Does anyone have a suggestion for a place to celebrate a 50th birthday? We will be staying outside of Pienza and the birthday is on a Wednesday. We are a large family with 5 children so I don't want it to be too fancy, just something really good! Thanks for everyone's help - this forum has been fantastic!
La Porta is nice resturant/enoteca at the entrance to the small village of Montichiello (sp) not far from Pienza. If the weather is good, you can sit outdoors and enjoy the lovely view of Pienza. Food is very good honest Tuscan fare, the owner is a hospitable woman who speaks English. Anything with butter and sage is highly recommended. Atmosphere is not stuffy. Jeanne
Posts: 419 | Location: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: 07 March 2003
Montepulciano: La Grotta isn't far and it's quite special.We tried to eat at Restaurante del Falco, but couldn't get in and had a great meal at Viale S. Caterina. Sit outside for a wonderful view. It's not "fancy" , but it's fun.
We stayed a few nights in Pienza in November and found, to our delight, Il Rossellino at Piazza di Spagna, 4. Mom tends the front of the house and pop does the cooking. Twelve seats total and memorable food.
Posts: 465 | Location: hilton head island, SC | Registered: 16 July 2001
We stayed in Pienza for a couple of nights last July. For a simple, family style place, we loved Trattoria di Fiorella, off a little side street in Pienza itself. (See restaurant reviews here.) We also had a fabulous meal at our hotel, Hotel Relais Il Chiostro di Pienza - wonderful food on an outdoor terrace.
Latte di Luna was closed for holiday when we were there, but heard it was good. KenC from here loved Il Rossellino too - it looked fabulous!
Sandra
Posts: 799 | Location: Near Chicago, IL | Registered: 03 May 2004
La Chiusa in Montefollonico would be a really good choice. It is one of the best in Tuscany.
I often read "not too fancy", but honestly I don't know what this means. In this case La Chiusa is no more "fancy" than La Grotta in Montepulciano, which is also quite good. I am sure that the people at La Chiusa will set up a big table for you sort of out in a quiet location in the restaurant in deference to the children and in keeping with the celebration.
Peter
Posts: 1364 | Location: Essex Fells, NJ and Longboat Key, Florida | Registered: 21 July 2002
Thank you for all these wonderful suggestions! In answer to the question about what the term "not too fancy" means, what I am looking for is a restaurant where we can experience authentic cuisine at an affordable price. So, I suppose I should get an idea of what an "affordable" price is? In US $$, what should I expect to spend in the suggested restaurants? We are two parents, and 5 children ages 4-20. Thanks!!
I am not familiar with the other reataurants mentioned above except La Grotta. If I sound like a pest, please excuse me beforehand. But, two other of your comments confuse me. Those are "authentic" and "affordable". I am not sure how to respond to either one. However, take a look at the La Chiusa's chef's favorites to form an idea about "authentic" here: http://tinyurl.com/5x958
Virtually everything served is grown by the restaurant or very close to Montefollonico. The pici (a kind of pasta) made in front of you is delicious and it can't be more authentic than that.
I think that without wine La Chiusa would be about 40-50 Euro per person, but the children's fare may well be less. One thing I am sure of, though, it will be a delightful and memorable experience to mark an important occasion.
Peter
Posts: 1364 | Location: Essex Fells, NJ and Longboat Key, Florida | Registered: 21 July 2002
Thanks for all the great ideas! Peter, sorry to be vague, I know authentic and affordable can be up to interpretaion. TO me, authentic cuisine is what you would find in a place frequented by locals, ie. not a "tourist trap." As for affordable, I guess I'm thinking more $20-30. Hope that helps.
With that price range in mind I would recommend Latte di Luna, a fun place with good authentic cuisine. It's a family trattoria--always busy. Make reservations.
Another recommendation is Il Rosellino which we absolutely loved. Take a look at restaurant reviews on this board. Look under Tuscany South.
Posts: 408 | Location: Boston | Registered: 21 February 2004
Authentic - most every restaurant you will find will be authentic Tuscan food - there are not too many "tourist traps". For a restaurant frequented only by locals, you are going to need an invitation to a local's house for dinner.
Affordable - For something in the $20-30 (15-22 euro) range, you are going to have a hard time finding something.
Latte di Luna, La Porta in Montechiello and Vecchio Forno in San Quirico d'Orcia are all similarly priced and styled restaurants - 25-30 euro for adults.
Conte Matto is about the same, could run a little higher depending on what your order.
La Costa has one set menu for 25 euro per person, + drinks and cover. Very good meal for the price.
La Grotta will cost you 40-50+ euro per person, as will Il Rossolino.
La Chiusa - Peter, you must not have seen the bill when you departed. It is hard to eat here for less than 75 euro per person, but as Peter said - it is delightful and memorable and always worth the price.
All the restaurants everyone listed are very good and all can be very special in their own delightful way. My only word of caution is that you are going to have a difficult time finding full service restaurants under $30 per person.
If you want "authentic" and great "price", try IL Botteghino - just outside of Montefollonico. Great new mangagement this last year - excellent food, good service, best prices in the area. I don't know if it is special enough for your birthday celebration, but it would be fun with the age span of your family.
Make reservations if you want to go to Latte di Luna. We have never been able to get in due to it being busy!
La Porta is indeed nice. However the house wine we had there on our last visit was terrible! Order a bottle of something else off the menu. They also "encourage" that you pay with cash, but do accept carta si. It wouldn't hurt to make reservations here also since it is a regular stop for some of the hiking in tuscany tour groups which can take up a good chunk of the place's already small seating space.
Bill--I didn't take much notice of the food portion of the bill at La Chiusa because the wine portion of the bill--many bottles of Ciacci and Piccolomini Brunello--accounted for the sizeable bill.
Since this forum is such a low budget oriented one, I doubt whether I will ever post a restaurant recommendation again.
Peter
Posts: 1364 | Location: Essex Fells, NJ and Longboat Key, Florida | Registered: 21 July 2002
My suggestion is Boccon di vino which is just outside of Montalcino. We had a birthday lunch there two years ago in June. Chosen in large part because of the rave reviews on this site. The downside to lunch is that, at least then, they had a couple of fixed price menus and nothing a la carte. The menus were in the 35 euro range for three courses. The food was terrific and the view can't be beat. Lots of space for the kids to run around. They used to have a website but I haven't been able to locate it now. The email I used to make a reservation is boccon-di-vino@libero.it If you decide to try it out you should email them and ask if they would be willing/able to have something that the children might prefer rather than the set menu if you decide to go for lunch.
We like La Grotta a lot. Very good food, helpful and not pretentious staff but I would put it in the upscale range (although not as upscale as La Chiusa)--for three of us our bill, with one nice bottle of wine, was in the $200 range.
Originally posted by Pecepe: ... Since this forum is such a low budget oriented one, ... Peter
I am still laughing about this. This is the first time we have been accused of being a low-budget oriented board and site! Usually everyone is telling us just the opposite!
Really, I think we cover all price ranges - from low-budget to luxury. With the dollar being so low against the euro these days, people are looking to cut costs where they can, so they can still afford trips to Europe, so maybe we have been a bit more focused on that these past few months. But, I still think there is room and interest for discussions at all price levels.
I also don't think of "us" as a low budget site. All reviews are of great interest so don't get your feathers ruffled unnecesarily. I love to read about the high end places even if I don't plan to go. Please keep the reviews coming.
I really do not like to get into things like this - but, I do have the highest regards for Peter's food and wine suggestions!
I "think" what Peter was saying (I hate to say what I think others are saying) was that this particular topic here is a low-budget discussion trying to help out the original poster's question about a restaurant. 15-22 euro per person is honestly a low-budget request for dinner in this area of Tuscany - pizza, drinks, a gelato and cover will actually run about that amount.
My "poke" at Peter about La Chiusa was in jest, as I know full well how much he enjoys dining there, along with the pleasure of Umberto's incredible wine collection.
The prices I gave earlier are all low-end in estimates - drinking house wines and ordering mid-range on the menus.
Meanwhile - Peter, you know I will meet you anytime for dinner at La Chiusa. We eat there 15+ times a year and it is always a treat for us - each and every time. I'll buy the food - you get the wine.
Peter- I love your restaurant recommendations ! Depending on who I am traveling with often dictates my restaurant choices. In April it will be low budget with my sister and daughter, in September with my husband and friends, it will be more upscale. So please keep those recommendations coming!
As the original poster, I have read with interest the discussion centering on $20-30 per person as a low budget for dinner. I think now that I am not clear, so if you all don't mind, I'll ask for some clarification. When I said $20-30, I was referring to the price of the entree - nothing else. So, I guess what I am asking now is whether that is an unrealistic expectation or were you all thinking that included everything (ie. wine, service charge, more than one course)? Thanks for all the information and recommendations; everyone's time and trouble are greatly appreciated!
Usually when someone says $20-30 per person, they mean the whole meal. I am guessing the most people interpretted it as that. If your secondo is in that range, then the cost per person for the whole meal would be more like $50-$60 per person.
Does that seem right? Antipasti $10, primo $10, secondo $20, wine $10. ??
Thanks, Pauline for setting me straight. Yes, I guess that's right, but I'm wondering - do you have to order all those courses? I know some of my children won't eat that much and I, myself, won't be able to eat too many big meals. Just wondering as I don't want to do the wrong thing.
Topic Closed
! Depending on who I am traveling with often dictates my restaurant choices. In April it will be low budget with my sister and daughter, in September with my husband and friends, it will be more upscale. So please keep those recommendations coming!