What to eat in Siena: 12 typical dishes you can't miss

Marco Valeri·May 19, 2026·8 min read

From pici to ribollita, from panforte to brunello: the 12 dishes and products you should absolutely try during a trip to Siena.

Siena has a strong, peasant cuisine with clean flavors. No complicated dishes: just a few quality ingredients, cooked the way they have been for generations. If you are coming to Siena for a few days, these are the 12 dishes and products not to be missed.

1. Pici — the symbol

Pici are the symbol of Siena: thick, handmade spaghetti made with water and flour (no eggs), rough enough to capture the sauce. You can find them in all trattorias. Three classic versions:

Pici cacio e pepe: the simple version, perfect for understanding the flavor of the pasta.
Pici all'aglione: with tomato sauce and plenty of sweet garlic from Valdichiana.
Pici al ragù di cinghiale: the richer version, typical of autumn-winter.

Cost: €10-14 per portion in a trattoria.

2. Ribollita

A soup made of stale bread, cannellini beans, cavolo nero (black kale), and vegetables. It is prepared the day before and "re-boiled" the next day — hence the name. It is a winter dish (November-March). Dense, warm, and hearty.

3. Pappa al pomodoro

The summer version of Tuscan "cucina povera" (poor man's cooking): stale bread, fresh tomato, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Served lukewarm or at room temperature. Simple but extraordinary if made well.

4. Bistecca alla fiorentina

Even if it is not "Sienese" in the strictest sense, the bistecca alla fiorentina (T-bone cut of chianina beef, at least 1 kg, cooked rare) is the most requested meat dish in Tuscany. In Siena, several restaurants do it perfectly. Cost: €5-6/100g, so €50-70 per portion (meant to be shared between two).

5. Peposo

A beef stew cooked at a low temperature for 4-5 hours with black peppercorns and red wine. A winter dish, rich and perfect for pairing with Chianti.

6. Cinta senese

The cinta senese is the indigenous pig of the province, raised semi-wild, with an intense flavor and sweet fat. It is found as charcuterie (prosciutto, salame, finocchiona) or as a ragù on pici.

7. Pecorino di Pienza

Located 50 km from Siena, Pienza produces the most famous pecorino in Tuscany. You can find it in all Sienese wine shops: fresco (fresh, sweet, lactic), stagionato (aged, intense), al tartufo (with truffle), or alle vinacce (with grape pomace). Try it with chestnut honey or pears.

8. Panforte

A medieval Sienese dessert: honey, candied fruit, dried fruit, spices, and flour. Compact, intense, and fragrant. It is available year-round (not just at Christmas) and keeps for a long time, making it perfect to take home.

9. Ricciarelli

Soft almond-based cookies with powdered sugar and orange zest. Typical Sienese sweets, IGP certified, excellent with vin santo. These are also great as gifts or to bring home.

10. Cantucci and vin santo

Cantucci (crunchy almond biscuits) are dipped into vin santo (a sweet meditation wine) at the end of a meal. The quintessential Tuscan ritual.

11. Neapolitan pizza — the "alternative" option

Margherita STG napoletana servita a La Napoletana 2.0 — La Margherita STG

If you have two or three nights in Siena, a real Neapolitan pizza is a perfect break from Tuscan cuisine. The address we recommend is La Napoletana 2.0 at Viale Sardegna 37, which has been featured multiple times in 50 Top Pizza. Pizzas €12-16, full menu ~€25.

12. The wines

At the table, accompany your meal with one of these:

Chianti dei Colli Senesi DOCG: an everyday red with excellent price-to-quality ratio.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: the great Tuscan red, complex and made for aging.
Rosso di Montalcino: the "younger brother" of Brunello, fresher and less expensive.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG: an aromatic white, perfect for summer.
Vin Santo del Chianti: sweet, for the end of the meal.

Where to try them at their best

For pici, ribollita, peposo: historic trattorias in the city center — €30-40 per person.
For bistecca alla fiorentina: restaurants with their own meat selection, reservation recommended.
For Neapolitan pizza: La Napoletana 2.0 — Viale Sardegna 37.
For panforte, ricciarelli, wine: wine shops and pastry shops in the center.