Where to eat in Siena
Sienese cooking is plain Tuscan with a medieval sweet tooth: hand-rolled pici, wild boar, beans and bread, then panforte and almond biscuits. The better meals are in osterie a few lanes from the Campo, not on it. Book dinner, and buy sweets from a pastry shop with a long history.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- San Martino and Terzo di Città, a few lanes from the Campo, or just outside the walls on Via Chiantigiana.
- Order this
- Pici with wild boar or garlic and tomato, then panforte or ricciarelli with a glass of Vin Santo.
- When to eat
- Lunch from about 12.30pm and dinner from 7.30pm. Many places close on one weekday, often Sunday or Tuesday.
- Book or walk in
- Book dinner at the osterie listed here. Walk in for a pastry or a quick lunch.
- Tipping
- A small coperto is common and service is often included. Rounding up is enough.
What to eat in Siena
- PiciThick, hand-rolled pasta, served with garlic and tomato, wild boar or breadcrumbs, found in most trattorie in town.
- RibollitaA thick bread and bean soup with kale, best in the cold months.
- CinghialeWild boar, stewed or in a ragù, a staple of the Sienese hills.
- BisteccaA thick grilled steak of Chianina beef, sold by weight and usually shared.
- PanforteA dense disc of honey, nuts and candied fruit with spices, made in Siena since the Middle Ages.
- RicciarelliSoft almond biscuits with a cracked sugar top, sold in pastry shops across the town.
- CavallucciSpiced walnut and candied fruit biscuits, often paired with Vin Santo.
- PecorinoSheep's cheese from the hills around Siena, young and soft or aged and sharp, served with honey or pears.
Where to eat in Siena, by neighborhood
San Martino and the lanes below the Campo
Small osterie and wine bars on Via di San Martino and the streets running south from Via Banchi di Sopra. The best choice for an evening meal on foot.
Terzo di Città and the Duomo
Traditional osterie a few lanes from the cathedral, quieter than the Campo and cheaper than the main squares. Good for a long lunch.
Via Banchi di Sopra
The main shopping street, with historic pastry shops and cafes. Stop here for panforte, ricciarelli and a coffee.
Just outside the walls
Family-run restaurants on the roads out of town, such as Via Chiantigiana, with larger portions and a calmer room. Short taxi ride from the center.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Osteria Le Logge
€€€Osteria · Via del Porrione, near the Campo
Orderhandmade pasta and the Tuscan classics
A former grocer's shop with the old counter and glass cabinets still in place, listed by the Michelin Guide. Tuscan dishes with a modern hand.
- Book
- Book dinner a few days ahead, more in summer.
- Closed
- Sundays
Confirmed open: guide.michelin.com
-
La Taverna di San Giuseppe
€€€Taverna · Via Giovanni Duprè
Orderpici with wild boar and the soups
A twelfth-century building with a cellar carved out of an Etruscan house, a short walk from the Campo. The wine list runs to about 600 labels.
- Book
- Reservations by phone only, and arrive within 15 minutes of your time.
Confirmed open: tavernasangiuseppe.it
-
Enoteca I Terzi
€€Wine bar and restaurant · Via dei Termini
Ordera Tuscan tasting plate with a glass of Chianti
A long-running wine bar with Tuscan dishes, in the lanes just off the Campo. A reasonable place for a wine-led lunch.
- Book
- Book dinner, and walk in at lunch.
- Closed
- Sundays
Confirmed open: italia.it
-
Antica Trattoria Botteganova
€€€Trattoria · Via Chiantigiana, just outside the walls
Orderpici, bistecca and peposo
A family restaurant on the road to Chianti, serving Sienese recipes and local wines. A taxi ride from the center, and calmer than the Campo.
- Book
- Book dinner, especially at weekends.
- Closed
- Tuesdays
Confirmed open: anticatrattoriabotteganova.it
Food markets in Siena
- Wednesday market at La LizzaA large weekly open-air market around the Fortezza, mostly clothes and household goods, with fruit, vegetables and some food stalls. Good for picnic supplies.Wednesday mornings, about 8.30am to 1.30pmSource: in3giorni.com
How Siena eats
- Meal timesLunch from about 12.30pm and dinner from 7.30pm. Kitchens close in the afternoon.
- TippingA coperto of a euro or two is common, and service is often included. Round up if you like.
- ReservationsBook dinner a few days ahead, and weeks ahead on the Palio dates. Walk in for a pastry or a pizza slice.
- SweetsSienese sweets are sold by weight in pastry shops. Panforte and ricciarelli make good gifts and travel well.
- CoffeeDrink an espresso at the bar. Sitting down on the Campo costs more.
Signs of a place to walk past
A tourist menu with photographs on the edge of the Campo.
A waiter at the door who tries to draw you in.
A bistecca priced per portion, not by weight.
Eating in Siena: questions people ask
What food is Siena known for?
Pici pasta, wild boar, bean soups and bread-based dishes, then panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci. Chianti and Vin Santo are the local wines.
Where is the best place to eat in Siena?
The lanes of San Martino and Terzo di Città, a few minutes from the Campo, have the best osterie. Avoid the restaurants facing the square.
What is panforte?
A dense, chewy cake of honey, nuts and candied fruit with spices, made in Siena since the Middle Ages. It is sold in discs and slices at pastry shops.
What are pici?
Thick, hand-rolled strands of pasta, made from flour and water. Order them with garlic and tomato, or with wild boar sauce.
Do I need to book dinner in Siena?
Yes at the better osterie, a few days ahead. On the Palio dates, book weeks ahead or expect to find places full.
Is Siena expensive to eat in?
It can be on the Campo. A pici lunch in the lanes and a pastry from a shop on Via Banchi di Sopra keep costs down.