Osteria L`Orciaia — Restaurant in Bucine

WOW. This darling, family-owned restaurant in the tiny medieval village of Monte Benchi was one of the standout meals of our trip to Italy. Perched on a hilltop, the town—once a fortress—is now home to just 18 residents, three of whom run this incredible restaurant. The menu is handwritten on a chalkboard brought to your table, offering a small but thoughtful selection of traditional Tuscan dishes. Every plate was simple, authentic, and absolutely delicious.

The standout was the spaghetti pomodoro — incredibly simple, yet easily one of the best pasta dishes we’ve ever had. We also loved the perfectly cooked Florentine steak, a delicate ricotta-filled “crepe” pasta, and lemon chicken that was understated but packed with flavor.

Dining here felt like being welcomed into someone’s home, and wandering the picturesque, history-soaked village afterward made the experience all the more magical. An absolute must-stop — and truly one of the highlights of our...

Great Tuscan food and it shows off the great ingredients, for a good price. We have come here a number of times over the last couple of decades and this year was one of the best. It's a great setting, sitting outside on their terrace and has nice view. That coupled with the authentic and beautiful food makes it worth the steep drive to get up to Montebenichi. Also, Ava (front of house) and Gino (the chef) do make a good team and make it a good place to go. Do ring ahead if you want something particular which might not normally be on the menu, and they are flexible and may be able to get it. We had had Fegato de Cinta Senese here in previous years and didn't realise we could ring ahead and ask for something like this. We will do this in future years now we know this. Do book though because with just Ava and Gino they have a limited number of bookings per day, mostly dinners from my understanding (but I could be wrong!). We had a...

If you’re within 100 miles, it’s absolutely worth the trip to experience this exceptional restaurant. From the food to the ambiance—and especially the host and chef, Gino—everything was unforgettable. We began with a pear, honey, and walnut appetizer that was deceptively simple yet perfectly balanced. Next came a rich, homemade pasta with meat sauce, followed by the most incredible Florentine steak we’ve ever tasted. We ended the meal with a luxurious chocolate mousse made from high-end chocolate—decadent and delicious. Gino was a true highlight: warm, attentive, and genuinely passionate about ensuring we had a memorable evening. A charming man in a truly...