Siena is a city you can walk end to end in an afternoon, which makes it one of the easiest places in Tuscany to plan a full day around food. In a single day you can have a full food lover’s day in Siena with coffee and ricciarelli at a historic bar, shop a market, eat hand-rolled pici for lunch, grab gelato and toast with a glass of Chianti Classico at sunset.
I’m Louisa and I have lived in Tuscany with my family since 2012. Siena is an easy drive from where I live in southern Tuscany, and it’s the city I send friends to when they want to understand Sienese cooking in one go.
Below is my food lover’s day in Siena, hour by hour, with exactly where to eat in Siena and what to order at each stop. It’s built around places I have already written about in depth, so you can click through for more detail on any of them. Start with the Quick Guide if you’re short on time.
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Quick Guide: One Day in Siena Food Itinerary
| Time | Stop | Where | What to Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 am | Nannini | Via Banchi di Sopra, 24 | Cappuccino and ricciarelli (or pan co’ santi in fall) |
| 9:30 am | Market at La Lizza | La Lizza, near the Fortezza (Wed and Fri mornings) | Pecorino, seasonal produce, local olive oil |
| 10:30 am | Il Magnifico | Via dei Pellegrini, 27 | Panforte, ricciarelli, cavallucci |
| 12:30 pm | Osteria Il Grattacielo or Antica Trattoria Papei | Via dei Pontani, 8 / Piazza del Mercato, 6 | Grande piatto or pici and ribollita |
| 3:30 pm | Il Masgalano or La Vecchia Latteria | Via della Sapienza, 47 / Viale Curtatone, 3 | Gelato |
| 4:30 pm | Consorzio Agrario di Siena | Via Pianigiani, 9 | Cinta Senese salumi, wine, pasta to take home |
| 6:30 pm | Margheritè or Enoteca I Terzi | Piazza del Campo, 72 / Via dei Termini, 7 | Aperitivo or a glass of Tuscan red |
| 8:00 pm | La Taverna del Capitano or Osteria le Logge | Via del Capitano, 8 / Via del Porrione, 33 | Pici, Cinta Senese, cantucci and Vin Santo |
Morning in Siena: Coffee, Sweets and the Market
Italians don’t do a big breakfast, and neither should you if you plan to eat a lot today. Have something small and sweet standing at the bar, then walk.
Breakfast at Nannini
Address: Via Banchi di Sopra, 24
Order: Cappuccino with a ricciarello, or a slice of pan co’ santi in October and November.
Nannini is one of the classic names in Siena for coffee, pastries and edible souvenirs, and it’s the stop I recommend for a proper Sienese Italian breakfast. Order at the counter the way locals do (my guide to ways to drink coffee in Italy will help), and pair it with ricciarelli, the soft almond cookies Siena is famous for.
If you’re visiting in the fall, look for pan co’ santi, a sweet bread made for All Saints’ Day with raisins, walnuts, spices and black pepper. It’s one of my favorite foods to eat in Italy in November, and it only shows up for a few weeks a year.
Good To Know: Nannini has no outdoor seating. Have your coffee at the bar and save your sit-down time for lunch.
Market Morning at La Lizza
Where: La Lizza, the tree-lined park by the Fortezza Medicea
When: Wednesday morning (the big weekly market) and Friday morning (a smaller farmers’ market)
If your day in Siena falls on a Wednesday, walk up to La Lizza for the city’s main weekly market. It’s mostly clothes and housewares, but you’ll also find stalls selling fruit, vegetables and flowers. On Friday mornings the same area hosts a smaller farmers’ market where local producers sell pecorino, ricotta, flour, olive oil and seasonal fruit and vegetables.
This is the best place to taste Tuscan pecorino from the people who make it. If you want to know what you’re looking at before you go, read my guide to Italian cheese and pienza cheese.
Panforte and Ricciarelli at Il Magnifico
Address: Via dei Pellegrini, 27 (just behind the Duomo)
Order: Panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci by weight
Panificio Il Magnifico is the historic bakery I go to for Siena’s traditional sweets. Skip the boxed versions sold in souvenir shops and buy them fresh here. Panforte is the dense, spiced cake of honey, nuts and candied fruit that dates back to the Middle Ages, ricciarelli are soft, chewy and naturally made without flour, and cavallucci are firmer spiced cookies with walnuts.
These travel well, which makes them some of the best food souvenirs and gifts from Tuscany. In the fall, Il Magnifico is also where I’d buy a whole loaf of pan co’ santi.
Good To Know: Ricciarelli are a smart pick if you’re eating gluten-free in Italy. Panforte usually contains a little flour, so ask before you buy.
Lunch in Siena
Lunch is the meal to plan around. Choose a quick, casual lunch if you want to keep exploring, or a long trattoria lunch if food is the main event. For more options, see my favorite Siena restaurants for lunch on a day trip.
Option 1 – Osteria Il Grattacielo (Quick and Casual)
Address: Via dei Pontani, 8
Order: The grande piatto
Best For: A relaxed lunch that won’t take all afternoon
Osteria Il Grattacielo dates back to 1840 and sits just off the busiest streets. Order the grande piatto, a big platter of cured meats, cheese, crostini, pickled vegetables and other small bites. It’s one of my 3 Siena restaurants for a quick but delicious meal.
Option 2 – Antica Trattoria Papei (Slow and Traditional)
Address: Piazza del Mercato, 6
Order: Ribollita or pappa al pomodoro, then pici, or cinghiale (wild boar) stew
Best For: A long, traditional Sienese lunch
Papei, one of the best places to eat in Siena, is the classic trattoria just behind Piazza del Campo, and it’s where I’d send anyone who wants a full Sienese meal. If you’ve never had a traditional multi-course lunch, my guide to Italian meal structure explains how to order without overdoing it.
Afternoon in Siena: Gelato and Food Shopping
Gelato Break
Il Masgalano: Via della Sapienza, 47, for big scoops and rich chocolate and nut flavors
La Vecchia Latteria: Viale Curtatone, 3, my top pick for clean, seasonal flavors
After a long lunch, walk it off and stop for gelato. Both places are near the Basilica of San Domenico. My full list is in Best Gelato in Siena, and if you’re new to it, here’s how to order gelato in Italy.
Shopping at the Consorzio Agrario di Siena
Address: Via Pianigiani, 9
Buy: Cinta Senese salumi, Tuscan pecorino, local wine, dried pasta, olive oil
The Consorzio Agrario is Siena’s farmers’ cooperative, founded in 1901, and its shop is where I’d stock up on Tuscan products rather than buying from tourist shops. Look for cured meats made from Cinta Senese, the black pig with a white band that is native to the hills around Siena. It’s the meat most closely tied to Sienese food, and it makes an excellent Italian charcuterie board back at your rental.
Evening in Siena: Aperitivo, Dinner and Vin Santo
Aperitivo on or Near Piazza del Campo
Margheritè: Piazza del Campo, 72, for a drink and small plates on the square
Enoteca I Terzi: Via dei Termini, 7, for wine lovers
If you can, get a table at Margheritè, right on Piazza del Campo; see my guide on where to eat in and around Piazza del Campo. If they don’t have a table, get a drink at any of the main bars on the square, which will all serve a good aperitivo.
If wine is your priority, go to Enoteca I Terzi, a wine bar built partly into the medieval Torre dell’Orsa. Siena sits at the southern edge of the Chianti Classico area, so a glass of Chianti Classico is the obvious local choice. My list of wines to try in Tuscany will help you choose.
Dinner at La Taverna del Capitano or Osteria le Logge
La Taverna del Capitano: Via del Capitano, 8, near the Duomo. Traditional Sienese cooking.
Osteria le Logge: Via del Porrione, 33. Michelin-listed and the splurge option.
End the day with a proper Sienese dinner. At La Taverna del Capitano, order pici, the thick hand-rolled pasta of southern Tuscany, with white ragù or try the pigeon if you want something different from the usual chicken. Go to Osteria le Logge for a special-occasion dinner. Book both ahead.
If you only tick off a handful of dishes, make it these. You’ll find more in my list of 12 foods to try in Siena and my wider guide to traditional Tuscan food.
| Food | What It Is | Where on This Itinerary |
|---|---|---|
| Ricciarelli | Soft almond cookies, naturally flourless | Nannini, Il Magnifico |
| Panforte | Dense medieval cake of honey, nuts, spices and candied fruit | Il Magnifico |
| Crostini neri | Chicken liver pâté on toasted Tuscan bread | Osteria Il Grattacielo |
| Ribollita | Tuscan bread, bean and vegetable soup | Antica Trattoria Papei |
| Pici | Thick hand-rolled pasta, often with ragù or aglione sauce | Papei, La Taverna del Capitano |
| Cinta Senese | Local heritage pork, fresh or cured | Grattacielo, Consorzio Agrario, Osteria le Logge |
| Cantucci and Vin Santo | Almond cookies dipped in sweet wine | Enoteca I Terzi |
| Pan co’ santi | Spiced walnut and raisin bread (October to November only) | Nannini, Il Magnifico |
Tips for Planning a Food Day in Siena
Book Dinner Ahead: Osteria le Logge and La Taverna del Capitano fill up. Reserve at least one meal before you arrive.
Pick Your Market Day: Wednesday is the big general market at La Lizza, Friday is the farmers’ market. Plan around Friday if food shopping is the goal.
Eat Lunch on Italian Time: Kitchens usually serve lunch from around 12:30 to 2:30 pm, then close until dinner.
Expect a Cover Charge: Many sit-down restaurants add a coperto per person to the bill.
Buy Sweets Last: Fresh ricciarelli dry out quickly because they have no preservatives, so buy the ones you’re taking home toward the end of your trip.
If you’d like to go a step further and cook these dishes yourself, I host a Tuscany cooking retreat and private cooking classes in Tuscany at Camporsevoli near Cetona, in the southern part of the province of Siena.
Siena Travelers, Don’t Miss:
3 Siena Restaurants for a Quick but Delicious Meal
My Favorite Siena Restaurants for Lunch on a Day Trip
Where to Eat in and Around the Piazza del Campo
Best Gelato in Siena: My Top 3
12 Foods To Try in Siena for First-Time Travelers to Italy
A Food Lover’s Day in Siena – Where to Eat, Drink and Shop (By A Local)
