Restaurants in San Gimignano, Italy

Lightbox (39) Tags: food italy tuscany Posted: Nov. 23, 2010 by Myrka

This is a store Bazar dei Sapori (Bazaar of the Tastes). It sells salamis and some other typical Tuscan stuff. But in stores like this you can often buy panini (sandwiches) and even drink a glass of wine.

Shopping in stores like this is a good opportunity to learn about the essence of Tuscan cuisine

After spending rather significant time in finding good places to eat in San Gimignano, Italy, I thought that sharing my experience can be useful for other travelers visiting this wonderful Tuscan hill town. I do not pretend to provide full reviews of various places - these are just my notes and observations regarding various options to eat in San Gimignano.

I would like to start off with saying that despite huge tourist traffic not many visitors stay in San Gimignano at night (what I mean by that is the central part of the town surrounded by medieval wall). Most visitors arrive to San Gimignano historic center with buses on a day trip while staying in hotels in other places. They come to town between 9 AM and 10 AM and most of them depart by 7 PM. It means that food needs of all such visitors are usually limited to finding places to have lunch or just a snack while taking a break being tired of walking the streets of San Gimignano.

As a result, there are many food establishments that operate just to satisfy this type of needs. These are bars and cafes some of them may have special lines of foods, for example, ice-cream. You can come across virtually microscopic places offering, for example, pizza "a taglio" (sold in slices by weight). Some of such places do not offer seating and can be as simple as a window with an opening to exchange food and money. In some stores, for example, "salumeria" (selling cured meats and other Mediterranean products such as olives and olive oil, cheese, etc.) you can buy panini (sandwiches) taste wine and olive oil and other local specialties.

On the other hand, compared to the crowds of visitors, the number of real restaurants is not that high. The number of restaurants offering any type of sophisticated dishes is even lower. The explanation is simple - such places usually cater to customers looking for a nice dinner (even if they are open for lunch). But remember, by the time of the dinner (which in Italy often starts between 7 PM - 8 PM), many tourist are gone or about to depart.

Good news is that eateries in San Gimignano usually provide good enough food regardless of their sizes. You may find nothing elaborate in one of those microscopic places or in a bar on via San Matteo, one of the main streets in town. However, you may safely count on the acceptable quality of food offered.

A typical example of such place is the bar "Piazzetta" (means "small square") - you will immediately see it when you enter historic center through Porta San Matteo and start moving towards piazza Duomo. I open my photo gallery with showing several pictures of the bar including its menu where you can check prices (2010). In the gallery below you will find other similar places, but I find little use in making comments or reviewing places like this. In mot cases, they are all the same: so, if you are hungry, do not want to spend a lot of money, and do not have a lot of time, just go there and enjoy whatever you order.

There are several places in San Gimignano like this mini-pizzeria Ricca Pizza on via San Matteo. They sell pizza 'al taglio' (slices) e 'da asporto' (to go). You cannot sit there but pizza is OK.

The following places in San Gimignano I find deserving mentioning and possibly visiting:

Restaurants I can recommend:

Restaurant Dorando, vicolo dell'Oro, 2 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (Dorando on map) - I think this is the best restaurant in San Gimignano; it also happens to be on 2010 Michelin list. The restaurant is located in the very center of San Gimignano; however, the entrance is not easy to find since it is hidden behind Palazzo Vecchio del Podesta'.
Restaurant Cum Quibus, via San Martino, 17 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (Cum Quibus on map) - another popular and good restaurant located very close to the entrance to the historic center not far from Porta San Matteo.
Restaurant Perucà, via Capassi 16 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (Perucà on map) - I love this place run by food enthusiasts. It offers good environment and fresh interpretation of the traditional Tuscan dishes. It is located off via San Matteo.

Restaurants that may deserve your attention:

Restaurant Il Pino, via Cellolese 6 San Gimignano 53037 Siena Italia (Il Pino on map) - I think this restaurant has lost its edge but still remains one of good restaurants in San Gimignano. It has a good wine list.
Restaurant Le Vecchie Mura, via Piandornella, 15 San Gimignano 53037 Sienna, Italy (Le Vecchie Mura on map) - This restaurant offers good food, but I can primarily recommend it to those who a looking to dine outside and enjoy the views of Tuscany. Make a reservation, insist on the terrace location with views and you will not be disappointed. The restaurant is located off the usual tourist paths not far from the town's wall.

Other places to keep in mind:

Restaurant La Terrazza, piazza Cisterna, 24 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (La Terrazza on map) - with its location on piazza Cisterna (town center) it i an ideal place for lunch to have decent food, a bottle of nice Vernaccia and everything else that happens on the piazza while you are eating.
Gelateria dell'Olmo, piazza Cisterna 34 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (Gelateria dell'Olmo on map) - another place on piazza Cisterna. This one is to taste excellent Italian gelato (ice-cream).
Pizzeria Da Beppone, via Romite, 13 San Gimignano 53037 Siena, Italy (Pizzeria Da Beppone on map) - to my knowledge, is the only place in San Gimignano that has the word "pizzeria" in its name. And pizza is only the reason I mention this place located off via San Matteo.

Below is a small photo gallery that can you some visual clues regarding restaurants and bars in San Gimignano.

If you enter San Gimignano historic center from Porta San Matteo, this bar will be one of the first things you will see. There is nothing special about it. It is called Bar Piazzetta and is always full of tourists who stroll to or from the town's center (piazza Duomo and piazza Cisterna).	Inside Bar Piazzetta - the place is clean and does nicely what it is supposed to do, to feed tourists with snacks, sandwiches and some cold dishes. You can actually have pizza as well. What is good about places like this in many Italian touristy places is that owners and managers maintain service and food standards even at peaks of visitors.	I thought it would be interesting for you to look at Bar Piazzetta's menu - not because it is from this particular bar but because it is a typical menu you may find in many similar places. Note that there are two prices, "al banco" (at the bar) and "al tavolo" (at the table). The latter are about two times more than the former. This menu is summer 2010 edition.	This the entrance to Il Pino - one of the good restaurants in San Gimignano located on the "San Matteo" side of the town on via Cellolese 6 - just several steps off via San Matteo and very close to the San Matteo entrance to the town. While talking about Il Pino, I cannot but mention another very good restaurant, Cum Quibus, located very close to Il Pino on via San Martino (you can actually see Cum Quibus from Bar Piazzetta).
Inside restaurant Il Pino - the environment is nice and inviting. Il Pino offers good food and it has one of the best wine cellars (cantina) in San Gimignano center. For example, in addition to typical Tuscan wines you will find a decent selection of wines from Piedmont (Barolo, Barbaresco). Unfortunately, I think the restaurant lost a bit its edge as far as food is concerned. This especially becomes evident if you look the restaurant's prices that are probably the highest in town.	We are on via San Matteo now on our (and other tourists') way from Porta San Matteo to the town's center and we are looking at restaurant La Stella (which means The Star). Since I mentioned that, you should have pretty good understanding that this location means they are busy and do not need to work hard. Crowds that are passing by day and night guarantee unlimited supply of hungry people.	This picture of La Stella's menu is just to show how creative some places in San Gimignano can be to attract visitors. I do not really know if these small figurines work to this end, but prices do. La Stella is definitely an affordable place with restaurant environment. And if you lower your expectation you will find that the food is rather decent and eatable.	As I said, La Stella is busy day and night.
Another bar not far from restaurant La Stella.	This is La Griglia - another restaurant on via San Matteo a bit closer to piazza Duomo. As you can say looking at the name, its specialty is grilled meat dishes. The restaurant has a small patio with nice views. Where it gets confusing is the fact that there is also Trattoria (a nonstop establishment open from noon to 11 PM to eat mostly pizza). I did not like the latter, but La Griglia can be not bad.	The Trattoria premises are located upstairs.	This is Trattoria Antica Macelleria (Old Butcher Shop) - the place I could never figure out. It is located on via de' Marsili, 1, a side street off via San Matter and very close to piazza Duomo. The ambient is not inviting but food seems to be good and guests seem to like it as well. My little research showed that this is essentially is an outlet of a fattoria near San Gimignano. So, come and check the Antica Macelleria.
I prefer not to make any statements about bars and cafes. Usually all I do is pointing to the fact that there is one of those establishments in a certain place. What else to say - to review tea and sandwiches? However, this Gelateria dell'Olmo located on piazza Della Cisterna in San Gimignano deserves special attention because of the quality of its ice-cream.	This is to make sure that visitors do not confuse Gelateria dell'Olmo with Gelateria di Piazza. Well, I am joking actually. Both are located close to each other and both offer nice ice-cream. Gelateria dell'Olmo has also a coffee house which also offers local salami, cold meats and mature cheeses.	Inside Gelateria dell'Olmo.	Ice-cream cones (with prices) on display in Gelateria dell'Olmo. Every day it offers more than 50 different tastes. Among them are traditional creams, distinctive and elaborate flavors, sorbets made with local or exotic fruit. They say fruits are strictly fresh and carefully selected every morning. I trust them.
Perucà is another restaurant in San Gimignano that I can recommend without hesitation to anybody who is looking for decent food in historic center. It offers excellent cuisine, good service, professionalism with romantic atmosphere. In menu there are excellent dishes based on cinghiale. One of my favorites is Fagottini del contadino (kind of dumpling stuffed with Pecorino cheese and pears). The restaurant prices are above average in San Gimignano but certainly in line with the service and food offered. Perucà is located on via Capassi - a side street that runs parallel to via San Matteo.	While it is easy to find pizza "a taglio" (meaning "to cut" - in other words to go) in San Gimignano, it may be not that easy to find a pizzeria in town. So, here is pizzeria Da Beppone - another eatery off the main tourist path in San Gimignano. Da Beppone is located on via delle Romite - a long and very boring street that runs parallel to via San Matteo.	Inside pizzeria Da Beppone. The restaurant has also a small patio. Da Beppone has rather controversial reputation as a restaurant. My personal take on this - I have never looked at this place as a real restaurant. It is a pizzeria. Pizza is good though pricey - from €9 for Margherita to €15 for Bomba and Beppone. I have never bothered to find what those two are. It sounds like they are for American tourists.	La Terrazza - a lovely place to spend time while eating in the very center (piazza Cisterna) of San Gimignano. You should not have any high expectation for food - the food is decent for this very touristy place. But you do not come here to find culinary delights. You come to have lunch while enjoying the environment and San Gimignano towers. Prices are reasonable, and by the way, they offer pizza - from €6 to €8.
dulcisinfundo - another popular among upscale food establishments in San Gimignano. While the ambient is pleasant, and your overall experience with the restaurant can be quite pleasant, there is really nothing special about it. Prices are well above average for the historic center location. Are they justified? Some say yes, other say no.	This is the entrance to osteria I Quattro Gatti restaurant (which means "The Four Cats"). It is located on the same street as La Bettola (via Quercecchio) but closer to the via S. Giovanni and Piazza Cisterna. I cannot say anything special about this place. There is nothing bad about it - in a nutshell just another place to eat in San Gimignano.	Osteria I Quattro Gatti has a rather large terrace. However, inasmuch as it can be pleasant to stay outside, there is nothing to look at other than rather ugly houses in the back. In my view, prices are a bit higher than they should be for the food offered. On the other hand, meat dishes are not cheap, and one can say that grilled courses are the restaurant's specialty.	If you are determined to get the best of food in San Gimignano, consider Le Vecchie Mura. Its location is a bit off the main tourist path in town. It is located on via Piandornella which goes along the town wall and is easily missed unless you know what you are looking for. Restaurant owners also rent a couple of rooms at €60/night - nothing special but all basic things including air conditioning are provided.
This photo gives you a glimpse of via Piandornella but mostly illustrates the outside dining facility that belongs to Le Vecchie Mura restaurant. As next photo shows, their large terrace provides wonderful views on Tuscan landscape and can be another reason to try the restaurant.	Restaurant Le Vecchie Mura - on a warm summer evening its terrace is the place to be. Keep in mind that this restaurant is usually very busy - reservation is recommended. I can describe the prices as above average in San Gimignano, but not the highest. Cuisine is typical Tuscan.	La Bettola - you know that this word means a tavern in English? Not a fancy name but perhaps it reflects the essence of this place. Nothing fancy but just a reliable Tuscan style food you can trust. The restaurant is located on via Quercecchio (not far from Museo Ornitologico) - a bit off the regular tourist path of via S. Giovanni and Piazza Cisterna.	Inside La Bettola. The location of the restaurant is reflected in its prices which I would describe as medium: antipasti are from €8.50 to €11, primimi piatti are €7 to €9, secondi piatti from €8 to €18 and dolci at €5 (all prices are 2010).
La Bettola - the restaurant has a terrace or patio with the capacity of about 35 - 40 guests. There are some limited views from the patio but nothing extraordinary.	If you are looking for good food in San Gimignano, you should definitely consider Restaurant Dorando'. If you do not trust me, keep in mind that Dorando' is on Michelin 2010 list. Restaurant is located in the very center of San Gimignano. But it may be difficult to find - it is behind Palazzo Vecchio del Podesta' (Vicolo dell'Oro, 2).	Inside Restaurant Dorando'. The ambient is stylish and cozy. Prices by San Gimignano standards are high but in return you get excellent food. Interestingly, the restaurant is owned and managed not by an Italian but by someone who loves San Gimignano and Tuscany. I would say the desire to excel and ambitions to be the best are two driving forces behind this establishment.	Trattoria del Carcere is something to keep in mind if you are willing to take some risk. The truth is that you will either like it or hate it. Anyway, here is a summary - it is a small place near Piazza Cisterna (the very center); prices are more on a higher side. Good wine list. Attitude, service and some details may seem odd. After all, Carcere means 'prison'.
Trattoria del Carcere displayed next to the restaurant's entrance. By the way, despite mixed reviews, this place is popular and you may need a reservation.	Trattoria Chiribiri is a unique place in San Gimignano to eat because it offers decent food at low prices in a setting more typical for a restaurant than a café. Add to this, Trattoria Chiribiri is always opened with its nonstop operation from 11 AM to 11 PM. Chiribiri is located in the proximity of Porta S. Giovanni and the very beginning of via San Giovanni.	Click on the picture to enlarge and see Chiribiri's menu. It is difficult to beat prices where antipasti are from €6 to €9, primimi piatti are around €7, secondi piatti from €8 to €17 and dolci at €3 (all prices are 2010)	Bar Firenze - another popular place. There is nothing special about it other than its location on via San Giovanni which makes this bar a natural place for visitors to stop and sip wine or eat gelato (ice-cream)