La Terrazza Del Chiostro — Restaurant in Unione dei Comuni Valdichiana Senese

We had the immense privilege of working with Maurizio for our wedding welcome dinner in September 2024, and words can hardly do justice to the exceptional experience he created for us. From our very first meeting, Maurizio went far beyond our highest expectations, accommodating every change we made with grace, patience, and an unwavering desire to ensure everything was perfect. His attentiveness and dedication were truly remarkable.

To say that Maurizio is the nicest man we've ever met would still be an understatement. He has a genuine, heartfelt care for people that radiates in everything he does. His kindness is so rare that it left us in awe—he doesn’t just want you to have a good experience, he wants to give you the best experience of your life. We have never met anyone like him, and we feel incredibly lucky to have crossed paths with someone so special.

On the day of our welcome dinner, Maurizio somehow managed to make everything even more perfect than we had imagined. He coordinated every detail flawlessly—and, in true Maurizio fashion, even made sure the weather was ideal! The entire evening felt magical, and that is all thanks to him and his wonderful team.

One thing that touched us deeply was the way Maurizio and his family treat their guests like family. It’s obvious that La Terrazza del Chiostro is a family-run establishment, and that warmth shines through in every interaction. At the end of the night, when we couldn’t get a taxi back to our hotel, Maurizio’s nephews, Mattia and Simone, personally arranged to drive us back in their car!!! We were completely floored by their generosity—it was one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for us, and a perfect example of how Maurizio and his family truly go above and beyond in every way.

La Terrazza del Chiostro is an absolute hidden gem in Pienza. If you didn’t know where it was, you might think it belonged in Milan, New York, or Dubai. The food is simply spectacular—sophisticated, elegant, and every dish is clearly created with immense thought and passion. The fact that Maurizio and his family have managed to craft a restaurant that maintains the warmth and heart of a family business, while delivering cuisine that rivals Michelin-starred restaurants, is nothing short of extraordinary.

Maurizio didn’t just meet our expectations—he exceeded them in ways we couldn’t have imagined. He made our welcome dinner an experience we will treasure forever. He is, without a doubt, the nicest man in all of Pienza, and we are so incredibly grateful to know him. If you have the chance to visit La Terrazza del Chiostro, you are in for a truly...

A restaurant that is not recommended. If you are not a resident of the hotel then you cannot sit in a seat with a perfect view of Tuscany.

The food was disappointing. The local pork was not bad but lacked flavour, and the smell of the sauce overpowered the pork, which was unacceptable. The use of bacon-wrapped pork was silly as you could never perfectly cut down both the bacon and the pork.

The steak was hilarious as they didn't cut it according to the grain of the beef, which meant I needed to use all my strength to tear the beef into shreds. And the taste of the beef was awful as I could smell the fishy smell of the beef and I couldn't imagine that the quality of the beef at this price could be the same as a cheap supermarket steak. However, the frozen supermarket steak was only a few euros.

The bread was also unpalatable, not chewy and with a terrible texture. If you are from France you would not call this food bread.

If you order wine, make sure you order a large bottle as the only red wine offered by the glass tasted very astringent and not suitable for girls.

We arrived at the restaurant at noon and were refused a seat close to the view and were only able to sit in the middle of the garden. It was claimed that seats were booked, but in reality, only one table was booked, and until we finished our meal, half of the tables near the view were unused. The main reason for choosing this restaurant was the view, but we have rudely turned away, and it was a very uncomfortable service experience.

I think this restaurant is designed for people with insensitive tongues who don't care about the money in food and want to eat fast food and take pictures. So I don't recommend this restaurant.

One more word, the eggs...

The first and most obvious thing you notice about la Terrazza del Chiostro is the view, which is an incredible, wide landscape of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. All the seating is intentionally placed facing the valley. The second thing you notice is the price. Most of the dishes served at this restaurant, at least when my wife and I visited, were priced about 25% higher than what could be considered the Italian norm. That being said, the food, service, ambience and yes, that view, compensates for the price differential. When my wife and I visited Pienza in September 2022, we happened upon this restaurant during a tour of this part of Tuscany. Our seating was in the second row, i.e. one row behind the exterior wall of the restaurant. However, the way the tables are oriented, there isn’t a seat in the terrace. It should also be mentioned that the number of tables is limited to allow for this, which makes the dining experience more intimate. Food service did take longer than expected, but the staff did appear to be attentive to all the tables, so it was most likely a case of a busy lunchtime for the kitchen staff. The wait was definitely worth it. My wife ordered a seafood special of the day while I ordered the gnocchi, both of which were excellent. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting the beautiful...