Siena Restaurants

Taverna San Guiseppe, Nonna Gina and Grattacielo are all great restaurants in Siena., and I spent many fun dinners and lunches there. Taverna San Guiseppe has a beautiful ambiente (with a wonderful ceiling), Nonna Gina is small and cozy with red and white checkered table cloths, and Grattacielo is great if you want something eccentric, cheaper, and somwhere where you meet the locals. Grattacielo is a little hidde, but just ask someone.

Favorite Dish: The funnest is Grattacielo. You can pick anything from an abundance of mostly cold dishes, and they'll arrange it all on a plate for you. You never know the price before, it depends on how and what you eat, and who is at the cashier's that day. Try it!

This is apparently the oldest pasticceria in Siena - it's also the best! There's more than one branch in Siena. Loads of mini and bigger pastries and sweet things to choose from to accompany your coffee. Stand at the bar and enjoy! It's a popular place.

Favorite Dish: The ricciarelli (little biscuits)

Ricciarelli are the typical almond biscuits of Siena. The biscuits are covered with icing sugar.

"Ricciarelli" probably originate from marzipan cakes.

A suggestion: don't buy too many "ricciarelli" because you will eat them all on the way back home... They're too delicious!

Excellent but inexpensive restaurant. The wellknown Michelin-restaurant guide honoured them with the so-called 'Bib Gourmand' which means good, traditional food for a reasonable price. Traditional Tuscan dishes, excellent views and a very nice and cosy terrace. The menu is simple, but good. Als the neighbourhood is worthwhile to visit.

Favorite Dish: Tortelloni ricotta e spinaci con pasta fresco, cantucci con vin santo !

I don't know if Da Roberto is still in operation. Ask around, and if it is, then definitely set aside some time to eat there. The surroundings of this trattoria are nothing to write home about, but the food is genuine, delicious down home family style Italian cooking.

Favorite Dish: I loved the rabbit and the tuscan white bean soup! This was our big treat when I lived in Siena, cause I was a poor just out of college kid.

Siena is famous for these Ricciarelli cookies. They are absolutely the best food I've ever had in my life, but they're expensive. These almond flavored cookies are slightly chewy inside with just a hint of honey and almonds covered with a perfect layer of powdered sugar. Fantastic!

Favorite Dish: **THE RECIPE for Ricciarelli**

1 pound whole almonds

(pre-blanched or w/skins) Baking parchment paper (enough to cover baking pans)

1 granulated sugar 1 unsifted powdered sugar

1/4 all-purpose flour 1/4 mild honey

2 egg whites 1 tsp vanilla

Powdered sugar (as needed for rolling and dusting)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

• To blanch almonds, fill a 3-quart pot 3⁄4 full of water; bring to boil. Drop whole almonds into water; boil 2 minutes. Drain almonds; rinse under cold water. OR purchase pre-blanched almonds and skip next 4 steps)

• Spread almonds in a layer on a clean towel or paper towels. When cool enough to handle, squeeze almond between fingers and almond will pop out of skin. Repeat until all almonds are skinned.

• Dry almonds well with towel; discard skins.

• Spread blanched almonds in a single layer in a large baking pan (lined with parchment paper!)

• Bake almonds about 25 minutes, stirring twice, until dried, but not browned; cool.

• BEGIN HERE IF USING PRE-BLANCHED ALMONDS. Place almonds and granulated sugar in a food processor; process until powdered.

• Add 1 cup powdered sugar, flour, honey, egg whites, vanilla; process til well mixed. If mixture becomes too thick, transfer mixture to a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

• Divide dough into 8 pieces.

• Sprinkle cutting board generously with powdered sugar; roll each piece of dough into a 1-inch diameter log.

• Cut dough diagonally into 1-inch thick slices.

• Lay each slice down and flatten into a diamond shape, 3/8-inch thick.

• Place cookies 1⁄2-inch apart on lined baking pans.

• Spoon powdered sugar into a sieve; dust cookies.

• Bake until cookies are set but not brown, about 12 to 15 minutes (DO NOT BROWN).

• Cool; dust again with powdered sugar

• When completely cool, store in an airtight container.

YIELD: 5 dozen

One of my friends that I met in Italy is the co-owner of this restaurant, so I may be slightly biased, but the food really is good. Not only that, it's sort of this neat Medieval basement type atmosphere with little grottos and beautiful romantic settings.

I found that the staff here was rather unfriendly......it´s a hectical place and you have to pay first before you get your drinks.........the food and drinks are great that´s no question!!!!!

Favorite Dish: I only had a cappucino here and a panini...... The cappucino was one of the best I ever had.....the panini was ok too.......