The best vineyard restaurants in the Tuscan countryside
Florence captivates with historic palazzi and the gentle Arno, but the rolling hills just outside the city are just as alluring
From Chianti to the hills around Lucca, scenic country roads wind through vineyard rows lined with cypresses and sunflowers. Here you will find an excellent choice of restaurants that also offer a cool retreat from the city’s summer heat. Here is our pick of top spots to enjoy outstanding food and wine pairings, just a short drive from Florence.
Ristorante Tosca
Località Querceto, 53031 Casole d’Elsa, Siena
Set inside the fairytale Castello di Casole, a Belmond Hotel, fine dining spot fine dining Tosca is a standout in the Val d’Elsa, complete with an elegant terrace overlooking gardens and rolling valleys. The kitchen is run by chef Daniele Sera, who champions a farm-to-table approach where biodiversity, environmental care and culinary experimentation take centre stage. The seasonal rotation of over 100 varieties of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers grown in the castle gardens forms one of the cornerstones of the restaurant’s sourcing. Sera’s team works closely with the estate gardeners to serve the finest seasonal produce, maximising self-sufficiency and sustainable food production. The result is a superb menu featuring highlights such as squid stuffed with Certaldo onion and Mugello potato purée and cappellaci filled with pappa al pomodoro. Courses are complemented by estate-produced red wine, honey and olive oil, reflecting the property’s dedication to self-reliance. Menus change with the seasons, with meticulous care paid to the presentation of every plate.
La Cantina del Redi
Via Cinque Martiri, 4, 59015, Artimino
Serving hearty traditional Tuscan cooking framed by sweeping views of the Carmignano hills clad in olive groves and vines, Cantina del Redi offers generous sharing boards of cheeses and selected cured meats, fresh homemade pasta and local meats, alongside vegetarian options such as an organic egg over pea purée served straight in the pan. Everything is paired with the famed local wine, with the option to tour the nearby cellars at Villa Medicea La Ferdinanda. Inside, wooden tables and an open kitchen create a relaxed yet polished feel, while the terraced garden delights eye and palate alike, turning especially romantic from sunset onwards as fairy lights twinkle in the olive trees. The village makes for a delightful stroll in the evening cool, and for those keen to linger in the quiet countryside, overnight rooms are available at the neighbouring Tenuta di Artimino (of which Cantina del Redi is part).
Le Tre Rane
Via Poggio al Mandorlo, 1, 50012, Bagno a Ripoli
Just a short drive from Florence, set within one of Ruffino’s six estates in Chianti, Le Tre Rane welcomes guests inside a 15th-century Renaissance villa. The entire estate is of exceptional pedigree, surrounded by manicured, characterful gardens. The restaurant is warm and inviting, with wide picture windows opening onto the panorama outside. Recently renovated with keen attention to design, it offers a contemporary setting enriched by fragrant flower arrangements, Ginori porcelain and fine works of art, including iconic designs by Gio Ponti. The food lives up to the surroundings, presenting a modern interpretation of Tuscan classics using top-tier ingredients paired with celebrated Ruffino labels. The outdoor loggia is equally inviting: cool and breezy at lunch, candlelit and romantic at dinner overlooking the vineyards. Guests can also stay at the boutique Hotel and explore the historic wine cellar. A fun piece of history: the restaurant takes its name from an early dining venture by Leonardo da Vinci, who in the 15th century opened an inn on the Ponte Vecchio with his friend Sandro Botticelli called Le Tre Rane.
Dario Cecchini
Via XX Luglio, 11, 50022, Panzano In Chianti
Now for one of the true legends of Tuscan dining: the charismatic Dario Cecchini, renowned for his flagship butchery and restaurants in Panzano and now with outposts internationally. Cecchini began as a traditional butcher shop and expanded over the decades, always staying true to an honest love of meat cooked as warmly as at home. Step through the ground-floor door, head upstairs and take a seat in one of the rooms of the house at communal tables where fellow diners quickly become friends. The menu is set, featuring a few rotating daily dishes. Proceedings begin with cured meat starters, fresh pinzimonio vegetables and herbed lardo in jars, followed by mixed meats and the legendary bistecca alla fiorentina, grilled over a large hearth in the dining room. Meals draw to a close with coffee poured from an impressively oversized moka pot, accompanied by cantucci and vin santo. Adding to the charm are Cecchini’s lively tales, placemats detailing the cuts of beef, and a cheerful, welcoming international team (a detail Cecchini takes pride in highlighting). It is far more than a meal: it is a true Tuscan experience.
Rinuccio 1180
San Casciano Val di Pesa FI IT, Via Cassia per Siena, 133, 50026 Bargino
A short drive to San Casciano Val di Pesa brings you to one of the world’s most celebrated wineries: Cantina Antinori, producing wine since 1385 and helmed by the same family for more than 26 generations. Perched on the roof of the winery, an extraordinary work of contemporary architecture, sits restaurant Rinuccio 1180, named after the Antinori family patriarch. Large glass walls immerse guests in the beauty of the surrounding hills, dotted with olive groves and medieval parish churches. The setting complements a generous, varied menu offering a choice between charcuterie and meat starters, seafood pasta mains, roasted aubergine and lamb with vegetables, followed by tarts and sorbets. Everything pairs naturally with the extensive wine list. The culinary visit can be paired with a cellar tour, an overnight stay at the Relais, or a session at the cookery school for keen food lovers. In short, much more than a simple lunch or dinner.
Kaymà
Via Roma, 33, 52015 Pratovecchio Stia
Our journey takes us to another striking Tuscan valley, the Casentino, and specifically to Stia. Housed inside the boutique Hotel Via Roma 33, gourmet restaurant Kaymà offers an experience deeply rooted in its local surroundings. Each morning, the chef explores the surrounding countryside and nearby woodlands for wild herbs, edible flowers and river stones that shape the presentation of each plate. Kitchen sourcing prioritises the finest locally sourced produce, and dish styling often echoes forest flora, where a potato might mimic a river pebble or vegetables form an imaginative miniature woodland. Kaymà delivers not only intense flavour but also a striking visual journey, with each plate crafted like a tiny architectural creation you almost hesitate to disturb. Refined flavours celebrate the Casentino through thoughtful pairings and inventive contrasts, inviting guests to select five courses from the menu. Rounding out the address is the Lounge Bar: a large circular counter with around 20 bar stools, where you can relax over the mixologist’s creations. Each cocktail is the result of thorough research and served alongside creative tapas.
