You might be going to Tuscany for a while, or just passing through. There are many different reasons for going there. Breathtaking landscapes, enchanting villages, unique monuments and, of course, the food. The Tuscan culinary tradition is one that has a privileged relationship with the countryside and its products. A straightforward cuisine, without too many frills. Cold cuts and cheeses are just the prelude to what will find its way to the table. Meat, a lot of meat, especially Fiorentina steaks, but also pork or wild boar that ends up in handmade pasta sauces. Then there are the pulses, garden vegetables and “flavors.” So eating Tuscan food in Tuscany isn’t that difficult, and if you look beyond Florence, there are essential places to stop if you want to examine the true gastronomic culture of this region first hand.
Where to Savor True Tuscan Cuisine in Tuscany
The Fiorentina steak gets top bill, but you also have tortelloni and pici pasta, cold cuts, cheeses and seasonal vegetables. Tuscan cuisine is a real triumph of local excellence.
Traversa
Bar Bibo trattoria, the F-word here is Fiorentina
We’re in Firenzuola, a few miles from the Roncobilaccio or Barberino del Mugello exits on the highway. Coming from the north, Bibo Bar trattoria is one of the first outposts for the Fiorentina steak. It’s a simple menu, written on a blackboard, but you come here to eat meat. A small selection of dif...
Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
Vecchio Mulino, tasting the Garfagnana region
Come here for a low-key lunch, a leisurely aperitivo, or a full immersion in the flavors of the Garfagnana region, around Lucca. For this, come to the Vecchio Mulino. Everything here revolves around Andrea Bertucci, a hospitable host and connoisseur of the area. He will guide you through the flavors...
Massa Marittima
Osteria Tronca, Maremma DOC cuisine
In the village of Massa Marittima, inside a beautiful medieval palace, Osteria Tronca is a reference point for anyone who wants to try the cuisine of the Maremma area. Here, in fact, everything revolves entirely around the area, from the recipes to the wine list. The appetizers are based on cold cut...
Siena
Osteria Il Vinaio, a trattoria and grocery store in the center of Siena
This trattoria and grocery store is a stone’s throw from the center of Siena. Tables are laid out in a spartan fashion, and a marble counter is piled with the best produce from Siena: cold meats, sauces for crostini, cheeses and jams. Local produce and a short distribution chain (“the ribollita soup...
Colle di Val d'Elsa
Officina della Cucina Popolare, all handmade
Halfway between Florence and Siena, you should stop at the Officina della Cucina Popolare, or Workshop of Popular Cuisine, in Colle Val d’Elsa. There’s a reason for the name. It’s because this is where they make the flavors of the past. Pasta and bread are made by hand daily. Maccheroncini, bigoli a...
Livorno
Barrocciaia, where the panino is a must
The link between this place in Livorno and the traditions of the land is embedded in the name. A barroccio was the wagon in which the peasant farmers took the first fruits from their fields around the country. It’s this kind of food that you can stock up on in the trattoria that once belonged to Gio...
Montevarchi
Daniele e Riccardo, the hosts who are simplifying tradition
At Daniele and Riccardo’s restaurant, Tuscan tradition is reinterpreted slightly. The dishes are not distorted, just “simplified.” It’s a controversial philosophy, but one that is certainly gaining converts and enjoy a huge amount of success. The quality of the ingredients is excellent, the vegetabl...