Ristorante Locanda Il Fornacino — Restaurant in Unione dei Comuni Valdichiana Senese

Our group of 12 visited this restaurant expecting a pleasant meal together, but unfortunately, the experience turned out to be one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had — not just in Italy, but anywhere.

At first, everything seemed fine as we placed our orders. But soon, the problems began. Two members of our group ordered appetizers, and only one received the correct dish; the other was served something entirely different. To make matters worse, the appetizers were brought out at the same time as the main courses, leaving those who ordered mains waiting while the others tried to finish their starters.

Several orders were completely mixed up. Two people received incorrect main dishes, and when we pointed this out, the staff insisted we had ordered wrong rather than taking responsibility. After much back and forth, the dishes were eventually changed — but even then, they still didn’t match what was described on the menu. By this point, we had been waiting long enough that we simply gave up and ate what we were given.

One person never even received their main course, and once again, the waiter argued that it was never ordered. I personally had oversalted pasta, and the portion was quite small for the price. Overall, the food was mediocre at best — nothing memorable and far from the quality we’d experienced elsewhere during our week in Italy.

Service continued to be frustrating. I had to repeat that I had ordered a cola, only for the staff to argue with me, and I finally received it at the very end of the meal.

We weren’t the only ones disappointed — a couple sitting near us mentioned that they had visited before, loved the food, and came back for that reason, but said this was the worst meal they’d had and left without finishing their food.

Perhaps there has been a change in ownership or management, but whatever the reason, the restaurant has clearly gone downhill. If what we experienced is typical of their current service and food quality, I cannot recommend this restaurant at all. If you value good food, proper service, and a stress-free dining experience, I strongly suggest choosing...

After a wonderful stay in Tuscany, we chose Locanda IL Fornacino as the restaurant for our last meal before our departure, and it was an excellent choice. The food was prepared exquisitely, the service was exceptional, and the atmosphere filled with quintessential Italian rustic character. Alessandro and his wife Mirela have created a wonderful menu that brings together ingredients and flavours from different Italian regions in flavourful recipes that are delicate and sensational. My husband enjoyed the Zuppetta Piccante di Mare, a seafood appetiser followed by a perfectly grilled Chianina beef steak for his main. I, a vegetarian, enjoyed, hands down, the best Parmigiana di Melanzane I’ve ever had (and I’ve had many), as an appetiser, followed by mouth-watering Tagliatelle al Tartufo as my main. Unfortunately, we did not make a note of the wine Mirella suggested, but it was the perfect accompaniment as its subtlety did not overpower the meal. And we ended it with another recommendation by Mirela - Mirto - a delizioso digestivo from Sardegna which neither of us had previously tried, but which we shall not soon forget. And last, but not least, our experience was made especially memorable by Ardemis whose genuinely caring and engaging disposition made for the perfect last meal in Toscana! Grazie Alessandro, Mirela and Ardemis for a wonderful meal and experience. (Mirela - ti assicuro che saranno...

What happened to this place? If I could give negative stars I would. We dreamed and talked about coming back and having the Chianina steak which we had 2 years ago when we had an amazing, one of a kind experience (not just a fabulous meal, but an unforgettable experience). The owner is different, the cook is different and the place is something else. They should change the name. Lucky for us they didn’t have Chianina. The rest of the dishes were bad, the tagliata was inedible (charred and bitter), the pancetta - I don’t know what that was, the vegetables were so bad. We waited for more than an hour for something inedible. We left saddened, angry and hungry and will never come back again.

Please change the name of the place, because this is not the same place it was before.

I will not post photos, because I don’t want to remember the food, the cook wasted good meat and vegetables and made...