locanda del tartufaio — Restaurant in Gaiole in Chianti

This is a bit of a tough one to review. The hospitality, setting and of course the owl are all quite unique and made for a nice overall experience. Giorgio and the rest of the hosts are all very warm and welcoming despite the language barrier.

The food was all tasty. Simple home-style cooking. The wine was nice. Overall though, I felt like the truffles were really lacking. From other reviews and the name, we expected a lot more truffles with the truffles really being the focus. Instead they were a small accent to the food. For example, the pork, while succulent and delicious, had little truffle on it and no noticeable truffle flavor. So, that aspect of it was disappointing. My favorite dish was actually the super fresh tomatoes and basil side dish. With just a bit of olive oil and salt it was sublime. After the meal, the owner even brought a bowl of large truffles around for us to sniff. Yes, they smelled great. Why not use a bit more of them?? It kind of felt like: ‘I will let you smell the truffles but not eat the truffles’.

The owl experience at the end was a bit chaotic. Of course everyone wants to see it. One of the families with kids was given the first experience and that made sense since they were leaving. We were also ready to leave given the late hour (even just 4 courses, the meal is still over 2.5 hours) and our kids being tired. Unfortunately, the owl was taken to one of the tables, even as we stood waiting, so we looked a bit and left. No worries, but a bit unfortunate.

Overall the food was just ok, and quite pricey for what it was. Without more of a focus on truffles, it was just one of many places in Tuscany, and we had better truffle dishes elsewhere. I definitely...

My wife and I visited recently, and enjoyed our dinner. There is a lot to appreciate and love about this place.

Starting with the food, for €45 per person, you have a four-course meal with wine if you desire. The dishes are set by the chefs, and all but dessert incorporated truffle. We did think that the truffle flavor was a little heavy for our tastes in some meals, but undeniably the food was delicious. I recommend trying the house red wine.

Our antipasti involved a bruschetta, a crostini with truffle and cheese, a piece of an omelette that was rolled with a layer of truffle and I believe meat between the rolls, and of course some deli meat and cheese.

Our next dish was a lasagna made with cheese and truffle. It is heavy but delicious! The following dish was a tender pork that was seasoned with truffle, a side of potatoes, and tomatoes. We took dessert to go because one of us was a little unwell from earlier in the day.

The atmosphere is lovely. There is some seating in the front, at the side of the main street, with most seating outside in the back. It's intimate, quiet, and beautifully set. We felt welcome and comfortable; the service was friendly!

It's an experience that...

Wonderful local restaurant in the small town of Monti di Chianti in the Tuscany region. Family run, Giorgio presents a fixed four course menu featuring dishes prepared with the restaurant's namesake truffles (which he personally had picks leading to his nickname of "The Truffle Hunter").

On the night we dined, our antipasto consisted of crostini with various pate`, truffled pears with cheese, frittata, and salame and prosciutto. The first course was fettuccine with truffle sauce. Second course was roasted pork and truffle, roasted potatoes and salad. Dessert followed with panna cotta and chocolate torte. Of course, an Italian meal isn't complete without espresso. The meal included bottled water and unlimited wine for the modest price of just €40 per person.

The food was outstanding. The patio dining area was both charming and romantic. The chef visited our table multiple times checking to make sure the meal was to our liking. And to add to the experience, there is a pet owl that you can hold.

A truly wonderful dining experience in the local, small town...