Ristorante Il Castagno — Restaurant in Siena

Disappointing Experience at Ristorante II Castagno

We recently visited Ristorante II Castagno in Tuscany, anticipating a wonderful dining experience amidst its beautiful surroundings. Unfortunately, our experience was far from pleasant.

Upon arrival, we stood in the restaurant's courtyard with our children, waiting for a table. Despite receiving a smile, we felt largely ignored. Eventually, an elderly lady approached us from the back and arranged a table inside. Since we preferred to sit outside, we declined. As we were heading back to the parking lot, someone followed us and offered to set up an outdoor table, which we accepted.

Once seated, the waiter first took our children's order, referring to them as "creatures." Is that supposed to be funny? Then, they took our orders. Having already eaten well during the day, we opted for simpler dishes from the secondi section. We ordered plain pasta with tomato sauce for the kids, pork for my wife, and duck breast for myself, along with two Hugo cocktails as aperitifs.

Throughout the evening, we felt treated as second-class guests. This indifferent treatment persisted whether it was when drinks were served, plates cleared, or checks handled. It made us wonder if our experience would have been different had we ordered a bottle of champagne like the neighboring table. Such blatant preference is off-putting for other guests as well, especially when dirty dishes pile up for minutes at a neighboring table.

The food quality was also disappointing. The pork was overcooked and excessively fatty, with around 40% deemed inedible. The duck breast was acceptable, but neither dish was particularly refined. The beautiful setting and the restaurant's ambiance initially attracted us, but these were not enough to compensate for the poor service and average food.

In summary, we will not be returning to Ristorante II Castagno and cannot recommend...

The surroundings here warrant 7 stars for atmosphere if that were an option. Just a 15min drive from Siena, we picked this spot at random and were rewarded with stunning vistas of rolling hills, lush greenery and beautiful sunshine.

This is one of my new favorite places in Tuscany. The lunch menu is limited but superbly executed. The olive oil, made from olives grown on the grounds, was exceptional.

When I think of Italy, I will think of this place...

We visited the restaurant when staying nearby. Excellent service, amazing fresh food and pleasant atmosphere. The fresh Caprise salad was the best I've ever had! Pasta was perfect too, paired with perfect wine choices. A lovely couple run the kitchen and restaurant and deserve to do well. Thoroughly recommend a visit if you are...