIDS. If you want to completely waste a day in Tuscany and in the process be patronized and browbeaten about how Americans' consumption of mass-produced food products is to blame for destroying the lives of farmers, then this is the experience for you! We signed up to participate in a program that was billed as a 3-hour experience that included a cheese-making demonstration, a tour of an organic farm and lunch; important we had 4 kids (ages 9, 10, 12 and 14) in our group. For the 1st 50 minutes we stood outside (being bitten by bugs) while our host (apparently the owner) rambled on about the importance of small farmers, how consumers' (especially Americans) desire for less expensive and mass produced products are destroying the livelihood of hard working people and knowing the type of grass eaten by the cows which produce the cheese you eat. (Please understand that we regularly shop at farmer's markets, support our local farms and farm-to-table businesses and put a great value in fresh, organic food. However, on vacation with kids in Italy is not the place that we need to be lectured about this.) After this initial portion we went to where the cheese-making demonstration was supposed to occur and again, this guy rambled on for 20 minutes about the difference between cow, goat and sheep's milk and the anatomy of these animals ... BEFORE EVEN TURNING ON THE CHEESE MAKING EQUIPMENT (which then need to heat up for another 20+ minutes before the process could start). By this time, 2 of the 4 kids in our group had their heads on the table and the other 2 looked like they were in detention. (By then we were over 90 minutes into what was supposed to be a 3 hour experience - no cheese had been made, we had not explored the farm and had not been served anything to eat.) At that point we decided to cut our losses and go explore someplace else in Tuscany. We spoke to the manager (apparently the son of the owner), explained our displeasure and that our kids were bored out of their minds [as we all were], that we felt we were wasting precious time in Tuscany and wanted to go explore elsewhere and asked what a fair price would be for us to leave prior to essentially doing ANYTHING that had been part of the tour (including, not eating the sit down lunch); specifically we offered to pay 1/2 of the total amount, to which the manager told us he thought was "rude" and that he expected us to pay the entire amount. (Had he just taken the offer of 1/2 payment, we would have done so [again without eating the meal that was part of the program], let it go and this review never would have been written [in that regard I hope this review is read by the owner/manager of the business, as you have terrible customer service skills and know nothing about how to make your customers happy and/or build loyalty to your brand].) After arguing about this for another 10 minutes, we capitulated and paid the entire amount (over $1,000.00usd for our entire group) and left. (Candidly, if these folks are as concerned about the well being and longevity of small farmers and producers like themselves, it would benefit them to WORK WITH their customers as opposed to argue with them.) We went on to have a wonderful day exploring Montepulciano. If you are even slightly considering this tour/experience, I cannot more strongly advise you against it. PS - In the event that the business writes a response stating that we were impatient and just don't understand that cheesemaking is a time consuming process (which we heard over a dozen times while expressing our displeasure with the experience), I again respond that they knew that we had young kids and it could not have been more obvious that they were bored out of their minds. There are LOTS of things that could have been done to speed up the process (for example cut the 50 minute diatribe at the beginning to 10 minutes, have the equipment turned on and the process of heating up the milk started by an assistant before [or at least right as] we got into the demonstration room [and then explain that the assistant had been there for 30 minutes stirring, or whatever, before we arrived], suggest that someone else take the kids for a tour of the farm to see the animals while the tedious part of the process was being done, etc., etc., etc.). These are common sense actions that a reasonable business who cared about their customer would take. read more

The cooking class was an outstanding experience and the highlight of our trip to Tuscany. We spent the entire day on the property between the cooking, a tour of the organic farm and dairy, and a leisurely afternoon eating our delicious creation and drinking wine. Everything from beginning to end was organic and from this farm including the fresh pork Loin which very well may have been the tastiest thing we ate in our 2 weeks in Italy. Sandra and her team were gracious and welcoming hosts and we look forward to coming back when we revisit Tuscany. read more