RESTAURANTS

TopTen

1. Antica Locanda di Sesto, near Lucca

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There’s been an inn here on the banks of the River Serchio between Lucca and the Garfagnana since the 1300s. Family-run for decades, the current incarnation (see Antica Locanda di Sesto, near Lucca) is steeped in the cooking traditions of this mountainous corner of Tuscany. Several ingredients, including extra-virgin olive oil, are sourced fresh from the family farm. Grilled meat is a house speciality.

TopTen

Exterior of Antica Locanda di Sesto

2. L’Antica Scuderia, Badia a Passignano

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Set amid a sea of vines beside an 11th-century abbey, this (see L’Antica Scuderia) has one of Tuscany’s prettiest outdoor terraces. The food is equally elegant, a refined take on Tuscan classics such as pappa al pomodoro (a delicious thick tomato soup) and tagliata (a dressed sliced steak). Black truffles feature liberally on the menu.

3. Il Romito, Livorno

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Spectacularly perched on a clifftop overlooking the sea, this eatery’s location (see Il Romito, Livorno) is truly superb. The menu features excellent seafood dishes. Visitors can enjoy a drink at the bar before going on to dine on the spacious terrace. Also on the terrace is a good pizzeria.

4. La Buca di Sant’Antonio, Lucca

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This restaurant has been serving the best food in Lucca since 1782. Here (see La Buca di Sant’Antonio, Lucca) diners will find a series of rooms hung with old kitchen implements and musical instruments. You will experience the friendliest professional welcome of any restaurant in Tuscany, and great Lucchese cooking.

5. Dorandò, San Gimignano

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This elegant, stone-walled restaurant (see Dorandò, San Gimignano) keeps traditional Sangimignanese recipes alive, resurrecting superbly prepared, tasty dishes from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They even claim that some of their dishes date back to the Etruscan era. The menu explains every dish in detail.

6. Konnubio, Florence

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Florence’s San Lorenzo neighbourhood is experiencing a mini-renaissance, and this relaxed and friendly restaurant (see Konnubio) is the best of several recent openings. The menu is an unusual mix of traditional Tuscan and vegan dishes, occasionally on the same plate (seitan with Tuscan spices, for example). The enclosed courtyard setting and subtle lighting gives it a romantic ambience after dark.

TopTen

Vegan soybean and sprout soup

7. La Cantinetta di Rignana, near Greve in Chianti

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This establishment (see La Cantinetta di Rignana, near Greve) is set amid vineyards, far from anywhere along winding dirt roads – a complete countryside trattoria experience. Curing meats hang in the doorway, and Madonna and Child icons and copper pots pepper the walls. The homemade pastas and grilled meats are delicious. There is also a glassed-in veranda for summertime dining.

TopTen

The lovely rural trattoria La Cantinetta di Rignana

8. La Botte Piena, near Montefollonico

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Mighty stone-and-brick walls and an oak-beamed ceiling give this place (see La Botte Piena, near Montefollonico) a rustic vibe. The food follows centuries-old traditions of the Sienese countryside, with the likes of hand-rolled pici pasta, pecorino cheese and Cinta Senese pork. The wine list is long and expertly sourced, and covers the best of Tuscany’s vineyards.

9. Ristorante Fiorentino, Sansepolcro

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Sansepolcro’s best restaurant (see Ristorante Fiorentino, Sansepolcro) is over 200 years old – an old-fashioned, wood-ceilinged, homey trattoria of Tuscan cuisine. The owner prefers to rhapsodize about what’s best in the kitchen today rather than handing customers a menu, and enjoys discussing the works of Piero della Francesca.

10. Trattoria Sant’Omobono, Pisa

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Simple and traditional Pisan home cooking is offered at this hidden gem (see Trattoria Sant’Omobono, Pisa) of a trattoria in the outdoor market. The menu is full of long-standing Pisan favourites such as baccalá (salt cod), coniglio (rabbit) and brachetti alla renaiola, an ancient recipe of pasta squares in puréed turnip greens and smoked fish.

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