La Bottega del 30 — Restaurant in Castelnuovo Berardenga

Unfortunately, we had a terrible experience here. We went for my husband’s fiftieth birthday celebration knowing that it would be pricey. The atmosphere was lovely, most of the food was really good but the service was terrible, and the soup that I had was awful. It came cold, although I don’t think it was supposed to be. It was my first 20 euro soup that I have ever ordered and also the first soup that I couldn’t finish. It had prawns in it that were small and shrivelled and still had the tails on them. Several times, we were sitting with nothing to eat or drink and no one checking on us. It took forever for them just to give us the menus. We ordered a bottle of red wine for dinner but I wanted to start with a glass of white wine so I asked for a Pinot Grigio. It took forever to get there and then the wine guy brought me an average Chardonnay. I’m not sure why. He told me he’d change it if I didn’t like it. I should have. It was 12 euros per glass, which is very expensive for this area and disappointing bland. We also waiting a very long time for our bill as did the party of four beside us who were also clearly upset at the service or lack thereof. Admittedly, our expectations were high but that was to be expected with the reputation of this restaurant. The meal that we had at “Osteria Alle Villa” the night before was far superior (food, service and atmosphere) and more than half the cost. ...

If you are in this area of Tuscany, ABSOLUTELY make a reservation. This wasn’t dinner but a dining experience. The area is cute and quaint and the inside aesthetic feels authentic. Communication making a reservation was easy (via email) but we did make a reservation about 2 months in advance, I’m not sure how hard it is to get a reservation. We got the 7:30 reservation and we’re the first in the restaurant so they let us pick our table. We picked the one by the window which provides an amazing view, nice breeze and we watched the beautiful sunset. Helene (the chef/owner) came to our table to welcome us, ask for allergies/restrictions, then told us the personalized menu in detail she will be making. It looked like she did this to every table. The Sommelier was brilliant and chose a wine within our tastes but that also will compliment our meal. Each course (and there were many) was so amazingly delicious. My New York foodie husband was knocked off his feet with each bite. At the end, Helene came out and personally sang me Happy Birthday and took a selfie with me (it was my 30th birthday and Helene remembered from the reservation email my husband made). What a personal and out of this world delicious experience. We would come back to Tuscany specifically for La...

Where do I even begin? La Bottega del 30 was hands down our best meal in Tuscany. The food, the service, the soul behind every dish—it’s truly one of a kind.

To those who left bad reviews… respectfully, this place may just be wasted on people who don’t understand the level of craft, tradition, and quality being delivered here. Ignore them.

We had the artichoke and spinach crème brûlée to start—unlike anything we’ve ever had. The spaghetti with black truffle and smoked gooseberry breast (thinly sliced both under and over the pasta) was so good we ordered it twice. The deboned guinea hen with Swiss chard, sausage, and vegetable flan was like Thanksgiving in Italy. The gnudi with ragù is Alessandra’s grandmother’s recipe—do yourself a favor and order it before they change the menu.

And for dessert? Hélène’s grandmother’s flourless chocolate cake with Greek basil and fresh strawberries marinated in Chianti wine. Pure magic.

Chef Hélène is doing something incredibly special here. Daniele was warm, attentive, and the definition of hospitality. Alessandra, the sommelier, is not only deeply knowledgeable but also part of the heart and history behind the dishes.

It was truly an honor to dine here, and we’re already planning our...