The Essential Tuscany Guide

where to eat and drink in one of italy's most iconic food and wine regions according to a local

Driving through Tuscany, it’s easy to get lost in the region’s steep and winding hills. Swallowed whole by the sloping vineyards on either side of its jagged and narrow roadways. And of course, drawn into the region’s myriad tourist traps. The region, known equally for its beauty as for its exquisite food and wine, attracts tens of millions of visitors every year. But knowing where to go, what to see, and how to eat and drink well is best understood through the eyes of a local.

Monique Kreis is the writer and creator behind The Hungry Romantic, a newsletter about food, wine and travel. Living in Tuscany, by way of Australia, her time in Italy began first as a holiday, turned into a romance with a winemaker and, eventually, became a life in one of the country’s most beautiful wine regions.

You can find Monique on Substack and on Instagram where shares recipes, storytelling, and food-based travel guides…with events coming soon.

Here Monique shares a road-trip-style guide for anyone traveling to Tuscany who’s looking for authentic and beautiful places to enjoy delicious wine and classic Tuscan food and drink.

She starts us in Florence, where most people arrive when they come to Tuscany, and takes us through some of the region’s most beautiful towns and villages.

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Florence

🍷Casa di Vini

This tiny wine bar sits right next to Florence’s famous food and leather markets — you’re practically seated behind the stalls — yet it has somehow remained gloriously local.

Inside, it’s charmingly old-world: black-and-white checkered floors, wooden shelves lined with bottles, and a few tables spilling out onto the footpath.

Order the Tuscan-style anchovy crostini — parsley, garlic, olive oil — paired with pecorino. Buoni.

🍷Enoteca Spontanea

Arrive early if you want a table — this place fills up fast. The wine list is extensive and outstanding, with something for everyone, from the classics to the spontaneous ferments for the natural wine lovers. The food menu includes not just snacks but a full menu if you want to go for dinner.

On my last visit, I ordered crostini with lingua (tongue), a tuna spread similar to vitello tonnato topped with pickled onions, and traditional crostini toscani — a chicken liver pâté with a twist, finished with plum compote. Genuinely some of the best antipasti I’ve ever eaten. I’m still talking about it!

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Siena

While Florence is all Renaissance elegance, Siena offers a completely different vibe, with its brick-lined medieval streets and historic centre.

🍷Bottiglieria Salefino

Siena is undeniably beautiful, but it can be a challenge — even for locals — to find somewhere comfortable and genuinely good. Which is why Bottiglieria Salefino is, in my opinion, the best wine bar in town.

It ticks every box: cosy interiors, dim lighting, delicious food, and a great wine and aperitivo menu. Perfect for a date, or even solo with a good book. Think ’90s movie energy — the kind of place where you might meet the love of your life on a rainy night.

Order the bread with butter and anchovies — simple, perfect, unbeatable. If it’s on the menu, don’t miss the deep-fried polenta with baccalà mantecato, a creamy whipped cod spread.

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Castelnuovo dell’Abate

Driving toward the famous Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino wine region, you’ll reach Castelnuovo dell’Abate — home to stunning wineries and some of the most beautiful landscapes in this part of Tuscany.

🍷Vineria aperta

This spot was just voted the best wine bar in all of Italy for 2025. No big deal.

In summer, it’s heaven: sitting outside for an afternoon aperitivo, looking out over rolling Tuscan hills. The drive here is one of the most beautiful in the area, especially at sunset — absolutely magical. Fun fact: I came here on my very first date with my Italian winemaker boyfriend. Let’s just say, I highly recommend it for a first date.

Throughout the whole year they host loads of wine events where, for €25, you can taste as much wine as you like from producers across Tuscany — including Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino, and lesser-known but equally special varieties. Big local hit.

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San Quirico - Pienza

Heading in the opposite direction, one final stop in the iconic town of Pienza, make a stop in San Quirico d’Orcia — an iconic charming Tuscan village.

🍷La Bottega di Portanuova

San Quirico is beautiful and absolutely worth visiting, but like Siena, it can be tricky to find something truly local. Enter La Bottega di Portanuova — part deli, part wine bar, and perfect for an afternoon aperitivo.

The wine list is excellent, the cheese and salumi selection is spot-on, and you can also pick up pantry gems like condiments, sauces, and other typical Tuscan specialties to take home.

🍷Prosit

Pienza is probably the most famous village in this part of Tuscany. The views are undeniably breathtaking and completely iconic. Prosit is one of my favourite hideaways, tucked down a small alley that most visitors somehow miss.

Inside, it’s cosy and welcoming; outside, tables line a cobblestone lane full of rustic Tuscan charm. The wine list leans heavily into natural wines, alongside an excellent craft beer selection. The menu puts a playful twist on Tuscan classics — refreshing in a region where kitchens don’t often stray far from tradition.

Order the crostini di lardo. My life genuinely hasn’t been the same since eating lardo for the first time.

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