This shop was fabulous compared to any meat or cheese shop I have ever visited, but then again I am…read morecomparing it to North American standards. I had never seen so many cuts of meats in my life, and although I am one to turn vegetarian at the thought of "hanging meats" sometimes my European background kicks in and I am willing to try. I sampled two salumis and one cured meat: pork sausage with fennel (my fave; think of what you would find in America but 1000 times better, Boar's salumis which was saltier but surprisingly not bad, even if the stuffed boar of which I took a photo will forever be etched in my mind, and finally the cured pork fillet which has been proven to be my least favorite. It was delicate prosciutto and a bit too "soft" for my liking. I explored the cheese basement which was luke warm and before I saw the camera I touched one; it turned out to be the real deal and not wrapped in plastic as they appeared. So I apologize to the unsuspecting person who buys this wheel. ;) My only complaint was the bathroom had zero ventilation and was very Italian. Of course, I was only there for a minute but I still prefer cleaner ones. Still, it was great that they even had a public bathroom and I was really impressed with this entire shop! Do go here if you visit this quaint little town!

Shoukd have written this 2 years ago, but I guess better late than never lol…read more By far the coolest little gem of a store/ tasting venue. Yvonne is the most charming hostess; knowledgeable, takes great pride in all her products and very warm and inviting. She offers tastings of her fine olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars as well as the multitude of Conti confections. Not to mention the abundant compliment of wine to accompany any of those tastings. All this is offered in her one of a kind tasting room under the shop, in a stunningly decorated centuries old stone and tile space able to fit 20 or so people . A quick tour of the shop upstairs is a sight for sore eyes. From the colorful hand made serving and dining plates, to the wonderful selection of condiments, pastas and toppings, it is truly one my favourite, favourite places in Virenze!! Honourable mention goes to Stefano the charming other half of this jewel. Oh. And if you're lucky you'll get to pet dear lovable Plum.

Amazing business with the best of people! Stefano and his wife Yvonne are so friendly, and they…read moreoffer authentic Italian goods. They welcomed me and my group of friends on the Florence for Foodies Tour and we had the best time ever!

Casually elegant place right in the middle of the historical centre of Arezzo. Great selection of…read moreboutique wines from all over Italy as well as other European countries. Highly curated selection of excellent, international cheeses, not just the usual Tuscan pecorino. Also featuring raw oysters and crudite of fish when in season. Other light dishes such as tartar and salads available. Outdoor seating in the summer and live jazz on occasion. Efficient service; can be a little bit cramped when the place is full, which is often. Also open as a wine bar throughout the day. Good value for money. Thumbs up. Posto invitante nel centro storico di Arezzo. Una selezione buona di vini buoni da Italia e Europa. Selezione eccellente di formaggi da tutta Europa, non solo il solito pecorino Toscano. Ostriche e crudite di pesce durante la stagione. Altri piatti leggere come tartara e insalate disponibile. Posti a sedere fuori durante l'estate e jazz da vivo. Servizio efficace; può essere molto stretto quando è pieno, che spesso succede. Wine bar durante il giorno. Buon rapporto qualità-prezzo. Consigliato.

I was directed to La Formaggeria by a bartender in Corso Italia when I asked where could I get a…read morenice little salad for dinner. While they did have nice salads, this place was so much more! Small and quiet inside, with a few little tables outside, La Formaggeria has a bustling (take away) business in cheeses, a very nice wine selection, and a contingent of locals who hangout. There are daily dinner specials that sounded yummy and my salad was excellent -- topped with toasts of bread + zucchini + cheese. I very much appreciated that, although a single diner, I was given a nice table and afforded excellent service. The owner even popped by my table for a quick chat. And at the end of the night they refused to break my bill so that I could leave a tip -- saying it was appreciated but not expected. La Formaggeria is highly recommended.

First of all, while this might have been a Bottega in the past it is now an exceptional restaurant…read moreon the corner adjacent to the Duomo. Do NOT miss an opportunity to dine here. Were it not been for our other-worldly dining experience at Antica Moka, this would have qualified as our finest dinner during our trip to Modena. Our waiter wA fluent in multiple languages, and we were able to easily converse with him beyond our highly sketchy Italian. The additional wait staff was always present and available. Pacing (as we experienced among all our restaurant stops) was excellent. There's never a sense of being rushed through the meal. There are 3 exceptional spaces to dine. There is a large tent right beside the Duomo. Those wishing to be inside will be treated to decor of wine, comfortable lighting, and hanging assortment of aged meats and cheeses. We chose the outside space in the back of the restaurant, which was quiet and possessed comfortable cooling breezes. All the more necessary since the area was being bludgeoned with a northern African heat wave!! The food. The food!!! After multiple dishes of inferior pasta dishes during our first couple days into our visit, the tortellone was perfect! Ideal pasta preparation, good balance of placers from the filling, and just the right amount of sauce. But the star of the show was the guanciale braised in Sangiovese. My god, this was incredible!!! No offense to vegans or vegetarians, but this is not to be missed. The wine list wasn't particularly extensive, but we thoroughly enjoyed a dark DARK Lambrusco reggiano. Our only fault in the entire experience was the supplied bread. A meager 4 small morsels were provided in a small paper bag. Given the quality of baking throughout the city, surely they could have served something more representative of the region. Even with this MIs-step, it didn't shroud our very positive experience.

Enoteca del Duomo is basically a food shop specifically for those who enjoy everything Italian in…read morefoods. The array of offerings are from all over Italy, rather complete, but also with regional specialties not found elsewhere. Enoteca del Duomo is the main shop which is combined with a restaurant that I found to be rather sandwich oriented. Surprisingly they usually have seating without waiting, the sandwiches which I had, prosciutto with cheese and roasted tomato were very good as was the service, Beside Enoteca del Duomo itself there are varying other shops, all of which offer shipping. On that count, if you are planning to take or have items shipped back to the United States, US Customs prohibits and will confiscate any meat products no matter how they are packed. So, if they catch you or if you are honest when questioned, you going to lose any of those wonderfully coveted salamis, prosciuttos or sausages you've purchased.

What an absolute treat! From cookies to gelato, and featuring a variety of coffee options,…read morePasticceria Giovannini is worth the stop. The cookies are all crumble in your mouth fresh, with an attention to quality that is immediately apparent. Each offering has a unique style and flavor, and everything is very reasonably priced. The staff is super friendly, especially if you're making an effort to communicate in Italian. And as you'd expect, this cafe has a neighborhood, local feel. It's stylish and lively, but not overwhelming. One of our favorite spots in Montecatini.

Words don't do this place justice! Amazing pasticceria!!! Friendly staff, super affordable, amazing…read moreespresso and the desserts are out of this world. My mother and I were on vacation in Montecatini at a hotel that was a 1 minute walk away (dangerous). Our morning routine was to get a cappuccino and un caffe. The espresso was strong and full of flavor. Most days we came back later in the day and tried other varieties - all great. Now about the desserts....nothing like I've ever tasted in America! Everything was so clean, had unique tastes with a perfect amount of sweetness - just mouthwatering. The prices were super low too. One visit we got 5 pastries for 8 euros. Giovannini makes me want to vacation there again ASAP!!

This gourmet store in the heart of Siena is absolutely wonderful! Gorgeous produce & deli counters,…read moreplus a sundry selection that will make your jaw drop! We stocked our pantry for a week of cooking here and are having the most delicious home meals. Plus, a reasonably good selection of gluten free pastas and goodies.

This is a great place to buy fresh local food items, from meat to pasta to wine. But for us, during…read moreour recent two weeks in Siena, it became our go-to place for lunch - pizza! They make the pizza fresh all day, and one slice makes a really nice lunch. They have all different types and we were partial to the sausage and the ones with arugula on top. We grabbed our slices and headed to the nearby square in front of the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena to sit and enjoy them in the shade. It's a great alternative to sitting down to a long multi-course lunch if you just want a quick bite.

That Truffle Cheese!!! It was fantastic. The King's personality was fun and his information was…read morevery interesting. Now I just have to get my hands on more of that cheese here in the USA! I used to make a pasta dish that was out of this world.

Very nice little cheese shop with an assortment of cheeses that mostly highlight Italy. I got a…read morepecorino al tartufo which was about 50€/kg and well worth it. The pecorino Sardo was great too and very reasonably priced. They also have a small assortment of quality dried pasta.

This place is a shop and a restaurant. The tables are a bit hidden in the back, so don't give up…read morewhen you walk by. The products being served are also for sale in their shop out front. A huge Salumi and Cheese selection (try the Pear or Truffle Pecorino). Besided huge Paninis for 5 Euros each they serve amazing cold plates here. Regular ones with Salumi and Cheese, then the same but with boar and truffle or an all truffle cheese and meat plate. We went for the All Truffle Plate. And what an explosion of flavour that was. Great cheeses topped with Truffle honey. Truffle Mortadella and Salami. Bread with funghi/truffle topping, Truffle Porchetta etc. All products and ingredients were fantastic and far away from mass production. Nicely presented and fair priced for what you get. Staff was friendly and helpful. We also had two glasses of White Wine with. Local wine. They got a good selection. Be sure to bring some of their products home. And our dog was very welcome here as well!

Stunningly well stocked shop of wine and goodies. The open deli chillers were the big selling point…read morefor me, packed with cured meats and cheeses- really good stuff.

Excellent and kind service, moderately priced. Good food and very informative about the wine,…read moresalumi and cheese. We are coming back tomorrow

RUN DON'T WALK to the most spectacular hidden gem restaurant in Florence! This is by far the best…read moremeal we've had in Italy so far. We were welcomed so warmly and sat on their outdoor patio for the evening. Our server brought us a lovely complimentary starter of crostinis with different meat toppings - so lovely! We started with a glass of Chianti and an Aperol Spritz - both delicious. We read about pinsas being gluten-free and like a pizza, and were sold! We opted for the one with ham and cheese, and a charcuterie board with meats and cheeses both. Our incredible server told us about the family-owned farm and how they make all of the cheese, pork products, and more from scratch. You could taste the quality in each bite! We were literally IN AWE at the pinsa's flavor, and the meat and cheese. Everything was exactly what we'd hoped we would find in Italy. We ended the night with a limoncello and a chat with our incredible server. 5/5 for service, quality, flavor, and ambiance!

Wow, what a great surprise. A Rick Steve's recommendation that was just exquisite. The…read morecharcuterie plate was out of this world. Kathleen a 21 year transplant from New Jersey and her husband Gino are the consummate hosts. Warm and personable. The wine pairings are stupendous.