CORTONESI cucina&vino — Restaurant in Cortona

TL;DR: exceptionally poor service, overcooked and cold food. I have eaten at a great deal of restaurants in Italy over the years, and several in Cortona. This is easily the worst dining experience in Italy ever. When we sat down at the table, we requested two bills for our two families eating together. After a long wait on uncomfortable chairs, the first dish (a side of roasted potatoes) was served. After another long wait, the main course was served. At this point, the potatoes were cold. The lamb for the main course was dry and way overcooked and way over-salted. Then, two thirds of the way into the main course, the appetizer was served! Never during our meal were we asked if everything was good. When it was time to pay, the waiters made it clear that it was too time-consuming to make separate bills, so we had to split this among ourselves. When reminded that we requested that at the very beginning, they still refused and became rude. With so many great dining options in Cortona, do yourself a favor and skip this place that has forgotten how...

We were lucky to arrive just as they were opening so we got a table even though we didn't have a reservation. I have a number of dietary restrictions but we were able to find dishes that I could eat. When we ordered, I asked the server to recommend a bottle of wine for us and he suggested an economical option that went well with our meals. The lamb was more thoroughly cooked than I am used to, and the beef was much rarer than my companion was used to, but both were excellent! The gnocchi was also quite good. We finished with the tiramisù and loved it! Very different from what we find in the US, but absolutely delicious. The servers didn't hover or interrupt us, but were always available if we needed something. It was pretty easy to get their attention, and they spoke enough English that we didn't have a problem communicating. We should probably try some of the other restaurants in town, but the experience here was so good that this might be the only place we dine out...

Incredible dinner for an incredible price! We had two bottles of wine, two appetizers and 4 entrees. Each was better than the last. Day 12 in Italy and would Say this is the best meal we have had. Lamb chops, sea bass, their specialty spaghetti that has a vodka sauce was perfect- and then the steak came out. It was enormous and delicious! The chef came out after it was served and offered to throw it back on for those that liked it more well done. For those of us that liked it rare, it was very thoughtful of the chef to check on our table and do that for us! We sat down at 830 on a Thursday night and were served immediately. Right in the heart of Cortona - I wish we...