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A note on eating out in Italy generally. The Ristorante is the top of the range, the most expensive. Next is the Trattoria, usually with a more restricted range of food, and of the home cooked variety. A Tavola Calda will have one or two hot dishes in very simple surroundings.
Tuscan cuisine is probably the most varied of Italian styles. Sitting as it does between the mainly rice producing (and consuming) North and the grain producing (pasta consuming) South, there are elements of both in the style as well as Polenta, the maize staple. Game (boar rabbit, hare and pigeon for example) abounds and the coast has some excellent fisheries. The emphasis placed on fresh fruit and vegetables is hardly surprising given the quality of Tuscan produce and helps to make the diet a healthy one.
Given the variety of categories and ingredients, the variety of restaurants is therefore huge. From the smartest restaurant in Florence historical centre to the humble trattoria that every village has, the choice is vast. Gastronomy is taken very seriously, and it's difficult to make a poor choice. | 
A small wine cellar |
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