Eating & Drinking

Radda is wine central. It was just over 300 years ago that the boundaries of the Chianti wine region were set. These borders largely correspond to the current Chianti Classico zone. Radda is still awash with Chianti Classico but it’s not the only wine in town. Meals often end with a tasting of sweet Vin Santo. Trebbiani and Malvasia grapes also hang up to dry for Vin Santo, made in Chianti and other parts of Tuscany. The wine is fermented and aged for up to six years in small barrels, known as orcaratelli. This strong dessert wine is comparable to a good medium sherry. Our recommended wine estates are featured in each of the individual Chianti guides.

This area has everything to offer the foodie, with dishes designed to bring out the richness of the wine. From the macho T-bone steaks to peasant soups, wild boar stews, truffle sauces, hearty cheeses and divine cakes, this is as far removed from faddish cuisine as you can get.

This is just a taster to the Chianti. Check our restaurant recommendations below and also see our other guides to top Chianti towns and villages, all accessed through our Destinations listings.

Tucked into an early 14th-century building in the heart of Radda is this homely wine bar. It also doubles as a good-value inn and wine shop. Along with a wide selection of Tuscan wines, you can tuck into taglieri, platters of home-cured meats or cheeses, along with porchetta (roast suckling pig). For something more substantial, choose stubby pici pasta with a meaty ragù sauce, ravioli with black truffle or hearty ribollita soup. Florentine tripe, wild boar stew and Sienese ossobuco are also on the menu.



Address: Piazza IV Novembre
53017
Radda in Chianti

Tel: 0577 738055
Web: www.casaporciatti.it

Set in Volpaia, an enchanting medieval hamlet just north of Radda, this delightful family-run inn serves special but unfussy Tuscan dishes. These are complemented by sound Chianti Classico wines, along with salads and vegetables from the kitchen garden. Mid-priced dishes include hand-rolled pasta or ribollita soup followed by wild boar or Florentine T-bone steak. To be sure of grabbing a table on the shady terrace, book ahead and enjoy the views from the hilltop hamlet over the timeless countryside below. For other dining options in the hamlet, see our Volpaia guide.



Address: Piazza della Torre 1
Volpaia,
53017
Radda in Chianti

Tel: 0577 738001
Web: www.labottegadivolpaia.it

Set on the road between Radda and Panzano, this is a bastion of Tuscan home-cooking. With its white-washed walls, it’s an unpretentious but utterly reliable country trattoria. Come for the home cooking, friendly service, short but seasonal menu and the extensive Tuscan wine list. Tuck into the roast rabbit, the pumpkin ravioli or any pasta in wild boar sauce. End with the panna cotta or the homemade, crunchy cantuccini biscuits, ideally dipped in Vin Santo.


Address: Localita Lucarelli,
53017
Radda in Chianti

Tel: 0577 733511
Web: www.lepanzanelle.it

This popular stop on the Chianti trail lies along scenic roads 9 km east of Radda. The rural restaurant is set on the glorious wine and olive oil estate of Badia a Coltibuono, complete with its 11th-century abbey. Housed in the former stables, the inn makes use of a charming terrace in summer. Dine under a rose-trailing pergola and tuck into largely organic produce, including from the estate. Modern Tuscan dishes include cured meats, organic pasta with wild duck sauce, fennel soup, lamb or rabbit mains, and home-made fruit tarts or chestnut pastries. The impressive seasonal tasting menu is under 60€, complete with a wine pairing of four wines. The estate wine, oil and chestnut honey are also on sale.


Address: Badia a Coltibuono,
Localita Badia a Coltibuono,
53013
Gaiole in Chianti

Tel: 0577 749031
Web: www.ristorante.coltibuono.com

Set south of Radda, this convivial inn lies in Castello di Brolio, the ancestral castle estate of the Ricasoli wine dynasty. Combine a tour of the castle with lunch in the estate inn. Alternatively, the sunset tour of the castle includes dinner in the Ricasoli’s restaurant. Your castle ticket also allows for a free wine-tasting in the Ricasoli tasting rooms below the castle. With lunch, indulge in the Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico 2006. Dishes are creative twists on traditional Tuscan cuisine. Along with classic Florentine-influenced meat dishes, expect more fish than found in most of the Chianti. Such dishes as olive gnocchi in pecorino sauce or rabbit salad with crispy spelt can also be paired with Ricasoli wines.



Address: Castello di Brolio
Localita Madonna a Brolio
53013
Gaiole di Chianti

Tel: 0577 7301
Web: www.ricasoli.com