Siena & nearby,
where I'd eat

The village taverna five minutes from the house, outdoor tables. Closed Tuesdays; dinner only Mon and Wed–Fri, lunch added at weekends. Via del Sergente 4

Directly behind the Palazzo Pubblico. Closed Wednesdays, Thursday dinner only. Gluten-free catered for

Patron-chef Kohsuke Sugihara — Japanese precision applied to Tuscan produce, well off the tourist circuit, dozens of bonsai about the place. Michelin Guide and Gambero Rosso. Closed Mondays

Fifty covers, the day's menu on a blackboard, changing every couple of months. Strong enough on Chianti Classico to host its own deep-dive dinners. The lampredotto ramen is not a typo

Built into a 12th-century tower with brick vaults and a surviving porta del morto. Wines by the glass on Coravin. Closed Sundays

Central, good value, all-you-can-eat alongside the à la carte. Ring to check lunch — the listings disagree

Terrace with a direct view of the Duomo. 72-hour dough, gluten-free and vegan available. Small terrace — book

In vaulted cellars underneath the city. Marco Certosini on wine, Yuma Hirai in the kitchen. Open seven days

In the towers above Porta Nuova in Colle Alta, panoramic outdoor seating. Chef Lorenzo Somigli. Book for the live-music nights

Hotel and restaurant inside the walled upper town. Large panoramic garden and terrace — this is the aperitivo-at-sunset one. Closed Tuesdays; 12:00–14:00 and 18:30–21:00

The restaurant of the Borgo Scopeto wine relais, just above Vagliagli. Dinner only, open to non-residents, book ahead. Homemade bread and fresh pasta

At Castello di Brolio, the Ricasoli estate where the Chianti Classico formula was written. Season runs 20 Mar–1 Nov; closed Wed, Thu and Sun evening. Book online

Family-run in a converted barn beside the church of San Martino, trading since 1999. Also runs private cooking classes

Reached by a long white gravel road, which is part of the point. Panoramic terrace, strictly seasonal. Book — it is remote and small

Fish in the heart of steak country, on the Siena–Florence road. Summer veranda over the hillside. Closed Mondays

Siena's established fish restaurant, and a member of the Buon Ricordo association. Outside the walls with free parking. Closed Sundays; Monday dinner only

On the Chianti road out of the city. Under new management as of 2026 — its previous reputation should not be assumed to carry over

Home-style, run by Chen and Liya. Open seven days, 12:00–14:30 and 19:00–22:30

Facing the church that holds Piero della Francesca's Legend of the True Cross. In the Michelin Guide. Closed Mondays and Sunday evening

Chef Fatjon Goga, three tasting menus, on the great sloping square. Cocktail bar 17:00–24:00. Closed Mondays

The local everyday option on the SP408. Closed Tuesdays; 12:00–15:00 and 18:00–23:00

Piazza della Cisterna. Sergio Dondoli's saffron and Vernaccia gelati, biodynamic local milk. Expect a queue