da Roberto, Taverna in Montisi — Restaurant in Montalcino

There are tavernas… and then there’s Roberto’s. I won’t talk as much about the lovely food we had (that too without salt! Who’d have thought!) as I would about the extraordinary experience we had.

We - me and my son - bumped upon this beautiful taverna while roaming the streets of Montisi, one of the many tiny villages we visited as a day trip from Pienza. It was late (4 pm) and we were hungry, and the ambience and the music of Taverna looked so appealing that we thought to stop and eat. However the place looked almost closed, with only one table occupied (since it was well past lunchtime).

We tentatively asked Roberto if it would be possible to eat there and he was so kind and gracious to accept, even though he looked visibly exhausted. He asked about our dietary preferences (I’m a vegetarian and my son eats everything) and whipped up three amazing dishes - a bruschetta, a salad and a pasta. Absolutely fresh food. He only opens up the taverna for 4-5 hours in a day because he travels long and far to source his ingredients daily - his love for the food he cooks shows up in the taste.

All the while we were there, he spoke to us with genuine interest, warmth and kindness. After the meal he asked about our further travel plans and gave us excellent suggestions for destinations to visit.

A note for those who find him gruff / rude - Roberto is one of those rare people who have the integrity to stick to their life philosophy of removing negativity and toxicity from his life. He possesses exemplary kindness and respect, and asks only the same of others, and has the sincerity to walk the talk : it’s not easy for an owner to turn away paying business, but if somebody comes and acts like an entitled brat, Roberto refuses to entertain them. However, he refuses with such class and honour that the only thing the entitled elite can do is come and write unfairly terrible reviews to get back at him. In fact, while we were waiting at our table, one family sauntered in, rang the bell and demanded to see the menu, while their many children (tweens and teens, not toddlers) scared his cat away. Not a second of regard to ask if he was open, not a smile of greeting or gratitude.

I’m so grateful to have met him, and even more, I’m so grateful that my son met him and can see for himself a live example of true integrity and grace. We love you Roberto and we can’t...

A rainy cold day cancelled our plans, but the hunger stayed so we were looking for a place close by to eat a quick lunch. We found da Roberto's and it turned into a pleasant 2.5h experience. We didn't read about the place or heard of it, just called 10mins before and went in. After few minutes and before having eaten the slightest bit, we already liked the place as you find out right away that this is a special place, different from others. Roberto is entertaining you while making sure you are fine. Indeed, the food is without salt, but instead of refusing it or being at the opposing end, we simply accepted it and digged a bit deeper to try to understand and taste new flavors. Indeed, as Roberto says, salt can cover up a lot. At least after I ordered the steak I understood the idea behind it and the meat was really of excellent quality. We were really impressed. Asking Roberto about his way of cooking will allow you see the ideology behind it. In a super touristic region it is great to see places that focus solely on quality and equality and sustainability. Even the coffee is not an hazard, especially not the wine. If you go to this place, just be open to something new and try to leave your comfort zone when it comes to the way your served and what your served. In one word, it feels you're coming to someone's place to eat who is working really hard to create a special, high quality place. Thank...

Not an enjoyable experience. Came here last year and was just thinking about how it was by far our least favorite place. Roberto was very fake and quite rude. When we first arrived, he swore that his small terrace was only for those with reservations so we could have a peaceful lunch. 20 minutes into lunch, a couple of locals come up to the entrance gate and are bargaining with him, asking for a table. He lets them in no problem and they bring they’re annoying poodle- who keeps barking at our dog. For the next hour and a half, he ignored us and talked to his friends. The most infuriating thing was that he didn’t offer us ANY wine at all. Didn’t even mention it and we are in Tuscany for God’s sake. It’s basically a sin in Italy if you don’t have wine with your food.

About the food - found that all of the courses severely lacked seasoning. We splurged and got a steak from a local type of pig. It was cooked perfectly but tasted like nothing because of barely any seasoning. Really sad. Save your money and go to the trattoria down the road for a better experience and visit the little wine bar in the middle of the town for some true Italian...