Antica Osteria Toscana — Restaurant in Montecatini Terme

We have ordered a signature dish of Tuscany - the pasta with wild boar. Unfortunately it didn’t taste fresh as if it was prepared before and warmed up before serving.

The parmigiana was good but cold.

For the main course (cheeks with truffle), they first brought the wrong dish (cheeks with artichokes). It was exchanged quickly though. The cheeks were accompanied by truffles only and were missing some kind of side dish to counter balance the intense taste of both.

The house wine by glass was average.

The menu is extensive to keep up the good quality and attention to detail, in my view.

Anyway, we would have given higher ratings if not the very last unpleasant impression given by a gentleman that popped up when we were asking for help to get us a taxi. Without checking and not listening to his colleagues, he decided to turn us away to get rid of us quickly as more and more guests were arriving creating a queue at the entrance. He simply said, there are no taxis at this time (without calling anyone) and that we should go to the taxi station and get us a taxi ourselves. Of course, there were no taxis outside and it was cold. But thanks God, there are nice Italians and a neighbour restaurant called us a taxi and suggested to wait for it inside not to get cold,...

The paradigm shift that I felt decades ago when I first walked into Peter Luger’s and had a dry aged steak, lasted only till I visited South America. Argentina recalibrated me, from there onwards steaks in Buenos Aires and Montevideo were the next yardstick by which I measured steaks.

But nothing can prepare you for the joy and the outer body experience of Steaks in Italy, especially Florence, this is a whole different world. Two of the oldest cattle breeds in Italy that are typically used in Bistecca alla Fiorentina are Chianina and Maremmana. Both breeds have rich and tender meat.

Traditionally Florentine Steak is seasoned with nothing more than a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, then grilled over a flameless wood or charcoal fire to a perfect rare or medium-rare doneness.

I had Chianina at Regina Bistecca Al Duomo (Florence IT).

For Maremmana, I visited Antica Osteria Toscana (Via Solferino, 12 - Montecatini Terme) about 35 minutes drive from Florence. Montecatini Terme is an upscale charming Belle Époque, historic thermal spa town, worth a visit to just see its Art Nouveau architecture

Antica Osteria Toscana has the best T Bones from all over the world (Poland, Denmark etc etc), but specializes in...

Tuscan Excellence That Brought Us Back the Next Day

Our dinner at Antica Osteria Toscana was so memorable, we returned the very next day and it was just as wonderful the second time around.

The experience began with a warm welcome and a great touch of theatre: the beautifully marbled Maremmana steak was presented to our table raw before cooking, allowing us to admire the cut and quality. The steak was grilled to perfection, juicy, tender, and seasoned simply with salt and rosemary. A true highlight.

We also had two exceptional pasta dishes: pappardelle al ragù, hearty and comforting, and tonnarelli cacio e pepe, served in a crisp parmesan basket, delicious and perfectly al dente.

Our meal was elevated by a bottle of CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2019, which paired beautifully with the steak and pasta alike.

We enjoyed it so much we came back the next day for lunch to try their lasagna, and it did not disappoint, rich, layered, and full of flavour.

From the attentive service to the high-quality ingredients, Antica Osteria Toscana delivers a true Tuscan dining experience that’s worth...