9 places for sweets, coffee and dinner in Siena
As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, I recently travelled to Tuscany. As well as Florence, I also visited Siena, Lucca and San Gimignano. Although Siena is only the 12th largest city in Tuscany, with a population of just over 50,000, it is one of the most famous and visited. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, containing buildings dating as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, however, I am sharing my tips for 9 places for sweets, coffee and dinner in Siena.
Pasticceria Nannini Conca d’Oro
Established by Guido Nannini in 1910, the Pasticceria-café of the same name has almost become synonymous with Siena. Located on Via Banchi di Sopra, it is a stone’s throw from Piazza del Campo, the site for the Palio, the renowned horse race held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena.
Fun fact: Italian singer-songwriter Gianna Nannini and her brother Alessandro, who’s a former Formula One racing driver, were not only born in Siena, but they also come from the same family that owns Pasticceria Nannini.
Dolci e Cantine
Siena is regarded as the panforte capital of Italy, so I simply had to try this round and chewy cake, which dates to the 13th century and was originally made of flour, honey, spices, dried figs, jam and pine nuts and flavoured with pepper. Nowadays, there are many variations, for example panforte with marzipan or with chocolate. I tried the former at Dolce e Cantine, a small pasticceria (a shop, not a café) on Via dei Pellegrini, almost opposite of the Battistero di San Giovanni Battista.
Fun fact: Literally, panforte means ‘strong bread’, and refers to the spicy flavour. Originally, the Sienese called it panpepato (‘peppered bread’), due to the strong pepper used. The name ‘panpepato’ is still being used to refer to a type of panforte.
Panificio Il Magnifico
Siena is also famous for the ricciarelli, biscuits that date back to the 14th century. Together with the panforte, the ricciarelli are considered one of the signature sweets of Siena. They are made of almonds, sugar, honey and egg whites and have a marzipan-like taste and texture. I tried them at Panificio Il Magnifico, another small pasticceria (a shop, not a café), also on Via dei Pellegrini.
La Vecchia Latteria
No matter the time of the year or the time of the day, one must always enjoy a gelato when visiting Italy. During my stay in Siena, I had gelato (chocolate and fior di latte) from La Vecchia Latteria, a small gelateria on Via San Pietro, very close to the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena.
ChigianArtCafè
Built by the Marescotti family in the 12th century, the Palazzo Chigi-Saracini is a Gothic palace on the Via di Città, Nowadays, it is the seat of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana. I went there for a lunchtime concert and also had a coffee in the courtyard. Even if you don’t visit the interior of the Palazzo, ChigianArtCafe, the café of the Palazzo is well worth a visit. It is a tranquil oasis, ideal if you fancy a break from the crowded streets of Siena.
Osteria da Vivo
This is a great place for dinner in Siena, located on Via Franciosa. It is very close to the Battistero di San Giovanni Battista, but also close to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, simply known as Duomo di Siena. I dined here as soon as I arrived in Siena and had a selection of cold cuts, followed by pappardelle with wild boar braised with Chianti, and accompanied with a glass of Chianti. After dinner, I passed in front of the Duomo and sat there for a few moments.
Nonna Gina
This is another great place for dinner in Siena, a stone’s throw from Palazzo Ravizza, the hotel where I stayed. I had a selection of antipasti, followed by pici alla Dado, a local type of thick, hand-rolled pasta (like fat spaghetti) with ragu, and accompanied with Chianti wine. For dessert, I had baci di Lella, which was a wonderful semifreddo.
Osteria Quattro Venti
I absolutely loved this osteria, on Via San Pietro, very close to the Chiesa di San Pietro alle Scale. When I dined there, it was such a pleasant evening, that I sat outside. I had a salad, pici with ragu (once again) and a glass of Chianti wine.
La Taverna di San Giuseppe
I absolutely loved this restaurant too. Located on Via Giovanni Duprè, it is very close to the Chiesa di San Giuseppe. They do 2 sittings, at 7 pm and at 9 pm, and they’re so popular that advanced reservations are highly recommended. I had prosciutto and figs for a starter, wild boar (cinghiale) for a main, and a selection of local sweets (panforte and ricciarelli) for dessert. Needless to say I also had a glass of Chianti.
Further reading
To better prepare for my trip in Tuscany, I used the Lonely Planet Italy Travel Guide.
Over the next few months, I will post more about Siena and Florence. In the meantime, here is an older post about Florence:
Summer in Florence: top 7 tips
and my recent posts about San Gimignano and Lucca:
A day trip to San Gimignano, Tuscany
Buon viaggio!
Alex
(the Traveling Psychiatrist)