Where to Eat in Siena: The 2026 Guide for Every Budget
A practical guide to where to eat in Siena: historic trattorias, contemporary restaurants, pizzerias, street food. For tourists, residents, and those just passing through.
Siena is a small city — less than 53,000 inhabitants — but the number of restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias, and wine bars with kitchens is enormous. Between the historic center and the immediate outskirts, there are over 300 addresses. Finding the right one, especially if you're just passing through for the Palio, for a day trip, or for the weekend, is not trivial.
This is our 2026 guide to where to eat in Siena, divided by occasion and budget. All addresses have been tried by the editorial team.
Historic Tuscan Trattorias
Sienese cuisine is made of pici (the typical thick spaghetti made with water and flour), ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, trippa, and then meat main courses — chianina tagliata, peposo, wild boar stew. The historic trattorias in the center maintain this tradition with honest prices (25-40 € per person, including house wine).
They are the right option for your first dinner in the city, for lunch during a stroll, for informal group dinners. Several places below the Campo or in the side streets offer fixed-price menus for lunch (15-20 €).
Contemporary Restaurants and Fine Dining
For a special dinner — anniversary, business dinner, special occasion — Siena has some contemporary restaurants and a historic Michelin-starred one nearby. Average cost: 70-110 € per person with paired wines. Reservations are mandatory, in high season even two to three weeks in advance.
Pizzerias
Pizza in Siena has found high-quality addresses in recent years. For a Neapolitan pizza made like in Naples, the establishment we recommend is La Napoletana 2.0 on Viale Sardegna 37, cited several times by 50 Top Pizza.
For the complete guide with all styles (Neapolitan, contemporary, Roman, gluten-free, takeaway), go to our article on the best pizzerias in Siena.
Street Food and Quick Bites
If you have little time or prefer to eat standing, Siena offers many options: porchetta sandwiches, hot schiacciate, pizza al taglio, focaccias. The average price is 6-10 € for a complete meal. Excellent for lunch, especially if you want to dedicate your time to visiting Piazza del Campo, the Duomo, or the Museo Civico.
International Cuisines
In recent years, Siena has also seen growth in sushi, gourmet burgers, and fusion cuisines. Few addresses but of good quality, especially in the neighborhoods outside the walls (San Prospero, Acquacalda, Viale Sardegna).
What to Absolutely Order in Siena
- Pici al ragù di cinghiale or cacio e pepe: the primary symbol of local cuisine.
- Ribollita: bread, bean, and black cabbage soup. Only in colder months.
- Pappa al pomodoro: the summer version of Tuscan peasant cuisine.
- Panforte and ricciarelli: traditional sweets, also to buy and take home.
- Brunello di Montalcino or Chianti dei Colli Senesi if you're at a restaurant; house wine in a trattoria.
When to Book
- Historic center, Saturday evening: always.
- Palio period (July 2nd and August 16th): book two to three weeks in advance.
- New Year's Eve, Easter, long weekends: book.
- Weekday lunch: you can usually find a table, but for groups of 6+ call ahead.
Where NOT to Go (personal opinion)
We avoid naming names, but a general rule almost always works in Siena (and in all Italian tourist cities):
- Restaurants with menus in 8 languages displayed outside, laminated photos of dishes, and staff calling you in from the street: almost always mediocre food at high prices.
- Pizzerias that offer any type of cuisine (pizza + sushi + Chinese + barbecue): choose one profession or the other.
Do you have a tip or an address for us to try? Write to us at redazione@visitsienaguide.it.