A little bar, just a couple of minutes walk away from the Piazza del Campo which means that there…read moreare still some tourists around, but they are normally outnumbered by the locals. The range on offer is fairly wide, from the quick espresso at the bar over the Italian brakfast (coffee and a pastry) to a (fairly substantial) snack that can be anything from a sandwich to a focaccia (tuscan cousin of Napoli's pizza) or a small pasta dish (it goes without saying that the means to wash them down - soft drinks, wine, beer, etc. - are in plentiful stock). Two things to look out for: a snug little upholstered bench in the corner (just the right size when there's two of you) and some highly original cups.

Great local cafe, only minutes away from Piazza del Campo. A cozy place to eat a small meal or have…read morea drink of coffee & they have wifi!

We made reservations, although it was a light evening. We were immediately seated in an amazing…read morewine room with brick rounded ceilings. They brought us a bite size appetizer from the chef that was delicious. We were asked if we wanted wine and we said yes and that they should choose based on what we shared as preferences - each glass was great. She ordered the steak and I ordered a hamburger. I know, why a hamburger in Tuscany? I thought, why not? This burger was served nearly rare and was the best hamburger I've probably tasted. It had lettuce, tomato, onion, dried tomatoes, and bacon. The steak was delicious, but the hamburger honestly beat the steak in flavor. We asked for two additional glasses of wine, their choice. Once again we were not disappointed. We decided to order dolce and asked what the dessert of the day was. The chef said there were two choices. If the choice we didn't get was as good as the one we selected, it was also amazing. The ambiance was great, the service was fantastic, and the food was very delicious. We will definitely be back. The review where someone "dined", but then didn't order dinner or anything beyond appetizers is not "dining", which literally means eating the main meal as well as eat "dinner". Please try a dining experience. I think you'll like the decision.

The owner or manager is very disrespectful to his staff and younger clients. You will be dismissed,…read moreplaced anywhere and wait forever. You can feel drastic difference in judgement per the Manager's perception of how much you look you will be spending ( which is false because we flew here from California and will be here fore a week and we're looking for close restaurant for evening dinners). Missed opportunity, we had appetizers and went to eat somewhere else.

Short Review: Absolutely fantastic stop during your…read moreMontepulciano visit. Toward the bottom of the hill and great wines and food pairing. High recommend. Long Review: When you visit Montepulciano, you start on the top of the mountain and work your way down through the city. Ancient city with lots of shops and wineries and quaint restaurants like this one. We each got a wine tasting flight to accompany our sandwiches and charcuterie, and boy did it hit the spot! The server was great in explaining all the local wines and which meats and cheeses to pair with each. He even gave us an extra tasting of a wine we wanted to try. I'd recommend stopping here before you head out of the city center!

A great little tapas bar that fills up quickly. We were lucky to get a seat and started off with…read moresome great wine. We ordered all sorts of tasty bites and were surrounded by a bunch of happy divers. A must go while in Montepulciano. Different than all the rest.

Delicious food, wonderful service, fun decor and a beautiful view from the back windows. We…read morestarted with spritzes, moved on to a bottle of Brunello with dinner. The asparagus fonduta was Amazing! So delicious. Had the lasagna and rosemary beef as mains, both excellent. Ended the meal with Amaro. Received a serenade from the owner. Highly recommend that you visit this family owned and operated restaurant.

We stopped in on our first day in Montepulciano after checking in to our Airbnb. We had the most…read moreincredible, delicious, and memorable meal of our entire trip. Plans on returning next year!

Ordinary food. So-so service. Fantastic sunset view if one is lucky enough to have one of the three…read moreterrace edge tables. There is a small park right in front of the terrace where one can enjoy the view without dining at the restaurant. FOOD: 3.0. Ordinary. One diner described the taste as pre-made and then warmed up. Later when our agriturismo host heard that we dined here, he frowned and said "micro-waved" food. - Risotto orzo: 2.5 - Gnocchetti di patate: 3.0 - Guancia di manzo: 3.0 SERVICE: 3.0. One server was very considerate and worked hard to provide a good experience. When we entered the restaurant he had us wait while he cleared an edge terrace table that had just been vacated. The other two servers were indifferent. That balances out to 3 stars. AMBIANCE: - for those without an edge terrace table: 3.0 - for those lucky few who have an edge terrace table: 4.5

La Porta (as the name implies) is right in the main gate of the old castle walls surrounding…read moreMontichiello. It has both indoor seating and (weather permitting) outdoor terrace seating with killer views looking towards Pienza and over the Val D'Orcia. This is one of several noteworthy restaurants in town that have put Monticchiello (back) on the map as an "it" place. The cuisine is anchored in traditional Tuscan dishes, but upscale and prepared with panache and creativity. Our dishes were quite good, expertly-executed, although just a bit pricey. They have a great winelist, (predictably) rooted in all the great local wine districts, but also focusing on both Val D'Orcia wines and other areas of Italy. Service is very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. It's become (justifiably) quite popular so reservations are likely a must, especially if the weather isn't great and the only available seating is indoors. We enjoyed our meal there, without being absolutely amazed or entranced. I think we're also very glad people are flocking to Montichiello again. I'd certainly take a look at this place if you're staying nearby. And...if the weather gods favor you, by all means get an outside table for the view!

A local recommended this place so we decided to give it a go. We showed up and waited an extra 20+…read moreminutes past their posted opening time for them to open the doors. Our server didn't seem interested in us other than get us served and out. No smile no hospitality. Tried the Bruschetta, and it was just cheese bread with huge wedges of tomato making it difficult to eat. The salad was good, no dressing other than oil and vinegar. The spaghetti dishes were ok, Overall the portions were good. But as far as flavor and effort by the cook. ( I don't believe a chef would present like this). We felt let down. We decided to go elsewhere for dessert. As for the ambiance it would have been better with a friendly server as the place is beautiful. Oh and Dorito's instead of bread to start?

Service, Food, Atmosphere.....music was perfecto. Italian fun. We had six guest, had dinner and…read morebreakfast. The owner was very attentive to our needs!

WOW! If you want to feel warm and welcomed then you must go visit Emma, at Bar 500. Her…read morerestaurant is in the heart of downtown Cortona and offers inside and outside seating. Her restaurant is quaint, charming, and cozy. Emma will treat you like one of her family. My wife and I found her one night while she was closing and asked if we could get dessert and coffee to go. She could have said "no" very easily but instead welcomed us and prepared two hot coffees with cookies and a tart to go. We liked her so much, we made reservations for dinner the next night before we walked out. OBTW, the coffee and desserts were fresh and tasty. Our dinner and service the next evening was great. Emma and her associate do everything. They seat you, hand out the menu, take your order, cook and serve you the food, and then bus the tables. All along the way, you get to talk with Emma. My wife and I had salads to begin our meal and then pasta dishes with ragu. Our meals were cooked fresh, served hot, and the portions were generous. If you looked around, all of her customers were laughing, smiling, and enjoying themselves. The prices were very reasonable considering her location. Emma has quite a selection of tasty and fresh desserts, especially the cookies with the chocolate strip. There are plenty of options in Cortona but if you want to feel like you are entering into someone's home, go visit Emma. You will not be disappointed. Don't forget to make that reservation because you will need it!

The breakfast here is delicious. The eggs are cooked perfectly and comes with cappuccino and orange…read morejuice. The eggs were our favorite in town. My husband also enjoyed the pancakes.

Our friend Sebastian brought my fiancé and I here for a Monday night wine event in September of…read more2024. At 55E, it was an unbelievable deal four tastings + a coursed out meal. If you are considering coming here, just book your reservation already! We ended up going for a second night in a row. Valentino and Lorenzo were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We felt at home in the restaurant and the wine shop. We tried a few wines over the dinner, and a few more afterwards as well. Great prices on some really impressive bottles. Make sure to ask for recommendations on unique bottles you won't find outside of Tuscany, so you can bring something special home with you. Fantastic service. Amazing food (see photos). A cozy ambiance. 10/10 would recommend. Grazie to all of the staff, the chef, and our new friends Lorenzo and Valentino.

Pros: the waitstaff were great and the wine was delicious. Lorenzo knows his stuff and he chose a…read moregreat wine for us. Cons: the food was bland and underwhelming Go for the wine but not the food