We stopped into Osteria del Teatro the day of and asked if they happened to have any availability, fully expecting the answer to be no. As luck would have it, they were hosting a special tasting menu featuring wines from Montepulciano, which was perfect since we had spent the day exploring the region itself. They graciously found us a table on the patio, and it ended up being one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. The evening began with a fried zucchini blossom stuffed with ricotta and basil, which was delicate, light, and absolutely delicious. The beef carpaccio was outstanding. We also loved trying gigli pasta for the first time, served with a rich wild boar ragù that felt quintessentially Tuscan. The duck breast with wild fennel was cooked beautifully and paired wonderfully with the wine selection. Dessert beautiful and phenomenal. What really stood out was how generous the portions were despite it being a tasting menu, along with the exceptional wine pairings throughout the evening. Between the hospitality, the patio setting, the regional wines, and the celebration of local Tuscan cuisine, this was easily one of the most memorable dining experiences of our time in Italy. Thank you to the sweet lady owner!! read more

NOTE: This is a review from 8 years ago. I posted photos then and got an alert that people are still checking it out. I tried to see if i did a review back then but only found below: Upside : Very polite/super friendly staff Fancy ambience Free wifi Downside: Ragu Pici was a tadtoo salty Steak too rare Risotto serving was heavy Cortona is amazing tho! I'm sure they are 5 stars on other days! Also the creepy bathroom is epic! read more

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What a memorable meal. Everything was perfect. From the moment we walked in we were treated like special guests in this Michelin recommended restaurant. The servers explained the menu and offered advice on their favorites. The sommelier was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable of wines that went with every course. Impressive and lengthy wine list. We started with an artichoke and spinach appetizer that hit every taste bud. The Florentine steak simmered in red wine and prunes was hearty, earthy, cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious. Slow roasted onions cooked at low temperature for hours was a perfect accompaniment. Pistachio dessert divine. Inside the restaurant is full of old wall charm with wood beam ceilings. Comfortable and relatively quiet environment for a restaurant that fills up each evening. Get a reservation and go. Thanks for a memorable and most enjoyable experience. read more

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Great restaurant! The food is divine and the wine list is fantastic. The waitstaff is very friendly and helpful. We loved the setting, just perfect. Definitely will go back when we return to Cortona! Do not miss this gem! read more

Good service and nice wine recommendation. 6 adults traveling together, 4 ordered the ravioli dish that came recommended. While they were pleased with that recommendation, they were not overwhelmed by their choice. However, the 'trio of soups' did get rave reviews. My wife had the chef's special (steak with foie gras and truffles) and she was very pleased. I also ordered steak and I really liked my choice. In the end, our time at Osteria del Teatro (the meal, the service, the ambience) warrants a 4-star rating. read more

Service was great. Food was delicious. Loved their white beans. The bathroom is something that shouldn't be missed.

Enjoyed this dinner in Cortona. We sat in the garden and had good service and food, I had the gnocchi eggplant and loved it. They had a huge wine list that was awesome. We did find it funny they wouldn't seat us later than 7pm when the restaurant was entirely open. read more

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unfortunately dinner at one of my favorite restaurants was not up to par. perhaps just a matter of poor choices. plus a large group of americans were next to us ( we are american) were so loud. folks should research customs before visiting a different country. read more

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Our B&B host was able to get us in last minute and we could not have been more pleased. The staff was amazing and so gracious and funny. The food was incredible. I had the cacio e pepe gnocchi and my wife had the risotto with licorice and artichokes. We had a beautiful bottle of local Syrah and desert wine with a cheese plate. The ambiance was comfortable and interesting. Top dining experience in Cortona. read more

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This was a great experience. We were made to feel right at home, My pici was very tasty and my wife's fish was perfectly cooked and delicious. The mixed salad was huge and full of very fresh greens. Recommended! read more

This shocked us how great it was. Not that we didn't expect to enjoy a popular place in Tuscany with good online reviews, but this was one of our favorite meals from our trip. We started with the gazpacho with eggplant pie and burrata, followed by the chianina & porcini pici and cappeletti with truffle shavings, then the tagliata and white beans. We finished with three flavors of gelato (chocolate, vanilla, and pistachio) and their pistachio ice cream cake. Everything was really amazing, but the pastas in particular blew us away. We also really appreciated the perfect portion of Florentine steak with their tagliata dish. Highly recommend this place. Also, Cortona itself is a cool town that is worth the visit in itself. read more

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The truffle cheese fondue is what I will dream of for all my days. It was heaven. Amazing wine selection, 5 stars is not enough!!!! So many delicious things to eat!!! read more

The food was AMAZING and priced very reasonably. My mom and I wanted to try multiple things and when we told them we were splitting, they split it for us and brought it out on two different plates. Service was incredible as well! read more

Osteria del Teatro - Gnocchi with ham and artichoke. Ravioli with pear, pesto, and walnut! - Tuscan Near Me - Cortona, Arkansas

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Absolutely horrible experience. Do not waste your time here. We ordered wine and an appetizer; the appetizer was not delivered. After we received the primi piatti (first course) we realized no one was checking on us anymore, and we never got our appetizer. When we asked about this, they told us we had never placed the order. They eventually brought it with the secondi piatti (second course), but did not follow up with us for anything. They never asked if we needed more water, wine, or checked back on us. All the staff were avoiding eye contact with us. We had to flag them down to order more wine. We were feeling so uncomfortable with how they were treating us that we wanted to leave. Even still we could not get someone to bring us the check. Finally we asked the staff if we did anything to offend them, and everyone said no. Will not recommend or be back. read more

Amazing lunch! Wonderful risotto and steak. This is a gem! You should consider this and (not a paid review!)

We dined at Osteria del Teatro on a rainy Sunday night. We were one of the first tables to be seated around 8pm, but the restaurant was very full by the time we left (9:15?). Service was lovely. Everyone spoke English and was friendly, and additionally was very helpful with menu suggestions. Craving some veggies, I ordered the Insalata as a starter. The portion is LARGE and comprised of only the freshest lettuce varieties and some of the ripest, sweetest tomatoes we tasted in Tuscany. The salad was served plain and I dressed it with just some local olive oil. We tried the Fagottini as a primi. What an absolute treat! Homemade raviolis filled with creamy cheese and walnuts, topped with fresh pears.... I'd say this is the ultimate fall dish - but I'd eat it during any season! Ordered at the server's suggestion, the Filletto Della Rossini was a slab of grilled bread topped with a perfectly cooked and extremely tender local beef fillet, which was further topped with a generous portion of foie gras and what can only be described as a pile of truffle shavings. The dish was ringed with a fruit-based puree (strawberry, perhaps). It was unexpected in many levels and arguably one of the richest meals I tried in all of Italy. Just...WOW. For dessert I again ordered at the server's suggestion and so glad I did! These folks know their stuff! The millefleur was a thick custard topped with a thin layer of what I'd describe as basically a praline flavor, but still somehow liquid, and candies oranges. Sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy all at once - highly recommended. read more

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Up until I stepped in this place my favorite restaurant in Italy was in Portifino (Mog). This is the new champ. We had some of the best pasta (duck ragu on tagliolino and fagottini stuffed with goat cheese and pears with walnut pesto.). The wine by the glass was excellent and the salad fresh and also had stuffed zucchini with ricotta. We didn't even order a second course as the potions were ample. Heard the steak here is legendary. Excellent homemade gelato. It was $90 with 6 glasses of wine, exceptional value, quaint and charming by any standards. Has a Michelins star. Do not miss this place if you are in Cortona or nearby. read more

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Excellent food, service and atmosphere. An old world Italian restaurant with a short but varied menu and a huge wine list with a large number of moderately priced wines. read more

The ossobuco was flavorful and well prepared but the desert; was incredible. The shaved pistachio chocolate was worth the price of admission and we thoroughly enjoyed our wines. read more

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One of the best restaurants in Italy. You will also find the Michelin guide will agree as well. Some of the most creative dishes using fresh, local and handmade ingredients. This is a slow cooked food restaurant and they do it to perfection. Came here for a three course lunch and was blown away. The reputation this place has is well deserved. The staff were amazing and each dish ordered by myself or a member of my group was a work of art. Highly recommend any of the hand rolled pastas and of course their steak. The staff helped to make the meal one of the best I've ever had in Italy. Be sure to order chocolate for dessert, and save room for three courses of dessert being brought to your table. read more

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Best pasta I've had in Italy thus far. We walked in around 1945 and got a table for two immediately. I had the tortellini with truffles which was amazing. My husband had the duck tagliolini which was also fabulous. We split the zucchini and mint gazpacho appetizer which we were both pleasantly surprised by. Good service. Great wine. Highly recommend. read more

First off the service was excellent... but they are clearly understaffed. There seemed to be only 1 waiter for whole area. But the real problem is in the kitchen. Food was not coming out to anyone. Slow food is only a good idea if the food is good. The food was...ok. The truffle fondue was good. But the steaks were a huge disappointment. Below Outback Steakhouse quality in America. We got a 60 day aged steak Fiorentino and two filets with truffles. All were over cooked and tasted like nothing. The people seem nice and it has a good reputation. Maybe we just hit a bad day but it is hard to imagine them ever getting a steak correct. We would have sent the steaks back but we were already 2 hours and 2 bottles of wine in and figured best to just choke it down. read more

Recently spent a week in Tuscany and Umbria and this was easily the best dinner we had! Fantastic use of local and seasonal ingredients for inspired variations of traditional dishes of the region. If you are near Cortona, you must go! Reservations are recommended. If you are driving, park outside the old city walls and walk in (its not too far!). Maximillion was our waiter and very patient with all our American questions and fussiness :) Thanks for an amazing experience! read more

This was perhaps my favorite meal of my life. We had lunch here and the pear ravioli with a cheese that I believe may have been a percochini was incredible. So sweet and savory and delicate. The wine suggestions were perfect. In a city of great food- go here. read more

This is the first place we went to in Italy, that we LOVED the food. Being from the states, everything is usually bland in Italy. This place was the opposite. Wonderful food, service, and ambiance. We are soooo glad we came! read more

Very good restaurant and kind waiters who made place on the very nice terrace for us (2 adults and 2 children of 8&5y) Appetizers: selection of the restaurant + tartare of red salmon, very nice! Main course Filetto with trufles and foie gras, very good. Side dishes spinach and rosemary potatoes, excellent! Very good wine too. We come back here next year or when we are near Cortona ;-) read more

I actually broke on of my cardinal rules never to go back to a restaurant twice when traveling because there's always another one to explore. This restaurant was so charming and welcoming and attentive and the food SO very good that I just couldn't see why I wouldn't go back. Check it out if you're in the area. You won't be disappointed. read more

We went to this restaurant based on the recommendation of a group traveling from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, whom we'd met at a different restaurant the prior evening. Having gone there, we see why they liked it. The experience was much more similar to an American fine dining restaurant although the quality of food was only generally good. You'll receive yor food quickly, and you won't have to wait long between courses. The chef won't be offended and will do his best to customize yor meal, leaving it something here because I don't like it, something there because it's too fattening. But, the key to excellent dining in Italy is not to do this, and rode true food as the chef wants to prepare it. That and the speed are one reason why thisnrestaurant seems to rate well with the Americans, I believe - that is the experience you'll have in American restaurants. The food itself was only average. Although we started with an exceptional fondue, amd an okay second, our main courses were universally disappointing. The meat was flavorless and tough. The ratings for this restaurant are definitely inflated by American tourists who appreciate a familiar experience. read more

One of our favorite places in all of Italy. We owned a home in Umbria and do frequent there several times a year still. Cortona is a town we take in for a quick trip. We love the restaurants in Cortona but Osteria del Teatro is the tops. Great taste, wine list top notch, innovated and good staff. read more

Lovely space, great food, great atmosphere, off the beaten path, extensive wine list. We were a group of seven and had an extensive part of the menu. Bistecca alla Florentina was wonderful, as were the various filets, and the Chianina & Porcini Repini was great. Desserts were outstanding, read more

First off the outside seating was too difficult to get around, hence our table and the end seat being knocked around every time the water went by. The wait staff was not professional or attentive. The food was at most , specially by Italian standards where you can walk into any neighborhood restaurant and have a fabulous meal, average. In fact my husband had a most inedible dish of Tuna that he ended up getting ill from. Don't waste your time! Instead go to Michelin restaurant La Bucaccia Romano - in contrast it is magnificent food, professional and attentive wait staff and the ambience is elegant and authentic. read more

Great service and great food. We got the Steak Florentine and it was cooked to perfection without them even needing to ask. Also had a great pasta dish and a stuffed rabbit appetizer. Would definitely recommend! read more

We were in Cortona the 3rd week of May 2012. This restaurant has an excellent vibe. With barely audible Opera playing in the background, candlelight and nicely furnished dining room, it definitely felt like Italy. The staff was very helpful and we had a long dinner. No rush which was nice. The dishes were nicely done and if you want to try more courses don't be afraid to share. Only wish we could have sat outside but it was a little chilly that night. read more

Good but nothing amazing. Staff was friendly and helpful but food was just ok. The nightly appetizer special was wonderful as was the pasta with pears and walnuts. However everything else was so-so at best. The risotto with porcini and saffron was horrible and the fillet with porcini was well cooked but extremely bland. Nice enough but would not come back if I found myself in Cortona again. read more

Always our favorite dinner spot in Cortona!! Menu is seasonal so be sure to go at least every season.

This is a superb place. Very friendly and always accommodating servers. Cozy and light atmosphere. Food was excellent. If sharing a plate they divided it for you. Wine selection very Good and the wait staff very helpful in choosing. A night to remember. Five plus stars! read more

great food and service! we had the truffle fondue and pasta dishes. everything was delicious and we enjoyed the wines that the server recommended. to our surprise everything was really well priced! looking forward to our next visit. read more

This was my husband's favorite meal during a month long trip through Italy. Everyone loved the steak Florentine. Somewhat nouvelle Italian with many interesting items. The only disappointment was the fois gras with the filet Rossini was actually a fois gras pate. Service was great. In a charming group of rooms off a side street. Check out the women's bathroom. We cannot decide if it was cute or creepy. read more