Food Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make in Siena

Visit Siena Guide editorial·19 mai 2026·7 min de lecture

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The dinner decisions tourists regret in Siena — and what to do instead.

# Food Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make in Siena

Every traveler we've talked to has the same few regrets about eating in Siena. Here they are, with the better version of each choice.

The ranking

Mistake 1. Eating on Piazza del Campo by default

Move 3 minutes off-square — quality jumps, price drops.

Mistake 2. Assuming 'pizza in Tuscany' is bad

It's mostly bad, but La Napoletana 2.0 is genuinely excellent — 50 Top Pizza-listed, wood-fired Neapolitan, €25 a meal. Worth the 10-minute walk from the center.

Mistake 3. Walking in at 20:30 expecting a table

Reserve. Even 'simple' trattorias fill.

Mistake 4. Ordering carbonara or lasagna

Not Tuscan. Order pici, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro.

Mistake 5. Skipping the wine list

Tuscan house wines are excellent. Even €18 bottles are honest.

Local tip

Two rules cover 80% of bad Sienese meals: reserve, and step away from the Campo.

Related guides

Final word

We update these rankings every season after re-visiting. Spotted something out of date, or have a place we should try? Write us at redazione@visitsienaguide.it — we read every email.