Excellent gelato can be found just off the Campo at two gelaterias called "Il Gelato" and "Brivido". Ask for Romaney at "Il Gelato"
For something more substantial, "La Chiacchiera" next to the House of St Catherine is an excellent source of typical Tuscan cuisine; the pici (thick, homemade noodles) are superb.
Osteria Nonna Gina, Piano dei Mantellini, 2, ☎ +39 0577 287247. This osteria, outside the Due Porte, is recommended. �
Osteria del Gatto, Via di San Marco, 8 (San Marco quarter), ☎ +39 0577 287133 (), . 12:15-14:30/19:45-22:00. This cosy osteria in Via di San Marco, not far from the above Nonna Gina, is also recommended. Menu will be in Italian but the waiters and the cooks will be available for a translation "on the fly". Fish is served one week a month. If you happen to be there in that week, don't miss the "Tonno alla Mediterranea" (tuna fish in the Mediterranean way).€18.00-€28.00. �
La Torre. This is also an excellent restaurant, in the contrada of the same name. �
Osteria Sotto le Fonti, Via Esterna Fontebranda, 114, ☎ 0577-226446, . Restaurant off the beaten path, with owners who serve you personally; the waitress speaks fluently English (very rare in Italy) and knows how to recommend you wine, as she is also a wine tour guide. Is a pleasant walk downhill shortly outside the gates of the city, allowing you to look up at the top of the Duomo. �
Nannini, Banchi di Sopra, ☎ +39 0577 286050. A bakery/cafe with an excellent selection of Tuscan pastries: Ricciarelli, Cavalucci, Cantucci, Panforte, etc. The ingredients of same are prominently displayed in most cases, making Nannini a very attractive option to the travelling vegan. �
Sienese specialties include:
Panforte - a unique kind of dense cake, made of honey, flour, almonds, candied fruits, a secret blend of spices, etc. Tipo Margherita is the classic, but several other types are made. Panforte is commercially manufactured only in Siena and neighboring Monteriggioni, its loyal ally in medieval wars with Florence. The most famous brand of panforte is Sapori. You can buy panforte most cheaply in local supermarkets, but don't miss a trip to Nannini on Banchi di Sopra (see above), a pleasant caffé where you can buy not only their panforte by weight but also many other types of unusual pastries and so forth.
Ricciarelli - small almond paste cakes.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Siena
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Siena - updated May 2024
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Siena Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
