Where to Eat in Chiusi and Cetona When You Travel to Italy

It has taken awhile to know the best places to eat in and around my town of Chiusi (Siena) Italy. One of the advantages of being married with a Chiusino is knowing the ins and outs of the best eateries. Keep these places in mind should you visit the Valdichiana area.

Chiusi (Lake)
The Restaurant "Da Gino" is literally one minute from the lake. Don't be put off by the look of this restaurant as it looks more like a big cafeteria than a quaint Italian restaurant. The owners Claudio and his sister Manuela have been running this place with their family for over 30 years. This place is a favorite among locals. The pici pasta are extraordinary and made by hand and the grilled persico is a lake fish favorite. I suggest both. The meat is also very very good. Don't forget cantucci and order the house red wine which is usually very good.

Chiusi (lake) Directions:from freeway offramp go right toward Chiusi. You will see a sign on the left with Lago written on it before getting to old town. Turn left and follow all the curves and signs until you reach the lake. You cannot miss it. They are open for lunch and do make reservations for dinner as it is always crammed with people.

Chiusi (near freeway offramp)adjacent to Il Patriarca Hotel
The locanda "La Taverna del Patriarca" is about five years old and has become a favorite of locals. The environment is quite nice, intimate and the owners have paid close attention to every rustic detail. My favorite dish here is Pasta con i Ceci, a garbanzo bean soup with homemade noodles. Very good.
Directions: from freeway offramp turn left. You will immediately see the Hotel Il Patriarca to the left. Turn into their parking area and the locanda will be to the right of the hotel.

Chiusi Scalo

There are two places that make a good pizza. Il Punto and Lo Scalo. I suggest either.
Directions: both are walking distance from the train station. Il Punto is directly perpendicular to the train station. Just walk straight and you will hit before reaching the Church. Lo Scalo is to the left of the train station.

Cetona
The restaurant "Da Nilo" is a must if you visit this area. The owners and cooks just know what they are doing and this place has been a favorite with the locals for many many years. The environment is nice, but loud. Be sure to order "pici a ragu" which is homemade pasta with a meaty tomato sauce.
Directions: once you have reached the cental piazza of Cetona on foot, on the left you will see a sign with the restaurant name. The restaurant is one minute by foot up the road on the left.

Those Long Lunches in Italy

Something has to be said about lunches in Italy. They are long....but good! We had a great day yesterday having lunch at a farmhouse in the hills surrounding Chiusi and Cetona. The occasion was the baptism party of a baby boy named Luca. After the mass, which of course, we were late to, we were to meet the entire party at the restaurant within a beautiful farmhouse called Larco Naturale (www.arco-naturale.com). You can see the pictures. The place is really nice and the owners Luigi and Enzo have taken time to make every rustic detail appropriate to their surroundings.

We had a wonderful lunch which began with an appetizer of prosciutto, coppa secca, mozzarella wraps and crostini (bread with toppings). Next two pasta dishes of ravioli topped with cherry tomotoes and tagliatelle (wide pasta) with a tomato sauce. After this was the secondo or meat dish of veal and roasted potatoes. Then the cake, spumanti, coffee, grappa and limoncello. Don't forget all the wine!! A wonderful meal.

The children spent most of the day outside playing with the puppies, cats and rolling around in the grass! There were walks in between the meals for easy digestion. Suffice to say we arrived at 1 pm for lunch and left at 5 pm!! A fantastic Sunday outside with marvelous warm weather taking in all that Italy has to offer!