Appertivo on the street of Cortona! Wonderful staff, so welcoming! A fun establishment to enjoy a…read morecup of cafe, or sip on a Negroni and watch the passaggiata nightly. This is the place. They make a mean Manhattan. We enjoyed the inside tables as well.

Love this place! If ever you go to Cortona try this place! Food was divine and I love the outdoor…read moreseating which includes free wifi. Service was excellent too!!

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.

Food (5 out of 5) -- outstanding food with an amazing selection of meat and cheese. We did focaccia…read moresandwiches, roasted potatoes and delicious Montepulciano wine. All were outstanding. Service (4) -- table service is fine and efficient considering how packed this place is. Atmosphere (3) -- it's crowded with seating jammed together even by European standards. It adds to the vibe here though.

My friend and I stopped by Bottega Baracchi for an aperitivo and a small snack after a few hours of…read moreperusing the Cortona Sunday flea market in the piazzas nearby. Bottega Baracchi looks quite small from the street, but there are a large network of counters and dining rooms below street-level so don't be put off if you need to accommodate a large party or even just if the little bar area looks full. As I mentioned, we only had a snack, so I can't speak very knowledgeably about the food, but I will just leave a tip here. If you buy a drink during happy hour you are also welcome to partake in the snackies they leave out in the bar area! The day we came through, there were small pieces of pizza, toast with a spicy tomato sauce (kind of salsa-like, actually), spicy peanuts, cheese puffs, and a variety of small sandwiches with a variety of cold cuts and cheeses. It was a nice way to stave off some hunger before our late dinner reservation.

The only reason this gets a 1 is the view. It's an awful tourist trap. Please, do yourself a favor…read moreand go somewhere else...don't let this ruin your Cortona experience like it did ours, because it truly is a magical place however, this restaurant was the worst experience we've had in Italy... worst food...worst drinks, even the wine was terrible...and the worst service. We travel a ton and respect that service isn't always the same everywhere, but this was outrageous. So much so, I'm writing my first review in years.

This bistro is wonderful. Victor and the staff are very welcoming and the vibe is very cool. We ate…read morehere our first day for lunch and then came back a few times for dinner. The food was always really good and the menu for dinner changes frequently, but yet consistently delivers delicious food. Victor is really good at pointing out the best wines based on your preferences. Sunsets are amazing at this location. If you want to know where the locals come for aperitivo and for dinner, this is it. Nearly everyone at this place are non tourists. We'll be back again in the future. Ciao ragazzi!

Great ambiance, great wine, great food, great service, fair prices in a hilltop renaissance…read morefairytale town looking over Tuscany... if you give this place anything less than 5 stars you're a soulless wretch.

Great place, amazing service and delicious food! A must try when visiting, everything was amazing!read more

Our lunch here was good, but not great. We split a tagliere, which I had been impatiently waiting…read morefor all trip. The meats were delicious, and I savored every last bite. However, neither of us were in love with the cheeses they chose. After eating so many flavorful cheeses throughout Tuscany, the cheeses they put on our board were quite bland, and the various crostini were bland as well. The board itself is gorgeous, a real feast for the eyes. I think it looked better than it tasted, which is why I'm only giving this place 3 stars. Size-wise, it's just right. I believe we got a medium board, and it was the perfect amount of food for two hungry people. The price was reasonable, and the restaurant itself is very eclectic. It looks like a narrow deli/bar at the front (which is where you order), but if you go all the way to the back of the restaurant, it feels like you're in an old Victorian house, and there is a nice view from the window. We enjoyed relaxing here and chatting over our tagliere even if it didn't wow us.

this is the best idea. take all the wineries and put them in one place. you can try any wine…read more taster, 1/2 glass or full glass. found my favorite wine maker and then went to that winery! love love!! the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. the meat and cheese board worth the price.

I had to try this place as it was described to me as 'The heaven of wine bars'…read more This place lived up to its name! Best way to describe this place is a 'Dave and Busters' approach. You get a prepaid card, anything from 5 euros up to 50 (may go higher, but I didn't ask), or you can leave your credit card with the staff upfront and pay at the end. They have several wine 'vending machines' that you stick the card into and get to try out the wine in various amounts. You can have a sample, half glass, or full glass. The screens will tell you how much each sample will cost. Each 'Vending Machine' is sorted into categories like bubbles, whites, reds, dessert wine, etc. It's a great way to try different wines in various regions! If you like the wine you try, you can buy the bottle to take home.They have big leather couches and chairs to hang out, sip, and relax. Ever try a $100+ bottle of wine? Now is your chance :)

WOW! Bibenda in Assisi is incredible. We had an amazing experience with Nila doing a wine tasting…read more Nila is very generous with her tasting pours and is so thorough with details about each wine. We had our favorite wines with Nila! Nila was also so kind to our 3 teenagers and made sure we all had plenty of cheeses and meats to taste. We keep talking 2 weeks later about the goose meat (delicious!) If you want to meet an incredible Wine Master -- You must stop by Bibenda and spend some time with Nila. Inside The tasting room/wine shop is cozy and there is also outdoor seating. It is an unforgettable Italian experience.

Went here for a school sponsored wine tour! Nila was so kind and very knowledgeable about the wines…read moreshe presented to us. She let us smell rocks and soil samples which come from different places around the work where wine is grown including California, Sicily and Argentina. Her shop is very beautiful and inviting. Can't recommend this place enough!

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

So behind on my reviews...having to much fun and phone service was out for a few days…read more Dining at La Taverna di San Giuseppe is was one of the coolest dining experiences ever. Our server told us that this previously a cave. How often do you get to dine in a cave? The inside of the restaurant is of this stone like space. We were immediately captivated. While it does not currently have a Michelin rating, we were told it previously had a Micheline rating. The atmosphere is that of a cave...cool, a little damp, and intimate. San Guiseppe has wine cellar, according to staff, date back. We felt totally and complete immersed in history and that was only the building. centuries of Sienese life. The cuisine honors Tuscan tradition while elevating it through precision and care. Each dish showcases excellent ingredients and confident execution, embracing regional flavors rather than reinventing them. San Guissppe feature traditional dishes such as handmade pasta, rich sauces, and tenders meats showcasing distinct flavors with bold seasoning. We order lasaguna and cheese salad...absolutely superb! Our servers were superior...waiting on you hand and foot. You did not ask for anything as it was already there. Our server, Marco, was kind, humorous and knowledgeable. Since it was our first time to the restaurant he was super patient and informative regarding menu items. La Taverna di San Giuseppe has s long-term Michelin recognition for a reason...superior food and excellent service in a very unique space. We savored every bite and sip we consumed in San Giuseppe. When we are in Tuscany again, we will make a beeline for this restaurant.

Taverna di San Giuseppe was a disappointing meal for us, especially in a city with so many great…read moredining options. We ended up here by mistake (confused it with another spot), and unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. The restaurant fills up with reservations for two seatings, and from the moment we sat down the pace felt rushed. We ordered drinks and a starter while deciding on the rest, but multiple staff members kept coming by trying to take our full order. It felt like they were pushing to move things along quickly. There were a couple positives. The chicken livers to start were quite tasty and something we didn't see often on other menus. The primi were underwhelming. The pasta didn't taste fresh like many other trattorias in Siena, and the dishes overall were just average. The lasagna in particular was mushy, and the sauces didn't stand out. The secondi were slightly better -- pork ribs, Barolo-braised beef, and a "small chicken" -- but still nothing that justified the higher prices. They do have an underground wine cellar built into a cave, which is interesting to see, but there are other places in Siena with much larger and more impressive cellar spaces. Also worth noting, they add a "10% tax" charge rather than the typical €2 coperto per person. Overall, a rushed and fairly mediocre meal at a higher price point. With so many better places to eat in Siena, this is one I'd skip.