Recommendations for dining out during your Tuscan farmhouse holiday from Lynette
 
Self-catered holiday accommodations in Tuscany are a wonderful opportunity to experience shopping and cooking like a real Italian.  Another exciting adventure awaits as you become acquainted with the variety of choices you have for dining out during your visits to the villages, towns and cities around this region of Tuscany.

Here are a few to guide you: ristoranti (restaurants): the most formal type of place to eat when one is not in a hurry, sometimes a little fancy and pricy and family-run; trattoria and osteria: less formal than a ristorante, where local specialties are served; panineria: a sandwich bar, where a quick meal can be had at any time of the day; pizzeria: is not only for pizza lovers!

Below the Hirschowitz's have listed some of their favorites.
 

Benabbio

Acquolina in Bocca  0583 804098  Excellent  trattoria and pizzeria up the hill from the church. It is open all day. The pizzas are the best locally.  Does take away pizzas as well.

 

Il Cavalino bianco 0583 804089  in the main square. Very local food.  You can have coffee and pastries at any time and a very reasonable workers lunch is served. In the evening there is no menu and Alessandro the owner will tell you what he has prepared. The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. Closed Monday. Very little English spoken.

 

Bagni di Lucca

 

Da  Vinicio 0583 87250  (Ponte  Seraglio) - closed Monday.Very good local  fare , antipasto and  pizzas.  Family run.  As this is probably the most popular local trattoria and service is often  slow  - don't go there if you are in a rush! Its best to go as early as possible….i.e. 7.30 p.m.

 

Da Mamo –347 294 0371 centre of town opposite Banca Toscana. local restaurant. Good   local fare, Closed Monday and Tuesday.

 

Trattoria Borghese. In the town centre. Only open for lunch. This is where all the locals eat. The food is authentic local Tuscan, excellent quality and amazingly cheap.

 

L’Osteria della Piazzetta. The owner is very enthusiastic and a fan of slow food  and good wines. Be prepared to eat a lot …excellent fare.0583 805888.

 

Il Folletti – Tratorria/pizzeria at the bottom of the hill. ` Good value and good for kids. Pizzas, home made pastas Good steaks and daily menu. Tel 340 3994157. Closed Mon

 

Al Cantucci . Giovianna. Take the road to Barga, cross the bridge at Calavorno. Turn right. The sign to Giovanna is on the left. Very good local fare and very reasonable.. Good home made pasta. You can choose 3 pastas for the table to taste. Excellent meat. Tel : 0583 833185 . Closed Tuesday

 

Piccola trattoria del Quadrifoglio. Just before Al cantucci. 0583 833254. . Fish is the speciality and the menu has some unusual dishes. Other dishes available as well. Closed Monday

We have not had a good meal at Circolo dei Forestiere although others have recommended it. It is quite formal and expensive.

 

The pizzeria Del Sonno is very popular with tourists, and is extremely busy in summer. Service is slow and we have not had a good meal there...

 

·        All the pizzerias do takeaways.

 

Further afield

 

La Cantina – on the right as you come into Ghivizzano. Very good fresh fish very popular with the locals. Slightly smarter than most local restaurants but dress still casual.

 

Trattoria da Fagiolino in Cutiglian on the way to Abetone.  tel 0573 68014. This is a lovely restaurant mentioned in the |Michelin guide. The food is excellent and very reasonable The menu is very seasonal and mushrooms are a speciality. www.trattoriadafagiolino.it The village is very pretty and worth going on a day trip and having lunch there. Takes about 40 minutes.You can take the cable car or drive to Dogannacia where you can do a 6 mile  walk around a mountain lake. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.. Must book

 

Buca di Baldabo    Vico Pancellorum. On the road to Abetone just after Limano on the left. Wonderful hilltop village. Its worth going early and walking round the village. The restaurant is very homespun. The pastas and risottos are outstanding. English spoken. Good pizzas 0583 89062. Must book

 

L'Arcile In the town centre Coreglia Antelminelli. Good home made pasta and grills. Lovely drive up to the town and very pretty village.

 

Lucca area (Within the walls)

 

Da  Leo.   Closed  Sunday.  Typical  Lucchese  trattoria.   Very popular  with the locals. Good atmosphere -  lively.   Excellent value.  No credit cards. 

Must book -  Tel 0583 492236.

 

Buca  di  Sant' Antonio.  Closed Sunday evening and  Monday.  Up-market  -

one Michelin star.  This is the most sophisticated restaurant in the area. The food is wonderful and very reasonably priced   Excellent wines. Credit cards.

Must book - tel 0583 55881. www.bucadisantantonio.it

 

Al Ristorante del Teatro  Piazza Napoleone , in the Hotel Universo. Quite elegant and comfortable. Excellent fare. very reasonable . Tel 0583 493740 Closed Thursday

 

Adjacent to Piazza Napoleone in Piazza del Giglio:

 Il Giglio  {Piazza Giglio  0583 494 058

Bar Astra  Great place for a light lunch. They do a large variety of delicious salads

ll Tabarro  Piazza Giglio  Good place for light lunch.

 

 

Gli Orti di Via Elisa     Via Elisa 17  Very nice restaurant with very good antipasto table.

 

Puccini.       Opposite Puccinis house. recommended. Quite expensive and full of tourists!! 0583 316116

 

Il Buatino    Borgo Gianotti (just outside the walls) Good trattoria where the locals eat lunch.

 

 Near Lucca

Trattoria del Sesto. Renowned for its meat, which comes from a particular breed of cattle. Very pleasant venue. Must book.  Closed Saturday and August 0583 578181

 

Butterfly   Between Lucca and Ponte a Moriano. Very sophisticated  menu. In the summer you can dine outside in very pleasant surroundings Expensive for the area but not London prices

 

Solferino.   Excellent  food - middle price  range.   Good  wines except for the house wine!   Phone  0583 59118 on the surface road to Viareggio

 

Vipore,--- Pieve Santo Stefano.  Just outside Lucca, lovely views, expensive, but very good food.  Difficult to find!!! 0583 394065

 

Celle dei Puccini   0583 359 184   Localita celle dei Puccini near Pescaglia. They do excellent Sunday lunch for 35 euros.

 

Gazebo  Hotel Locanda l’Elisa. Tel    ; 0583 379737  Massa Pisana. Between Lucca and Pisa airport.  Michelin rated Very upmarket and sophisticated tuscan food.

 Pescia

Cecco.  If you take a trip to Pescia, this is a very good place for a treat.  Very good fish and local dishes.  Upmarket.

Pisa

Lo Schiaccianoci   Via Vespucci 104  near the station  Tel   050 21024  Very well known. excellent food and very cheap.

 

Il Ristoro del faggiola  Via della faggiola   050 55 27 25

 

Viareggio

Expensive fish restaurants opposite the beach-front - listed in the Guida  Italia guide in the bookshelf on the first landing in  the house.

 

D' Oliviero.  Trattoria half way along the beachfront.  Serves  good pizzas,  light meals,  ice creams  etc  at  reasonable  prices  - slightly  more  than in Bagni di Lucca as it is  a  major  coastal resort. Tel 0584 49260

 

Ariston Mare  Lido di Camaoire. Beach side restaurant. Lovely for lunch on a hot summer day. 0584 904747 specialises in fish. Difficult to park in the summer Must book closed Monday

 

Riomaggiore (la Spezia)

La Lanterna  tel: 0187 92 05 89  Trattoria overlooking the bay. Excellent fish.

 

Barga

Da Carlino Castelnuovo di Garfagnana       tel   ; 0583 644270 Excellent tuscan fare, lovely setting.

 

Florence

Pamphlets in the folders in the bookshelf in the house.


 
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