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BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTS IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY - 2011

It's obvious, only the best Italian chefs make it onto the pages of the precious Michelin guide to Italy. Their top restaurants adorned with one ore two Michelin stars are yet another good reasons for a trip to Southern Tuscany, even if you happen to be based in Rome or Florence. The 2011 edition of the Michelin Guide to Italy includes five Michelin starred gourmet temples south of Siena.  


RESTAURANTS WITH ONE MICHELIN STAR

TRATTORIA TOSCANA - where Michelin starred French cuisine meets Tuscany. Set up by French star cook Alain Ducasse and looked after on a daily base by his 'pupil' Christoph Martin. The setting is pure Tuscan upper class with a French twist. To get the best of both worlds have an aperitivo at the Circolo Marinai in Castiglione della Pescaia's lovely harbor beforehand. Trattoria Toscana is open only in the evening. 

LA PINETA - seafood heaven in Marina di Bibbona is another good reason to visit Tuscany's beautiful beaches. La Pineta is a stone's throw to the famous Bolgheri wine area (the birthplace of Supertuscans). Try chef and former fishermen Luciano Zazzeri's refined version of the famous 'Cacciucco di Livorno' (a bouillabaisse or fish soup). Last time I checked La Pineta still didn't have a website. Why bother if you are always booked out? For more info visit La Pineta's Facebook Page or look at the pictures in our post about the restaurant. 



RESTAURANTS WITH TWO MICHELIN STARS


IL PELLICANO - two starred Michelin chef Antonio Guida will teach you how to eat your fish and surprise you with many a stellar creation - and all of this with a view to die for and a service that will make you feel pampered and glamourus like Rome's 20th century Cinecittà film stars. If budget allows, treat yourself to a room for the night. 

BRACALI - a Tuscan family goes Michelin. The second Michelin star arrived just now in 2011. What started out as a simple family-run Trattoria is hitting the sky without loosing its roots. 7km from beautiful Massa Marittima. If your heart beats as much for opera as for gourmet food, come in August when the Opera Festival takes over Massa Marittima's marvelous piazza. 

DA CAINO - at last a female chef: Valleria Piccini never forgets her Tuscan roots; who if not a woman could better hand down all the secrets of the Tuscan cuisine. The road to the village of Montemerano is one curve after another, but the trip is more than worth it. Consider renting one of the restaurant's three rooms on the upper floor. You should be able to master the few stairs even if you partnered the gourmet food with a glass too many of their selection of top wines and grappa. 

It's always worth remembering that Michelin star restaurants need reservation well in advance. To be on the safe side, make sure you book your table before coming out.
If you want to find out more about Michelin star restaurants in Rome, Venice or Milan or just anywhere else in Italy, check out the useful restaurant section on ViaMichelin.




Visualizza Michelin Star Restaurants South of Siena, Tuscany in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori

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