Eating and Drinking
In rural Chianti, food and wine are the real religion. Our recommended local wine estates with restaurants include Dievole, Castello di Ama, Casanuova di Ama, Rocca delle Macie, Fonterutoli and Castello di Selvole, all featured in this guide. For other estates, do see our individual Chianti guides.
The local Chianti cuisine is as traditional as the castle-strewn countryside. Rustic ribollita soup, often made with black cabbage and beans, is on the menu. Not for nothing are Tuscans derided as `bean-eaters’ by grander culinary rivals. Typical dishes include ribbons of pappardelle pasta in a meaty wild boar sauce or a massive T-bone steak, bistecca alla fiorentina.
This is just a taster to the Chianti. See our restaurant recommendations below and also see our other guides to top Chianti towns and villages, all accessed through our Destinations listings, In particular, see our guides to Lecchi in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti, which are all nearby.